Do you think it is right that all people are allowed to read in most prisons is the Bible?

Question

Do you think it is right that all people are allowed to read in most prisons is the Bible?
A family member I love is in jail right now and the ONLY book he is allowed to read is the Bible!! How is that constitutional. Yes I know, they committed a crime, blah, blah, blah, but how is that separation of church and state. Shouldn't they be allowed to choose their religious manuscripts? All of the sudden this family member is a "Born-Again Christian?" Not that I have any problem with my family members reaffirming their Christian faith, or converting to Christianity, but I do have a problem when it is because they are being brainswashed. Yes brainwashed. In prison people are in a highly emotional state and easily swayed. I'll bet that if the only book allowed in prisons was the Qa'ran, there would be a lot more conversions to Islam

I need to add, he's in a military prison.

Rickinno: this isn't coming from the person IN jail, but from his case worker who gets to visit him in jail. Nobody else can. Remember, it's a military jail.

Baller: Sorry, but I really believe this kind of conversion is coerced and superficial and as you guys put it, not built upon a rock.

Rogue: I didn't say anyone was forcing him to, but hmmm...you sit alone all day in a cell, with only letters from family and a Bible...hmmm.

Answer 1

There is nothing in the Constitution about separation of Church and State. The Constitution prohibits the Congress from creating a religion and making laws that prohibit the free practice of religion.

Answer 2

I believe that you are grossly misinformed. If all inmates were allowed to read is the Bible, how on earth do convicted killers earn Master's Degrees or PhD's? Damn, I'd LOVE to be able to get an education at someone else's expense.
Besides, even if what you claim is true, (which it isn't), they are IN PRISON. I get so sick of hearing about inmates being treated so poorly, like not having to work for their housing, food, clothing, or medical care is such a horrible thing. Inmates get better health care than the general population.
Ever hear about the woman a few years ago who made a fake anthrax threat so she could go to jail and get treatment for her diabetes?
For your information, inmates are not being brainwashed, religion is not being shoved down their throats because there are Bibles available. If that was the case, every person who has ever stayed in a hotel would be brainwashed since there is a Bible in the nightstand drawer of every single one I have ever stayed at.

Answer 3

If that's true, yes, it would be unconstitutional. It's also contrary to a number of prison/religion laws passed by state and federal legislatures. It would be completely contrary to the most conservative reading of the Establishment Clause (the government choosing one religion over another.)


Unless there is a particularized security reason, the inmate should be allowed to read any generally accepted religious texts.
Generally, inmates have first amendment rights to mail and literature in certain quantities (so long as there is no fire hazard):
http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/analysis.aspx?id=16037

Although that rule is restricted for the most violent inmates:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beard_v._Banks#Decision

http://www.onenewsnow.com/2007/05/federal_judge_rules_literature.php

Answer 4

Sorry, but if he's telling you that, he's lying. Jails and prisons are required by law to make the relevant religious book of any faith available to inmates. (So if he wants to read a Koran, all he has to do is ask) They're also required to make law books available.

In addition to what's required by law, every jail or prison I've ever visited has had a sizeable library for the inmates. Guards LIKE books..... inmates who're reading aren't getting into fights.

Richard

Answer 5

I have never heard of that limitation and I doubt it would survive a court challenge. As you said all religious texts should be allowed if the Christian bible is allowed. However an inmate would have to bring suit, not a family member.

Answer 6

What are you conversing approximately? I went to college I study the bible each and each time i wanted. easily my instructors did no longer enable me study the bible during English classification, or biology classification. i replaced into meant to be paying interest to regardless of it replaced into they have been coaching on the time. maybe you're asking why instructors in public colleges are no longer coaching the Bible? properly in some worldwide places they do. possibly no longer your bible although. right here interior the U. S. we've faith that faith and the state are ultimate saved separate. we are additionally a rustic that tries (regularly) to handle all its those with some degree of equality. If we gave time to the Bible shouldn't we additionally provide time to all the different religious books and proposals. and then shouldn't we additionally provide it slow to the religiously anti-religious to have their say? If we did that once could the academics have time to do the rest? maybe it somewhat is a sturdy theory to require a Survey of Religions and Anti-Religions direction to be a piece of a curriculum at some ideal grade point. easily an understand-how of the selection of concept in this concern would desire to be interior the guidance of each and every sturdy citizen. a form of social study with the objective to talk. regrettably, the Bible will possibly no longer get as plenty time as you may like it to have. maybe, your church may well be a extra ideal place to have your babies study your Bible. positively there they could get precisely what you opt for for them to get while not having to take heed to all the different thinking on the priority. Oh, and do they require prisoners to study the Bible? Do the supervisors of the GED training enable their student prisoners to be analyzing their Bibles (or regardless of) in the event that they're there to benefit for the GED? i do no longer think of so. it may in simple terms be out of place. Your question isn't probably a query is it? it somewhat is a fact of what you may choose for to enforce on all and sundry else. deliver your babies to Bible college. they'll study the Bible extra ideal there.

Answer 7

I think you've been misinformed. People in prison actually have access to many books...well, unless they have too little funding to buy books, have to make due with donations, and the only donations they receive are the Bible. In that case, I'm sure he'd be allowed to read other things if they were available.

Answer 8

Their experience with lives being changed for the better, the Holy Bible has the greatest record on earth as in doing just that..It changes the criminal to a law abiding citizen, a pauper to a king, a sinner into a saint, a drunkard into a sober man who then takes his money and pays his families bills and becomes a man who was a filth and scum of the earth and God cleanses Him or her up in such a way so that they are pure, undefiled and anoints them as true kings unto Him, to live with Him in His coming Kingdom. And you are mistaken, The Word of God does not brain wash but gives us sound, genuine, unadulterated wisdom and understanding of all things in this life and in the life to come whether heaven or hell and let's us know that the choice is ours to make..

Answer 9

I think your family member is either lying or completely ignorant. Most prisons have their own LIBRARIES.

Answer 10

I dunno what to tell you. In the country jail here, people have a large selection of books to choose from.

Same with State prison