Comments on: Is the ill-founded morality of Christianity the reason why most American prison inmates are Christian?

By: Pastor Art (((SFECU)))

Pastor Art (((SFECU))) — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 06:33:59 +0000

And there is a prison in Cuba where the population of the prison is 100% Muslim.

What does that prove?

Actually very few born again Christians are put into prison.

Those who are incarcerated mostly come from denominations which baptize babies and don’t tell adults they need to be born again. In other words, they aren’t really Christians based on the Bible’s definition.
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43+ years following a Jewish Carpenter & studying His Book!

By: BibleChooser

BibleChooser — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 05:56:59 +0000

1) Is the ill-founded morality of Christianity the reason why most American prison inmates are Christian?

No. The demographics are the reason. Christians are the overwhelming majority in the U.S. Naturally, they are the overwhelming majority of criminals as well. You’ll notice the very same trend – without exception, I believe (though nations subject to ethnic terrorism may differ) – in nations in which Christianity is not the majority religion. In China, most criminals are atheists. In Saudi Arabia, most criminals are Muslim. Etc.

2) I have the impression that children exposed to biblical indoctrination don’t learn to critically analyze their’s and others’ actions, and therefore don’t develop a healthy sense of moral values that isn’t based on the dictating of a dictator.

You are, of course, welcome to have such impressions. Not having been indoctrinated with the bible in my formative years (my parents were twice-a-year Roman Catholics), I have to say that I disagree.

3) This leaves them with no depth in their understanding of morality, since after all, their morality has no solid foundation.

Hmmm…let’s see….

Religious morality: based primarily either on a religious document (e.g. the bible) or on moral values taught for (usually) centuries, but also on cultural morality

Non-religious morality: based primarily on one’s own perception of moral values, but also on cultural morality

Which one has the more "solid" foundation?

4) What do you think about this reasoning?

I think that it does not make use of logic. It is, in other words, not reasoning, but opinion based on opinion.

Jim, http://www.BibleSelector.com
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By: Still Thinking

Still Thinking — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 05:39:59 +0000

The majority of Christians in prison are Christians who should read these words:

<< Matthew 7:23 >>
"And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

They are Christians like tomatoes are vegetables.
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By: ms.understood

ms.understood — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 05:14:59 +0000

Christianity is not based on what the MOUTH only professes. Christianity is not merely a religion, it is a way of life.

There are many Christian prisoners in America because majority of the people would say their religion falls under Christianity (Protestants, Baptists, Catholics, etc). The same way that there are many (if not all) Islamic/Muslim offenders in the middle east or Buddhist prisoners in China. Now put up a society of atheists and tell me if it the result doesn’t follow.

It’s not the morality of Christianity that is wrong but how people follow it when they say they are Christians.
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By: chas_chas_123

chas_chas_123 — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 05:01:59 +0000

So where do you think your sense of morality comes from?
Not from evolution, surely!

Jaron Lanier: ‘There’s a large group of people who simply are uncomfortable with accepting evolution because it leads to what they perceive as a moral vacuum, in which their best impulses have no basis in nature.’

Richard Dawkins: ‘All I can say is, That’s just tough. We have to face up to the truth.’

‘Evolution: The dissent of Darwin,’ Psychology Today, January/February 1997, p. 62.

The fact that you acknowledge that morality exists means that you are unwittingly borrowing the idea of morality from the Bible.
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By: johnno

johnno — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 04:34:59 +0000

I believe the morality of your reasoning is ill-founded, and based on sweeping generalizations and deep-seated sour grapes.
The reasons a lot of prison inmates are Christian, like so many issues, are also varied:~
# some are soul-searching and coming to terms with their reason for incarceration
#many of those genuinely seek to change their ways / repent and embrace the faith
#some appreciate an opportunity to have some time in the company of non-threatening people
#some are only trying to build a false facade to try and gain favour
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experience

By: Anthony

Anthony — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 04:24:59 +0000

Almost 100% of the prisoners in US prisons are American. Doesn’t that demonstrate just how grossly immoral Americans are? – I mean, 100% for heaven sake.

You must make use of the same statistician as Richard Dawkins, with his Mount Improbable.
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By: lilbaton

lilbaton — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 03:37:59 +0000

Filip, you need to do some research on your sats. The truth is most prisoner are either muslim or atheists.
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By: lainiebsky

lainiebsky — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 03:01:59 +0000

Possibly. Christianity teaches kids that they're so depraved and wicked that they deserve to be tortured forever. Then they're taught that they can't possibly make moral choices by themselves and require the rules in a book. I imagine that many never develop an internal moral compass and never learn to take personal responsibility for their actions.
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By: JohnS

JohnS — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 02:43:59 +0000

It's true that christians arent overrepresented in American prisons, but shouldnt they be underrepresented? They do stand on soapboxes telling everyone else how to live their lives. Why are atheists underrepresented? The facts are in direct contradiction to christian claims.
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