Judge: West Virginia can't require incarcerated atheist to participate in religious programming
Judge: West Virginia can't require incarcerated atheist to participate in religious programming
A federal judge in West Virginia has ruled that the state corrections agency can’t force an incarcerated atheist and secular humanist to participate in religiously-affiliated programming to be eligible for parole.
A federal judge in West Virginia has ruled that the state corrections agency can’t force an incarcerated atheist and secular humanist to participate in religiously-affiliated programming to be eligible for parole.
Meanwhile, getting a DUI in some places still means that you can be forced to attend religious-leaning AA meetings.
Unfortunately, all AA is religious. The 12 step program they use inherently assumes you surrender to a higher power. There has been some push back to make that higher power into something you personally consider higher than yourself, but the intention is 'God'.
Has anyone ever tried suing over that?
Lol the fact something like this even got to court omg
I know, it seems like it'd have been so easy to make an exception in this case so he wasn't harmed by it and not allow it to set a precedent.
There should be significant additional legal penalties when the state violates long established laws and precedents.
Unfortunately this just means they can't explicitly force them on paper. They'll still find ways to punish anyone that doesn't at least go along.
The fact that they even tried in the first place is what is most disturbing. Amazing how so many Americans (Republicans) have apparently zero respect for or understanding of the principles in which the country was founded (ie. as a SECULAR nation by design) - but of course in reality they understand EXACTLY what they are doing and they do it anyway because Christianity today is far closer to being being just a front door for fascist ideology rather than something which aims to actually help people.
It's pointless and stupid. If you're forced to perform a religious ritual, it doesn't mean you believe. People believe whatever they want, independent of what they say or do.