this post was submitted on 21 Jul 2023
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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.

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[–] BenVimes@lemmy.ca 38 points 2 years ago (2 children)

In the “Big Book,” the foundational document of these programs, “Chapter 4: We Agnostics” tells atheists and agnostics that they are “doomed to alcoholic death” unless they “seek Him.” The chapter characterizes non-believers as “handicapped by obstinacy, sensitiveness, and unreasoning prejudice.”

This really jumped out at me. What a horrible thing to say about someone, especially someone looking for help.

[–] AlGoreRhythm@lemmy.world 27 points 2 years ago

"Unreasoning prejudice" ain't that just the richest projection you've ever seen🤣🤣🤣

[–] DarkThoughts@kbin.social 4 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Alcoholic death? That's weirdly specific. I barely even drink. If I do, then I do it to get drunk, but not to comatose type of levels.

[–] damnYouSun@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 years ago

Am I allowed to drink alcohol as long as I believe in God, I'm not quite I understand their random system of belief.

Also, I guess that drugs are okay?

[–] Kandorr@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

The Big Book being discussed in this comment is one of the foundations of the Alcoholics Anonymous program. Hence this warning about alcoholism. AA features a higher power as part of recovery.

[–] fucking_polite@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago (1 children)

As a Latin American, it seems to me that Christian fanaticism is so wide spread in the US it almost feels cartoonish, like the sort of general impression one gets from any cult or fundamentalist religious group. And I’m from Latin America!

[–] damnYouSun@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

It always reminds me of North Korea, or China. No matter what else you do, you must be seen to believe in the right thing or else you are some kind of evil deviant.

What the religion or belief system is actually is is about is almost irrelevant. The important thing is to believe, understanding it is entirely not required and almost frowned upon.

[–] exohuman@kbin.social 1 points 2 years ago

Good. I have grown tired of the brainwashed reformed criminal that spends all his time being overly aggressive about religion and downright hateful with it.

[–] Plaid_Kaleidoscope@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago

I fucking love this guy. Fuck RSAT and fuck the WV DOC. The whole thing is a mess. Prison reform, now!

[–] FellowEarthling@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago

Great now punish them for trying

[–] negativeyoda@lemmy.world 0 points 2 years ago (1 children)

So while I'm all for this, think about the person trying to get a parole board to write off on their parole. Even if the person is in the right I can only imagine that it's still in that person's best interests to at least act the good christian because the parole board can deny them for any reason with no need to explain.

American society is so fucked.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago

You also get special privileges if you're religious in prison, like better food if you're keeping Kosher or Halal and being let out of your cell to go to religious services. Even if you're an atheist, I could see why you would pretend.