Saturday, June 03, 2006

Prison Fellowship Ministries To Appeal Decision

Why would you attack a successful religious prison program unless it's out of sheer hostility toward Christianity? Prison Fellowship Ministries, founded by Chuck Colson was sued by Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

U.S. District Judge Robert Pratt has ordered them to cease the program at the Newton Correctional Facility in Iowa and repay the state $1.53 million.

Ministry president Mark Earley said in a statement Friday that the group plans to appeal the ruling and believes its program is constitutional.

"This decision, if allowed to stand, will enshrine religious discrimination," Earley said. "It has attacked the right of people of faith to operate on a level playing field in the public arena and to provide services to those who volunteered to receive them."

This program has met some real needs, I am familiar with it and have heard, first hand, from wardens and former prisoners about the good things it has accomplished.

How mean spirited can one be to wish to deprive those incarcerated from benefiting from the word of God, a chance some of them have never had before. The reverend Barry Lynn and his group have much to answer for.

Thanks to CNN.




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