# Prisons Purging Books on Faith From Libraries



## Simply_Nikki (Sep 22, 2007)

What are your thoughts on this?

Prisons Purging Books on Faith From Libraries - New York Times


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## No Longer A Libertine (Sep 22, 2007)

Wow truly leaving the incarcerated without hope aren't they, the system aims to reform does it not? How will secular psychology reform a criminal in to anything more than a co-dependent thief who can take his grievances out on society and win?


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## JonathanHunt (Sep 22, 2007)

> The lists are broad, but reveal eccentricities and omissions. There are nine titles by C. S. Lewis, for example, and none from .... influential pastor Robert H. Schuller.



Oh dear.


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## calgal (Sep 22, 2007)

*“There are some well-chosen things in here,” Professor Larsen said. “I’m particularly glad that Dietrich Bonhoeffer is there. If I was in prison I would want to read Dietrich Bonhoeffer.” But he continued, “There’s a lot about it that’s weird.” The lists “show a bias toward evangelical popularism and Calvinism,” he said, and lacked materials from early church fathers, liberal theologians and major Protestant denominations."* 
I cannot see the downside here. Plenty of prison gangs use "religion" to bring some pretty vile stuff into their cells. And getting rid of Schuller and Barth? EXCELLENT!  I am excited and wonder if we can extend this idea to state and local correctional facilities.......


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## JBaldwin (Sep 22, 2007)

Add this offense to the list: An elder in my church has had prison ministry for years. He reported a couple of months ago that the prison has cut back on the number of men who can attend worship services from anyone who wants to go down to 5-10. He says there are a lot of men who have been suddenly completely cut off from prison worship services. In addition, if one prisoner steps out of line, the worship services are immediately canceled.

Makes me wonder what is going on.


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## calgal (Sep 22, 2007)

JBaldwin said:


> Add this offense to the list: An elder in my church has had prison ministry for years. He reported a couple of months ago that the prison has cut back on the number of men who can attend worship services from anyone who wants to go down to 5-10. He says there are a lot of men who have been suddenly completely cut off from prison worship services. In addition, if one prisoner steps out of line, the worship services are immediately canceled.
> 
> Makes me wonder what is going on.



A few thoughts in defense of the prison staff: The cons use worship services to run their gang operations? Then there are the cons who will say anything to look good in front of their parole boards. They will say all the right things and feign emotions that truly do not exist to get someone to do things for them. Any activities in a prison like working or church are rewards for good behavior. Lastly, A lot of people "find Jesus" in jail then go right back to their criminal ways the minute they leave church or the prison.  Not to be cynical but the prisons are trying to take control of their inmates is what it sounds like, not a "gotta get religion out of the prisons" movement.


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