No Atheists

[Grumpy]

A fishing partner and good friend of mine for more than twenty-five years is now in the Hardin County Jail and barring something unusual will probably be in Jail for many more years. Why he is there is beside the point of this writing, but he just confirmed something I have thought for many years:

There are no Atheists on the Battlefield OR IN JAIL!!

I just received a very nice, handmade, THANK YOU CARD, thanking me for my “friendship and for being a loyal friend” and letting me know that: “The Lord has (him) going in the right direction now.”

Coming from a lot of people I know, these sentiments wouldn’t be unusual, but coming from someone who has never once mentioned going to any church or religious meeting; has never voiced his intent to pray for or having prayed for anyone or anything; and who has never expressed anything more than a casual belief in God, and then only when I mentioned my beliefs, this was a complete surprise. Maybe it shouldn't have been.

It is probably no surprise from my opening statement, that this is not my first experience with Jailhouse conversions. During my last six years in the Army, at Fort Knox, I was the Unit Alcohol and Drug Education Specialist. As such it was part of my extra duties to give classes on the dangers of drugs and alcohol; to advise the Commander in ways to spot drug and alcohol abuse in the unit; and to be a point of contact for soldiers that wanted help with a drug or alcohol problem.

Without getting into an even longer story, because of my ADES duties, I was part of a support group that visited soldiers in the Stockade. I also made several visits to Eddyville State Penitentiary. In both places, I went to Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings INSIDE. It didn’t take very many visits to either place to notice how many prisoners carried Bibles and spoke of their conversion to the Lord “and the right direction.”

Trying not to be being overly cynical, I will just mention that in both places (and I am sure in most jails and prisons), many inmates could get time off their sentence for good behavior, going to church, and seeing the error of their ways. Anyhow, I saw enough of these Jailhouse Conversions to convince me that THERE ARE NO ATHEISTS IN JAIL!!.

Grumpy

[DJD]

I understand what your saying..
Sometimes it takes a real good thumpin on the noggin to hear him knocking. Hey if thats what it takes maybe some will stick with it. I know when your hurting that peace and relationship you can develop....if you truely ask for it is amazing.

[Hlleonard]

That was always kinda odd to me too Grumpy.... It seems that everybody you hear anything about that are in prison have a belief in a god.... I do think a belief in religion makes the world a better place to live but to think that folks do the things they do to get put in prison, seem to all have a belief in god just puzzles me ...you would think it would be the other way around.

[Embrey]

HA...let em out and see what happens

[Big Gills]

Yes there are plenty of atheists in jail as well as alot of cons pretending to be born again Christians in order to get early released/parole etc. People in jail are desperate to get out and will say and do what it takes to get out. Worked with plenty of inmates who dont believe in God and tend to live a life with the devil. Thats why they are in that mess. Lots of inmates that are good people who made mistakes but they believed in God before they went to jail.

From my experience in Corrections for 18years, there are plenty of atheists in jail.

[Grumpy]

I know you are correct Big Gills, but what I was referring to are the "cons pretending to be born again Christians in order to get early released/parole etc." I won't go into some of the stories I could tell about cons trying "con jobs" to get time off for good behavior because I am sure, having worked in corrections, you can top anything I have. What I should have said is, if you listen to them talk THERE ARE NO ATHEISTS IN JAIL.

Grumpy

[Hlleonard]

I think Gills is right .... don't think a belief in a god has anything to do with whether or not somebody lives their life on the right side of the law or not ....most folks live their lives based on a combination of greed,their propensity to prey on other people instead of earning their living and what ever scruples they happen to have.

[bassin_bug]

IMO, a person in or out of prison, can believe that God exists and still not be a Christian. There are preachers pretending to be born again Christians who are as lost as rats in tall grass. I don't condone convicts pretending to be Christians in order to get their sentence reduced on good behavior. That being said, if they are attending religious services in prison, maybe some of the sermon will reach their heart and take hold. There is only a certain percentage of time the con can accumulate to reduce his sentence; I think it is up to 30% in my state. On other crimes they must serve day for day and there is no early release for good behavior.

Your friend may have written the truth when he said that "the Lord has him going in the right direction now." Maybe he had to take a detour through jail to realize he needed to make some changes. If the Lord can't save your friend because he is in jail, He can't save you and me who are walking free. It is impossible for prison bars to stop the work of God. It is wrong to have assumed that your friend was/is atheist just because he didn't talk about the Lord in your presence. I believe most people like him are watching the life we live rather than listening to the words we speak. There is an old saying that goes, "I had rather see a sermon than to hear one, any day of the week."

[LJP]

You are so right bug

[Grumpy]

Bug, I almost didn't make my original post because I knew that you would spoil it with your penchant for analyzing anything and everything that has even a hint of God in it.

I say again THERE ARE NO ATHEISTS IN JAIL.

Grumpy

[jcb]

Actually a recent study said that the atheist population in jails is small, but existent. Approximately .21% of the prison population are declared atheists. This is from the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

[bassin_bug]

Bug, I almost didn't make my original post because I knew that you would spoil it with your penchant for analyzing anything and everything that has even a hint of God in it.

I say again THERE ARE NO ATHEISTS IN JAIL.

Grumpy

If it can't pass the test, don't put it out there. You didn't get 100% agreement with YOUR JUDGEMENT of prisoner's salvation, even your "friend," and feel it necessary to accuse me of spoiling your thread. Chances are you don't know anything about any of them but the person you call your friend. You did that to yourself; if you are a true Christian stand up and be counted; if you are not, sit down and be quiet; but don't play God and try to judge other people.

Matthew 7:1-3 says, "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged; and with what measure you mete, it shall be measure to you again. And why do you behold the mote that is in your brother's eye but consider not the beam that is in your own eye?"

You wanted to make sure that I understand THERE ARE NO ATHEISTS IN JAIL. The last time I heard anything about Charles Manson, he wasn't carrying a Bible, attending church services, or claiming to be a Christian.

I'm going to watch the clock to see how fast you hit "THREAD CLOSED" just because you are ticked-off at me.