Judge Gives Offenders Option of Church

[southernleftylady]

LONDON, Ky. - A Kentucky judge has been offering some drug and alcohol offenders the option of attending worship services instead of going to jail or rehab — a practice some say violates the separation of church and state.

District Judge Michael Caperton, 50, a devout Christian, said his goal is to "help people and their families."

"I don't think there's a church-state issue, because it's not mandatory and I say worship services instead of church," he said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050531/ap_on_re_us/sentenced_to_church

[Turbineguy]

1. Option?

take Jail.

[Johonny]

2. I say the

odds of a young man getting raped in church are about equal to prison. So what's the up side?

[GiovanniC]

3. ANY Worship Services?

Baptist, Jewish, Muslim, Christian Science, Mormon, Catholic, Buddhist, Pagan, Rastafarian?

Can the drug dealers and drunk drivers go worship Ra the sun god rather than go to jail?

How about SATAN?

Where do you draw the line on acceptable "worship services", Your Honor? Because sooner or later, that sort of distinction is going to be necessary. And when you get into THAT, you have massive church/state issues.

[Sandpiper]

5. That's what I was thinking

If worship services are an option, then it has to extend to ALL worship services.

[Walt Starr]

7. It would also have to include Atheist Group Metups, too

Can't leave Atheists out.

[noiretextatique]

10. nah...only christian, i'm sure

since the judge is a devout christian, apparently. none of those 'funny' churches for him.

[cestpaspossible]

4. Unless they make you stay in church all day and all night

I'd opt for church instead of jail. Speaking as someone whose 'attended' both.

[Warpy]

6. Church vs REHAB????

I don't care how much an addict claims to love Jesus, the prognosis for sobriety is piss poor without rehab. What you get are dry drunks like the Idiot, and most of them are still using their drug of choice on the sly. Church just taught them how to lie a little better.

Even with rehab, the prognosis is less than stellar. The combination that seems to work best is incarceration with rehab, with or without church tacked on. Most rehab programs are just too short to give an addict much of a chance, even with AA or NA meetings afterwards.

That judge is a menace to anyone who comes in front of him. Using one's faith as a guide when making legal decisions is one thing. Mandating it for other people is just plain wrong.

[LeftyMom]

8. Whop-de-do, he says "worship services"

Last time I was in KY, there was only one kind of "worship service" to be had in town, and that was Southern Baptist. Even in the nearer larger towns, there were only varying types of Protestant churches availible, as a result I didn't go to mass the whole time I was there (still Catholic back them) so it stuck out to me.

If the rehab program offered used the 12 step AA model, as many do, he's giving people the choice of Christianity, Christianity, or jail. Lovely.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

9. Reminds me of being "referred" to the Chaplain in the military.

Me and a pal got caught off limits and in possession of "contraband" - home made "plum brandy" (one of the ingredients being kerosene) - while in Taiwan. The locals made it up and traded it for anything the marines could steal. Blankets, c-rations, cigarettes...anything. Also, the local women were open to barter.

Our bible thumping CO gave us "non-judicial" punishment only because the squadron already was leading the wing in venereal disease and courts-martials. Part of it was a trip to the Chaplain. Being then listd as an RC I was sent to a Father Duffy. My grandmother being from the same part of Ireland as he was, he poured me a drink whiskey, and regaled me with stories of County Sligo followed by a grand discussion about the existence or non-existence of God.

Much later, after my own romance with the booze, I became an Employee Assisstance counselor. We never referred our alcoholic/drug clients to religious institutions. Not because we were anti-religion, but because they had such a lousy record.

So, beyond the constitutional question, it's a lousy "option".

[progressoid]

11. Here are your choices near London KY:

According to Dexonline...

Religious Organizations, Churches, Synagogues & Mosques
Baptist (48)
Catholic (1)
Catholic Ukrainian (1)
Christian (5)
Methodist (1)
Pentecostal (2)
Presbyterian (1)

-------------

Hmmmm, not too many Synagogues or Mosques. Imagine that.

[elehhhhna]

13. Let's start a rasta rehab church, asap.

[maveric]

18. Or Pagan!

[ComerPerro]

12. Yeah, that worked for Bush...

:eyes:

[immoderate]

14. Do the churches get money?

Maybe it's all for commerce.

--IMM

[PurityOfEssence]

15. well, church IS a form of punishment...

This is a direct violation of Article One of the Bill of Rights.

What the fuck is this distinction between "worship services" and "church"? That's nothing short of bullshit quibbling to force fantasy crap down the throats of the displaced.

[DemBeans]

16. wow, such a deal

Instead of treatment, a drug offender gets the option of worshipping this judge's sky fairy.

Oh, wait - "treatment" wasn't the option - jail was. And we wonder why our prisons are filled with drug offenders? Wouldn't it be tons cheaper to build affordable rehab centers rather than maximum security prisons in the first place?

[Nothing Without Hope]

17. See also this earlier thread in LBN - good that this is publicized!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1511939
Thread title; "Judge Gives Offenders Option of Church"

That thread was on an article in the Wash Post - I feel it is a hopeful sign that this case is getting so much attention. The majority in this country do NOT support a theocracy and are very concerned - with good reason - that this is where things are heading if something isn't done to stop it.