MicroWaveJul 21, 2023

Judge: West Virginia can't require incarcerated atheist to participate in religious programming

https://lemmy.world/post/1922392

Judge: West Virginia can't require incarcerated atheist to participate in religious programming - Lemmy.world

A federal judge in West Virginia has ruled that the state corrections agency can’t force an incarcerated atheist and secular humanist to participate in religiously-affiliated programming to be eligible for parole.

Show threadBenVimesJul 21, 2023

In the “Big Book,” the foundational document of these programs, “Chapter 4: We Agnostics” tells atheists and agnostics that they are “doomed to alcoholic death” unless they “seek Him.” The chapter characterizes non-believers as “handicapped by obstinacy, sensitiveness, and unreasoning prejudice.”

This really jumped out at me. What a horrible thing to say about someone, especially someone looking for help.

Show threadDarkThoughtsJul 21, 2023
Alcoholic death? That's weirdly specific. I barely even drink. If I do, then I do it to get drunk, but not to comatose type of levels.
Show threadKandorr
The Big Book being discussed in this comment is one of the foundations of the Alcoholics Anonymous program. Hence this warning about alcoholism. AA features a higher power as part of recovery.
Jul 21, 2023 at 1:59pmWeb
Show threadBleeping LobsterJul 21, 2023
I was thinking about going to some AA meetings, was massively put off though by all the bible thumping rhetoric. I don’t want anything to do with the majority of religions.