Our country steadfastly and properly does not establish a state religion and certainly goes to great lengths to see that religions are free to operate and worship as they desire. ("Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.")
Yet we are presented with many circumstances that fall into the gray area where courts determine whether the Constitutional standard has been met or violated.
The controversy surrounding religious groups who operate successful programs in prisons comes to the fore frequently. Self-proclaimed watchdogs seek to keep public money away from religious groups who arguably do better work to help criminals change than do the corrections functions of government or strictly secular programming. This separation of church and state, as the watchdogs argue, is necessary to protect the taxpayers and to assure that the First Amendment principle is intact.
What is so disturbing to me is the constant attack against Christian, and perhaps other groups, who seek to provide a better alternative for personal change and growth for people who have violated the law and are incarcerated. But I ask myself : Would I support a Muslim, or Hindu, or Pagan, or Wiccan group who chose to commit their resources to the possibility of reform for people in prison? I struggle with the question from a secular point of view, but remain supportive of Christian programs in prison because I know that true change for an individual happens in their spiritual domain and that is the fundamental belief of the followers of Jesus.
Secular or anti-religious programming in any venue is simply not as effective in changing hearts and worldviews. But the watchdogs cannot stop at the reality that lives are changed via belief in Christ. They must preserve their view of the sanctity of the First Amendment.
Is compromise not possible if/when lives are changed?
"A government-financed religious education program at a county jail in Fort Worth was struck down by the Texas Supreme Court more than five years ago, and more lawsuits are pending. Corrections Corporation (of America) was among those sued last year by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, which is challenging a Christian residential program at a womenÂ?s prison in Grant, N.M. The foundation has also sued the federal Bureau of Prisons over its faith-based rehabilitation programs. And Americans United, the Iowa plaintiff, and the American Civil Liberties Union have sued a job-training program run by a religious group at the Bradford County Jail near Troy, Pa."
And the beat goes on!
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