Judge sentences a seventeen yearold to church.

[GameGeeks]

Well, more as one of it's probation requirements. Either way, this is wrong on so many levels. The least of which is the fact church and state are supposed to be separate. A judge shouldn't be allowed to for religion on someone.

http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs...opstories.html

[Ourobus]

Well, it's definitely better than jail time... but I;d probably take community service over having to sit through a boring freaking sermon, but yes it is rather screwed up, where does a judge get off assigning church time of all things?

[ParaParaJMo]

I will admit I do feel uncomfortable about the sentence but for what the kid did, he's getting off lucky.

[DOOM!]

I was gonna say 'better than the pokey', but 10 years of church for manslaughter... still sounds unfair like the regular law.
I don't sympathize with the judge, and I think choosing the church is inane, but I like his way of applying an alternative sentence 'in the juridical system's face!'.

[animeyay]

This is a step too far, I think. I respect people's personal religious views and beliefs, but a judge should not force his religion (or any religion at all) on anyone. Meh, I think forcing him to do community service would be a lot better than forcing him to go to church.

[DeathBlade/13.666]

Well taking the fact that it's Muskogee, Oklahoma, and that the boy's most likely allowed to go to any church, not the First Baptist Church that the judge attends. I don't have too much of a problem with this. Obviously, the boy's more shooken up by the fact that his underage drinking lead to the death of his buddy. I may not 100% agree with the judge passing out church sentences, but it sure beats jail and definitely feels like a better punishment for someone that young. There's more to the sentencing as well. He has to graduate high school, and welding school. Also he'll have to go through the typical stuff for alcoholics that are in trouble with the law. And the church sentence is only 10 years. Honestly, it's not that bad. Especially assuming that he already goes to church. http://muskogeephoenix.com/local/x10...en-in-fatality

I just hope he takes this opportunity and makes something better of himself.

[Ωmega]

Ehhhhhhhhhhhhh, Im a little iffy on it. Yes, church and state should be separate, but at the same time the church [generally] teaches you to be a good person. I guess the judge thought spending time in church would teach him moderation, good values and the like, something he probably wouldnt learn just by doing community service or spending time in jail.

[GameGeeks]

Ehhhhhhhhhhhhh, Im a little iffy on it. Yes, church and state should be separate, but at the same time the church [generally] teaches you to be a good person. I guess the judge thought spending time in church would teach him moderation, good values and the like, something he probably wouldnt learn just by doing community service or spending time in jail.

Wouldn't making him volunteer at things like soup kitchens and what not do the same thing without bringing religion into it? And at least then he'd actually be helping people.

[Ωmega]

Wouldn't making him volunteer at things like soup kitchens and what not do the same thing without bringing religion into it? And at least then he'd actually be helping people.

It could just be seen as a chore then. Church you dont really have too much of a choice but to either tune it out or listen. Given how long the sentence is, I doubt he could go that long simply tuning it all out. Granted, its also very possible that it'll go in one ear and out the other.

[Totes Kawaii]

No just No he needs to go to jail you can't force religion on others.

[GameGeeks]

It could just be seen as a chore then. Church you dont really have too much of a choice but to either tune it out or listen. Given how long the sentence is, I doubt he could go that long simply tuning it all out. Granted, its also very possible that it'll go in one ear and out the other.

Yeah, but so could church. Especially if it's something he doesn't want to do.

[.Sev]

God.

As a person from oklahoma, I can totally see other oklahomans doing this. It's like a christian conservative paradise down here. Or christian conservative hell, if you will.

[animeyay]

Ehhhhhhhhhhhhh, Im a little iffy on it. Yes, church and state should be separate, but at the same time the church [generally] teaches you to be a good person. I guess the judge thought spending time in church would teach him moderation, good values and the like, something he probably wouldnt learn just by doing community service or spending time in jail.

I don't think the kid killed his buddy maliciously though; in other words, it's not like he was trying to be a bad person. The point of having a justice system is so that we can properly punish people for their wrongdoings and (hopefully) prevent them from repeating their offense. Maybe I just have too much a sense of justice, but I don't think going to church qualifies as a proper "punishment". Community service may seem like a chore, but it would probably make him think twice the next time he's about to repeat his mistake. ^^;

[Ωmega]

I don't think the kid killed his buddy maliciously though; in other words, it's not like he was trying to be a bad person. The point of having a justice system is so that we can properly punish people for their wrongdoings and (hopefully) prevent them from repeating their offense. Maybe I just have too much a sense of justice, but I don't think going to church qualifies as a proper "punishment". Community service may seem like a chore, but it would probably make him think twice the next time he's about to repeat his mistake. ^^;

Have you been to church? I think its plenty punishment @_@

[animeyay]

Have you been to church? I think its plenty punishment @_@

Ahahaha can't argue with that~
And yes, my parents are Christians, so I'm forced to go with them whenever I'm home for the weekend D:

[animeyay]

God.

As a person from oklahoma, I can totally see other oklahomans doing this. It's like a christian conservative paradise down here. Or christian conservative hell, if you will.

Yea, I can totally picture that, literally:

[Henshin_Ikeda]

Where is the separation between church and state..I have yet to see that....lol

[nrL]

Wow. law in usa sure is weird

car accident=manslaughter O_O

[GameGeeks]

Wow. law in usa sure is weird

car accident=manslaughter O_O

It's because the passenger died as a result of his actions. You get manslaughter when murder isn't applicable.

[Albear]

Well good.

He needs God after doing some satanic bullcrap like drinking and driving.

[Rainbow Crash]

Wow, that kid got of a bit easy...

I've been to church many times.. I take that time to marvel at the nice faux stained glass windows, take note creepiness of the atmosphere in general, listening to everyone sing songs or repeat paragraphs that I don't know in harmony...

Quite a boring experience but there's plenty to keep yourself entertained with..

[ZombieWolf2508]

He doesn't have to complete the sentence. All he has to do is claim it's unconstitutional and appeal.

[Assiduous✡Aristocrat]

Wouldn't making him volunteer at things like soup kitchens and what not do the same thing without bringing religion into it? And at least then he'd actually be helping people.

^
This.
Attending a cruch doesn't approve your character, or help you become a better person.

[Bassoonista]

Well, it certainly counts as a punishment. Although I doubt that's what the judge really meant for it to be. Church is just such a dreadfully boring experience.

Still very unconstitutional, though. But since when has anybody cared about what was said in the Constitution? Sad, but true. Separation of church and state violations are so widespread it frustrates me to no end if I think about it, so I try not to.

[Allan53]

Yeah, from a legal perspective I'm a little leery, the whole church/state separation thing going on (that said, that isn't as big a deal in Australia as it seems to be in the States).