NEWTON, Iowa (AP) — State officials say they will end a Bible-based treatment program at Newton prison that has been the subject of a five-year court battle.
The Iowa Department of Corrections has notified Prison Fellowship Ministries in Virginia that the program, called the InnerChange Freedom Initiative, will end by mid-March, prison spokesman Fred Scaletta said in a copyright story in The Des Moines Register.
Prison Fellowship had a three-year state contract that ended in June to work with inmates. Prison officials had granted the group a one-year extension with donations covering expenses.
A provision in the agreement allows the prison to cancel the program if its enrollment drops below 60 inmates. That is expected to happen after a March 14 graduation ceremony for 27 prisoners, Scaletta said.
The program has been the subject of a protracted legal fight with Americans United for the Separation of Church and State in Washington, D.C.
In December, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis ruled that the program advanced religion at government expense and that taxpayer money could not be used to finance the program.
The program, in place in Newton for eight years, has operated solely on donations since July 1, 2007, when Gov. Chet Culver, a Democrat, signed legislation eliminating a state appropriation for the project.
Prison Fellowship has contended the program is voluntary and produces secular benefits such as improving inmates behavior, reducing the number of people returning to prison and protecting public safety. Inmates in the InnerChange program spend seven days a week in work, education and prayer.
Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Slacker "Dude you really need to read the constitution, i wish they taught the constitution in schools rather then misinterpretation... No where in the constitution does it say anything about "the seperation between church and state" it says "Congress shall pass no law establishing religion nor hinder the free expression thereofAgreed, the US Constitution does not contain “the separation of church and state”.
The phrase actually was penned by President Jefferson:
"Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State." - Jefferson, Thomas (1802-01-01). Jefferson's Letter to the Danbury Baptists.
This statement from the First Amendment establishes the separation:
“Congress shall pass no law establishing religion….”
The Founding Fathers of the US were students of history and did not want a repeat of the religious wars of Europe; hence they wanted to keep religion out of government.
“If they taught that in school more people would stand up and ask why is the governement hindering my free expression of religion in school....”
I dont think anyone is being denied free expression of their (students) beliefs, but teachers and administrators should not be “teaching” about their religion in the classroom. If teachers were allowed to teach their religion in the classroom, my guess is you would object if it were not Christian. How many denominations of Christianity are there?- thousands. Which “correct” version would be taught in school?
to scitsonga:
" consider myself an agnostic. I visit this site because I am interested not in religion itself, but the politics of religion and religions influence ion society. I strongly believe in the US Constitution that states a person has a right to practice their religion without interference from government. I also believe that the US Constitution says that church and state should be kept seperate. I am here to do my part to prevent Christians, or any religion, from bluring the separation of church and state as they attempt to impose their beliefs on me. Religion is a very personal thing and should be kept out of government, courts and public schools. "
Dude you really need to read the constitution, i wish they taught the constitution in schools rather then misinterpretation... No where in the constitution does it say anything about "the seperation between church and state" it says "Congress shall pass no law establishing religion nor hinder the free expression thereof". If they taught that in school more people would stand up and ask why is the governement hindering my free expression of religion in school....
Hey Tag,
This is a Christian site and I personally welcome those that are ignorant to God's Wrod. It gives us as Christians an opportunity to reach out to those that are lost with a spirit of love and truth. Jesus said "blessed are those that are persecuted for righteousness sake for their's is the kingdom of heaven", (Matt. 5:10). So don't take offense toward those who condemn Christians, just look at it as a confirmation of our salvation and eternal destiny. Shake their hands for opposing comments, they guarentee our destiny.
aritonang "scitsonga, why do you delete my comments on several other article.
do you support censorhips like danny2/danny/first/bob?"
Ah, sorry to disappoint you, but I am not the one that deletes your comments. I have never deleted anyones comments except for my own for typo's. I'm told you can contact the webmaster and they will tell you who did the deleting, I dont know if that is true though. I strongly disagree with almost all your posts, but I am totally opposed to censorship of any kind. My posts get flagged quite often, I will not do to others, that which I would not want done to me- censorship in this case.
scitsonga, why do you delete my comments on several other article.
do you support censorhips like danny2/danny/first/bob?
Tag "Hmmm? I thought this was a "Christian" news web site for Christians. If that's the case, why are there so many non-Christian, liberals posting comments here?"
I hope your faith isn't so fragile that you feel threaten by alternative view points.
I consider myself an agnostic. I visit this site because I am interested not in religion itself, but the politics of religion and religions influence ion society. I strongly believe in the US Constitution that states a person has a right to practice their religion without interference from government. I also believe that the US Constitution says that church and state should be kept seperate. I am here to do my part to prevent Christians, or any religion, from bluring the separation of church and state as they attempt to impose their beliefs on me. Religion is a very personal thing and should be kept out of government, courts and public schools.
Hmmm? I thought this was a "Christian" news web site for Christians. If that's the case, why are there so many non-Christian, liberals posting comments here?
From Indonesia,
Atheist are funniest when they are about to be executed. Take a look at what we do normally. CIA supplied us with names of atheist proselytizer usually a Chinese. Then we take them down to the river and let the islamic al anshar hack them out with machetes.
Looks like jar1961 has taken it upon himself to be the policeman for information control. Freedom of Speech would be the first victim in a theocracy, thats why it is important to keep religion out of government.
Here is something for you to consider jar- you can be silenced too.
The posting on this thread has nothing to do with the article. I am a prison chaplain and have seen what wonderful effects Christian based programs have. It is a shame that Virginia has opted to eliminate a powerful tool in the arsenal against criminality.
Atheism has won the day in Virginia.
If Atheism is a religion as you say, what are our sacred texts?
"Origin of Species"
What are our holy days or specified days of worship?
April 1
Like the government has all of the answers. The government can’t seem to even keep its own head above the quagmire of ethical violations and abuses of power and privilege, never mind helping neglected criminals’ recidivism.
while bush was gov of Texas, 127 people were executed. How many were innocent? Small potatoes though compared to the war crimes bush is responsible for against the peoples of Iraq.
"So by definition if you are devoted to not believing in the supernatural existance of God you in fact are exercizing a religion.... "
This is an entire logical fallacy. How are non-believers of anything, let alone non believers in god a religion? Are those that esponse non-belief in santa, angels, elves and so on also religious? No, but by your logic they would be.
If Atheism is a religion as you say, what are our sacred texts? What are our holy days or specified days of worship? We don't appeal to the belief in a god or afterlife, which are key principles to being a religion. There is no 'church of atheism' or non believers that is govt. subsidized or are tax free like other religons institutions are, clearly the govt. doesn't indicate non-belief as a form of religion, otherwise if it did we too should be tax exempt.
Well slack, thanx for sharing that with us, now the atheists of the world can practice a religion by praising and worshiping a non-entity.
Actually Atheism is by definition a religion, where the dictionary states religion as "A cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion. "
So by definition if you are devoted to not believing in the supernatural existance of God you in fact are exercizing a religion....
"ATHEISM IS A RELIGION THAT IS DOOMED TO DEFEND FAILURE AND MISERY. "
No, atheism is simply the lack of belief in the supernatural, how do you get a religion from that? Failure and misery? You see you have atheism confused with religion. From fear and ignorance you naturally get failure and misery.
Why don't you try reality for a while? You might enjoy it.
Do Atheists Exist?
http://polemos.net/Do%20Atheists%20Exist.html
The Unjust Justice of Autonomous Man
http://poleblog.polemos.net/2008/03/unjust-justice-of-autonomous-man.html
profX "ATHEISM IS A RELIGION"
Ah, atheism is not a religion, you deed to learn about what religion actually is, you dont appear to know.
THE STATE OF IOWA DEMANDS PROGRAMS WITH A HIGHER FAILURE RATE SO THAT THEY CAN LINE THEIR POCKETS WITH MORE FEDERAL DOLLARS TO FUND PROGRAMS THAT NEVER REALLY FIX THE REAL PROBLEM OF CRIME AS A SICK WAY TO GUARANTEE JOB SECURITY. ATHEISM IS A RELIGION THAT IS DOOMED TO DEFEND FAILURE AND MISERY.
http://evolutionfacts.blogspot.com