Friday, February 8, 2019

Religious Freedom for Christians Only?

NYT Justices Allow Execution of Muslim Death Row Inmate Who Sought Imam 

Sean provided the above link.

I am thinking that the prison's solution should have been adequate.
"The officials said Mr. Ray’s imam could visit him shortly before the execution and observe it from a viewing room. But they would not allow the imam into the execution chamber. 
The chaplain was allowed to be present, the officials went on, because he was an employee of the prison system who was “a member of the execution team” and was “familiar with the technicalities of the execution protocol,” having attended almost every execution in the state since 1997. The chaplain kneels and prays with inmates who seek pastoral care, the officials said. After considering Mr. Ray’s request, prison officials agreed to exclude the chaplain. But they said allowing the imam to be present raised unacceptable safety concerns.
"Chaplain: A clergyman in charge of a chapel"

I am not sure why the inmate thought it was important to have the Imam on his side of the glass... Probably just trying to hold on to life a little longer.

Or are we thinking that chapels need multiple Holy persons there...


15 comments:

  1. I will say one of the strongest arguments I know for not being a Christian is Christian support for the death penalty.

    --Hiram

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  2. "I am thinking that the prison's solution should have been adequate."

    It's completely inadequate. If a Christian prisoner can have clergy next to them during the execution, a Muslim should be able to as well. That's freedom of religion.

    If the situation were reversed, I suspect you wouldn't feel the same way. I can only imagine how Fox would cover such a circumstance.

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  3. Hiram, "Eye for and Eye"...

    Sean, They have the facilities Chaplain near them... Not their chosen Rabbi, Priest, Imam, etc...

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  4. “An Eye for an eye” is not Christian. Good lord.

    Moose

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  5. Yes, exactly my point.

    Moose

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  6. Moose, The sentence was handed done by a judge. The bible is fine with his death.

    Misconception: The “eye for an eye” rule was excessively harsh.

    Fact: The rule did not authorize a heavy-handed, cruel application of justice. Rather, when properly applied, it meant that qualified judges would impose retribution for an offense only after first considering the circumstances involved and the extent to which the offense was deliberate. (Exodus 21:28-​30; Numbers 35:22-​25) The “eye for an eye” rule thus acted as a restraint against extremes in punishment.

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  7. That’s Mosaic law, not Christian.

    Moose

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  8. So are you saying that Christians only acknowledge the New Testament?

    Why did they spend so much time covering the whole Bible when I was in Sunday School?

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  9. I’m saying that Christ himself specifically addressed this and Christians like to ignore it.

    But then they also like to make up stuff like “God helps those who help themselves.” and “ Hate the sin; love the sinner.” which are not biblical.

    So it’s par for the course

    Moose

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  10. "Sean, They have the facilities Chaplain near them... Not their chosen Rabbi, Priest, Imam, etc..."

    Again, Appelen World is unable to understand offense unless they are the ones being offended. And the Constitution!

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  11. I don't see anything in the Constitution that says a private citizen who is not an employee of the prison gets to stand in the execution room.

    I think the Imam before and on the other side of the glass is okay.

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  12. Arguably it's a discrimination on the basis of religion under the fourteenth amendment. The fact is, in America some religions are more equal than others.

    --Hiram

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  13. Is there any reason that a Muslim imam couldn't have been trained on the execution protocols so this inmate could have had the same treatment as a Christian inmate? Different treatment on the basis of religion is a 14th Amendment violation. One could even argue that the hiring a Christian chaplain for a prison -- to the exclusion of other faiths -- is a violation of the Establishment Clause.

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  14. Sorry. I think he is just stalling.

    My God works through a glass window.

    The good news is soon the prison’s chaplain won’t be allowed in there either.

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