Since 0.2% of the prison population are atheists....?

Question

Since 0.2% of the US prison population are atheists, I would like to take this opportunity to openly admit that my group, atheists, have some rotten apples. Some bad people, who do mean stuff.

No matter what bad things they have done, I don't feel the need to kick them out of my little group, atheism. I fully believe that if a person says he doesn't believe in any gods, he has the right to claim to be an atheist. I won't judge his atheism.

Sorry, I know this is not a question, I just felt the need to say this, openly, in public. And I want everybody to know I mean this.

Now, to follow the Y!A TOS, I have to ask a question. Let's see.

You think I can find a Christian to admit that also 'bad Christians' exist? Or are those 83% of the US prison population all "not real Christians"?

Answer 1

Ow, ya had me going there, I thought you were taking a break. Blindsided them with a zinger!

Answer 2

How many were atheists before prison? Prison is good place to realize your place in the world and help recognize that there is a God. I wonder how many convert after arriving there? Also, not being an atheist doesn't necessarily make you a theist because you can also be agnostic. I can picture many stereotypical inmates being more likely agnostic rather than atheist. Also, realize that recognizing there is a God doesn't mean that you won't do wrong. Jesus came to this world for the sinners, not for the righteous--just like sick people are the ones who need a doctor.

Answer 3

Yes, I'm not really a Christian by some people's definition but I think a Christian is as a Chritian does. There are too many religious leaders with secret lives that don't fit their ministry to believe that your faith can't be deemed worthless if you don't act according to what you believe. Preach it all you want but your actions tell the real story.

Can prisoners find Jesus in prison. Again, yes and no. Some will only be pretending to be Reformed Christians to get help from their minister and to gain good PR with their PO. Others have been forced to stop running from God and are ready to sacrifice their lives to do his will.

Then there are the atheists who don't see god anywhere and are only focused on self-responsibility. My respect goes out to them. Neither belief nor disbelief in God will keep you from the criminal life. It all depends on what happens to you and what your response is.

Answer 4

I like your picture with the cute cape!

I want to know whether those Prison Christians (PCs) were christian before or after they went to prison. I think a LOT of people "convert" because they think it looks good at the parole hearing. You used to get that with Islam a lot too, thought probably not so much in America anymore. So those people would definitely be fake Christians.

If they were Christians before they went to prison, I bet people will say that they weren't "real" Christians or else they wouldn't have broken the law. Or they were framed. Either / or. But I don't think that's fair - if someone says they "follow Christ", they are a "Christ-ian", right? You can't do an after-the-fact renunciation, because that's intellectually unfair. It's also a fallacy, but I can't remember which one.....?

EDIT: No True Scotsman, as said above. Thank you, person with the pink eyes!

Answer 5

We Christians are not better than others, or not even good, with Jesus we are better off than we used to be. Many people also find Christ when they are in prison. They might have called themselves Christians before but then they learn what the relationship with God really is.

I hope that Christians spread the Gospel in prison if they are real Christians. I think that all of them could use some words of comfort and hope. There are something great after this life if they want it. Hell is worse than prison. And the % is very low for Atheists what comes to heaven. : )

Answer 6

Was the prison population polled upon ENTERING or EXITING the prison? Don't believe everything you hear or read on the internet or in the news! Christian Organizations love statistics because it helps them to get more funding! They will take a con for a day just to get some extra money . It helps to say you are "saved" just to get some time off of your sentence & get released into a half-way house that is getting paid by the government to house & "rehabilitate" convicts! By the way...just because their physical body is in prison doesn't not mean their soul has to stay there with it. Many of these cons have powers that most Christians wouldn't believe existed in today's world anyway!

Answer 7

Of course there are Christians who make mistakes. You might try providing population statistics as a whole to put into perspective the prison population versus civilian population also, just to make it more informative. I also imagine that many of the Christians may have also converted while in prison. There are some wonderful prison ministries who witness to those behind bars. Fair warning to anyone who chooses not to answer the door, if you go to prison you can't pretend to not be home. :P


**http://www.adherents.com/misc/adh_prison.html
It may actually be more than .2%. I hope this doesn't burst any bubbles.

Answer 8

Certainly there are "bad" Christians just like there are bad in any group of people. I dont know any Christians who claim to be perfect and without sin. Maybe it might be a good idea to get to know a few and judge for yourself on an individual basis. I have Christian, Muslim, Buddist and Athiest friends.
I dont think of them in terms of what they believe, just what kind of people they are. That works for me.

Answer 9

Good question.
I'd like to hear the answer from christians themselves. In all likelyhood, they'll say that these people aren't "real" christians or some such nonsense.
After all, it's what they say about Hitler despite the facts that Hitler and the entire Nazi party were deeply devoted christians and that the party was founded on christian beliefs.

Answer 10

Human nature is bad. All people are sinners. God came to save sinners, not the righteous. That's why we Christians look like such a sorry lot. The difference is we were bad enough to know we needed a savior. "Nice" people have a problem admitting that they have sin in their lives. The Lord only saves people who can humble themselves long enough to confess their sins and repent. Pride is the main thing that keeps people out of heaven. The meek shall inherit the earth.

Answer 11

Yes. The christians seem to think that any murderer is not truly a christian. But I completely agree with you that if someone says they don't believe in god/s they are an atheist, no matter what wrong they may have done.