Multi-religion prisoners OK by state, but not chaplain

[ZombieHorde]

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- A change in state prison policy allows inmates to profess to belong to more than one religion.

The change that took effect last month is a result of a lawsuit from an inmate who said the state had prohibited him from worshipping as both a Native American and Seventh-day Adventist.

Multiple religions may be OK with the Department of Corrections but it's not with Catholic chaplain Tom Suss.

He took a leave from his job at McNeil Island Corrections Center because he says the policy conflicts with his faith. He says he couldn't minister to an inmate who claims to be a Catholic and a pagan at the same time.

Here's breakdown of the top prisoner religious preferences as compiled by the Department of Corrections in September:

Protestant 5,544, None 2,092, Pagan 1,839, Catholic 1,534, Native American 1,252, Islam 1,078.

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Story at link:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420ap_wa_multiple_religions.html

[davidinalameda]

1. Father Suss has forgotten it's not about him

but the prisoners

[Donald Ian Rankin]

12. Actually, I suspect that from his POV it's about God.

I can see that this puts him in a difficult position; I suspect that it could well entail him being required by the state to e.g. administer sacraments to people who he is strictly forbidden by the Church to administer them to.

It's easy to say "all religious people should stop being so silly and admit that their religion doesn't really matter, and just be nice", but that's kind of missing the point of having a chaplain.

[kwassa]

2. more Pagans in jail than Catholics or Muslims???????

I didn't realize the criminal element there!

[Marrah_G]

4. there is something VERY wrong with those numbers

[Marrah_G]

3. I find those numbers a bit odd

I would wonder who all these pagans are.....were they introduced to it in this particular jail?

I have never noticed any large criminal element in the pagan community and since are number are VASTLY smaller then the others mentioned I have to say.....something is not right.

[ZombieHorde]

5. Pagan can have a lot of meanings...

But you are right, the numbers look odd.

[moggie]

7. What benefits would a pagan get in jail?

Someone claiming a particular religion in jail is not necessarily sincere: there may be benefits. For example, professing belief in a religion which has dietary restrictions might mean you get better food than the standard swill: you've heard of "cafeteria Christianity", now meet the prison cafeteria variety. Benefits which might seem insignificant to us might mean a lot to someone who is locked up and subject to severe restrictions. And if you choose two religions, you score double! But I don't know what perks a pagan might get.

I must admit to a certain mischievous satisfaction at the thought of prisoners gaming the system in this way. And it's not so very different from the way many religious people on the outside pick and choose to construct their own personal religion.

[Marrah_G]

8. That isn't what I meant

What I mean is are these people who were introduced to Paganism inside jail? This doesn't make them insincere or doing it for special privileges. I just find it odd that there would be such a high percentage of pagans in that jail when that percentage of pagans (of all kinds) in the population is so much lower then every other religion.

[trotsky]

9. Maybe it means they're allowed special conjugal visits?

Sex IS holy for most pagans, isn't it? ;-)

[Marrah_G]

10. That it is ! We are even encouraged to enjoy it! and we don't have to do it to make babies!

[TechBear_Seattle]

11. There was an article some years ago about that

I will have to dig through the archive of the two Seattle papers; I don't remember how long ago it appeared (several years ago at least) or which paper, but I do remember the jist.

The article was about "alternative" religions in the state prison system, particularly pagans and Native American. Under state rules, prisoners who follow a nature-based path have the right to an out-of-doors area in which to worship and hold rituals. This is basically a patch of grass, sometimes with some flowers or low bushes, inside the prison walls that is kept reserved as a sacred space.

Many prisoners never see living earth while incarcerated; those that do are on work details such as garbage pickup next to state highways and so never have an opportunity to connect with it. Humans have an instintual need for having natural beauty at hand, even if it is just a few houseplants or a front lawn or a nearby public park. And, for the most part, prisoners are human.

The article I mentioned above was specifically about burgeoning numbers of prisoners who are (or at least claim to be) adherents of nature-based paths. Many of the prisoners themselves admit that this was because it gives them regular access to this sacred space. Most Native American groups require proof of heritage before you can claim to be a follower; as a result, many with this need will take up Wicca or a similar practice. The only "special priviledge" being sought is not to lose sight of their place in the natural order.

I believe the article mentioned a suggestion by pagan and Native American groups to create larger green spaces that would be open to the prison population at large on good behavior (mainly because the tiny space is now in constant use, which is damaging it.) To my knowledge, no action towards this has been taken by any state facility.

[struggle4progress]

6. The original News-Tribune story is much more informative

ttp://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/267629.html

[skater314159]

13. Not a very good chaplain...

... being a chaplain isn't about the Chaplain, it's about the person he is consulting with. Chaplains are to minister to people of ALL faiths, including none; if a "chaplain" can't do that, they need to just be a minister or priest, not a Chaplain.