On 9/25/2011 2:44 PM, Ross Sauer -> All wrote:
 RS> Once again the Jesus freaks have to have official government support for
 RS> their own personal lunacy.

 RS> Alabama Town: Church or Prison, your choice.

 RS> Stacey Tallitsch

 RS> Sun Sep 25, 2011 at 02:14:50 PM EST

 RS> Starting next week, the program will allow a city judge to sentence
 RS> misdemeanor offenders to work off their sentences in jail and pay a fine,
 RS> or go to church every Sunday for a year. Offenders who select church can
 RS> pick the place of worship but must check in weekly with the pastor and the
 RS> police department. If the one-year church attendance program is completed
 RS> successfully, the offender's case will be dismissed.

 RS> The Alabama branch of the American Civil Liberties Union plans to send Bay
 RS> Minette officials a letter demanding that they suspend the program. While
 RS> the group says it supports alternative sentencing programs that save
money,
 RS> it believes the plan in Bay Minette violates the Constitution, state ACLU
 RS> Executive Director Olivia Turner said in a statement.
 RS> "But it is a fundamental principle of the Establishment Clause that the
 RS> government cannot force someone to attend church," she said. "When the
 RS> alternative to going to church is going to jail, the so-called `choice'
 RS> available to offenders is no choice at all."

 RS> City officials did not immediately return calls from The Associated Press.

 RS> Pastor Robert Gates of Christian Life Church leads one of 56 congregations
 RS> participating in the effort. He predicted it would succeed.

 RS> "You show me somebody who falls in love with Jesus, and I'll show you a
 RS> person who won't be a problem to society but that will be an influence and
 RS> a help to those around them," he told the television station.

 RS> http://www.talk2action.org/story/2011/9/25/141450/867

 RS> --- Xnews/5.04.25
 RS> * Origin: Fidonet Via Newsreader - http://www.easternstar.info
 RS> (1:123/789.0)

No disrespect intended, I've always appreciated your forwarding of your "nEWS
stuff" to here...but after reading the new rules (new to me) all I've got to
say is that it seems that your kind of offerings are all that will be
permitted any more.

Quote this or that, but don't dare say anything!

Used to be that you were laughed at for factuality, now no one can say
anything.

No wonder there isn't any traffic! YOW!

-- 
Yep, I'm the Atheist. I'm chock full of Ath!

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