Get Saved or Get Busted
A church in Kentucky is starting a "Court Watch" program. Church members attend court and note the disposition of each case with an emphasis on drug cases.
The Community Church of Manchester is not in court to help these defendants with spiritual advise, rehabilitation, counseling, or ministry. The Rev. Doug Abner, pastor at Community Church -- whose slogan for a 2004 anti-drug march was "get saved or get busted" -- said the presence of Court Watch volunteers puts "mild pressure" on judges "to do the right thing.
The voice of sanity in this story is Rev. John Rausch, director of the Catholic Committee on Appalachia who cites the Gospel of Matthew (25:36); "When I was in prison, you came to see me."
"It isn't 'I was up for charges and you made sure they threw the book at me,"' Rausch said.
Like most misguided drug warriors this Court Watch program is based on the faulty notion that we can incarcerate our way out of a public health problem- addiction. It is disgusting to see Christian Churchs lining up in judgement of those charged with possession.
I think it shows a lack of faith that a Church would support incarceration and judgment instead of offering salvation to these defendants. One does have to look to hard in the Bible to find a time when Christians were persecuted by the Government. How times have changed. I wonder if Court Watch would have made sure Pontius Pilate did the "right thing."
Looking for the easiest way to join the anti-drug war movement? You've found it!
response to "Christians"
I read in another post the response to Christians, that would judge, how many times are we to forgive?... "70 times 7! " "Judge not lest you be judged" and the one I like best, "Let him without sin casts the first stone". The funny thing is that the Bible says, "not one" has been without sin.(escept Jesus) And I have not read, as yet, in the Bible that "thou shall not drink", thou shalt not get intoxicated" In fact, it says something about strong drink being for the bereaved!
These are the same churches that would say the Jesus turned the water into "grape juice" instead of wine. That happens when they are completely ignorant of the fact that water in may countries remains tainted, today. The alcohol in wine made it preservable.
Self-righteousness seems close to pride, to me. And it is condemned, along with gossiping, in the Bible. Jail time won't fix the sick, so why do these "laymen" think they know better than the medical field. Judges and lawyers seem to see it. They judge everyone on a case by case basis. It is not a job for churches in which to be involved. Too many people want to act like cops! Doesn't that become true in a police state?
response to "Get Saved or Get Busted"
As a Christian, I hate to see all Christians lumped into a group based on the misguided actions of a few. My opinion on this movement from this church is that if they are going to be there and feel that they must be involved, then they need to put that same pressure on judges for ALL of the cases that come through in their presence. Singling out drug cases is (in my opinion) the wrong way to respond. A broken law is a broken law whether it's drug related or not.
I agree that they are certainly misguided if they believe that what they are doing is going to reduce the rate of addiction in their state. All I can see it doing is turning away the very people that they are supposed to be helping.
What would Jesus do? He
What would Jesus do? He would support drug policy reform, like the Interfaith Drug Policy Initiative.
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