If religion is the only way to be good, why are the religious over represented i

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   Izombiheartzoeyposted 13 years ago

   If religion is the only way to be good, why are the religious over represented in prison?

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   Civil War Bobposted 13 years ago

   In some countries, being of the "wrong" religion gets them thrown in jail for just that reason.

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   cat on a soapboxposted 13 years ago

   I don't fully understand your question. Religion doesn't make a person "good" nor a lack of it make a person "bad."  I am a Christian. I have been graciously forgiven of my sins which all humans have, and I try my best to follow the teachings of the Bible. It is my relationship w/ Christ that matters most. I can't imagine life w/o it. Are atheists and those of other faiths bad? NO, of couse not.  In my faith, however, they will not know God once they pass from this Earth.  If you ask me to prove my beliefs, I can't. It's called FAITH.

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      Matthew Weeseposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Some people don't want to meet God, I don't believe everyone if they make it into heaven will get to meet God, if these fairy tales even exist. it is my understandin that there are seven levels of Heaven, and seven levels of Hell.

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   Matthew Weeseposted 13 years ago

   Have you ever been to prison? or locked up in a jail?

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      Matthew Weeseposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I been locked up and i did not give a flying fuxk about religion, however while in solitary confinement I did get closer with a very spiritual way of thinking.  The bibles thin pages offer great rolling papers.

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   A Thousand Wordsposted 13 years ago

   The religious statistics in the prison system is usually about proportionate to the religious statistical data of the region. Can't tell you for certain what it means, but we may be able to imply that it means people are "good"/"bad" regardless of their beliefs or lack there of.

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      Izombiheartzoeyposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Unless you factor in the non-religious. When I say "over represented" I mean over Representative in relation to the total population of an area not just the religious. The non-religious are Hugely under represented in prison.

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   CJ Sledgehammerposted 13 years ago

   I used to serve in a prison ministry program and I can tell you that many convicts "find God" in prison, for one reason or another, while others may have had religious affiliations of one sort or another prior to incarceration.
   
   The problem with many people, in prison and on the outside, is that they don't follow Christ Jesus. They may talk the talk, but they rarely walk the walk. Having an intellectual knowledge (head knowledge) of God...never saved anyone or changed their behavior. For any religion to work...it must be heartfelt and followed.

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      IDONOposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Don't you just hate those, " God, get me out of this one" prayers?

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      CJ Sledgehammerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, and it looks good on one's resume to say one has found Jesus, when their parole hearing is right around the corner. Fact is, 98% of all convicts return to crime after their release. It is also interesting how many soldiers find God in foxholes.

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   Cristaleposted 13 years ago

   Because there is nothing else for the people in jail to do except play in the yard, read the bible, and pray.

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      Matthew Weeseposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      That is a not true statement at all. there are programs if an inmate chooses to get involved. There are jobs that offer a little bit of pay to the inmates commissary account. There are Library's where a inmate can  read/study.

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   BobMongerposted 13 years ago

   Jesus said, and I'll paraphrase, "The physician doesn't come for those who are well, but to minister to the sick."
   If a person has done something serious enough to get themselves locked up they show an illness of the spirit that only God can cure. For the most part those who do find "religion" while incarcerated carry their faith with them when they are released and don't wind up going back. Some, but not all.
   Cristale is correct when she says it is more for something to do than anything else, but we shouldn't discount the healing effects of religion on the soul of even the most hardened criminal. As far as religion being the only way for a person to be "good" I'll plead the fifth on that one. "Good" is a subjective term and open to all kinds of interpretations.

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      CJ Sledgehammerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Of all the men I met while serving in a prison ministry program, only 2 out of 30 admitted doing their crime. Now either our criminal justice system is fraudulent and incompetent or the convicts themselves are not being honest with themselves or God.

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      BobMongerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Imagine that, a convict not being honest. The ones I spoke of are those who have truly found God-not those who just pay lip service and go back to their old ways. I should have been more clear on that point-my bad.

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   daskittlez69posted 13 years ago

   Who said "religion is the only way to be good"?  That is a very flawed and odd way of looking at being "good".

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      Izombiheartzoeyposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I think you missed the point I was making with the word "if". If religion is a way to be good, then why is such and such the case. I was not implying that it was the only way to be good.

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