is that faith is a fleeting thing. People change their views all the time. So let's say we have best case scenario (ignoring the whole church/state issue) and these guys are truly rehabilitated by their conversion to Christ and are released into society full of hope and the Lord.

Let's not forget how difficult it is for convicted felons to be accepted back into their communities no matter how outwardly they seem to have changed. A huge percentage of jobs they might be qualified for are locked shut to anyone with a record. Finances are almost guaranteed to become tight and life not so rosy. It's common sense that there could be some real problems with their faith when real challenges hit them again. As much as some church might take them in, there will be some in the congregation that look down on them and don't trust them.

So what happens to these people if and when they lose that faith that brought them out of their criminality? It's going to happen to some of them quite possibly a majority. Obviously to me their ethics and morality were not derived from common sense and a sense of community or they'd probably never have been in trouble in the first place so the conclusion must be that they have accepted turning away from crime because either religion scared them into it (the whole soul burning in hell thing) or they sensed this presence out there that was going to make things better. Jesus would look out for them.

So suddenly it appears nobody is looking out for them. Life is full of shit just as it was before they went into prison, in many ways worse.

Why would these folks that then turned back away from God have any reason to remain good citizens and lead ethical lives? Their prison training wasn't that ethics are there to make society function better and feel a sense of community. No, the training was that you make something of yourself because God tells you to.

I actually have no problem with jailhouse preachers. The Constitution guarantees individuals freedom to practice as they see fit. I'm certain religion has worked to reform certain people. It's probably also helped to create some train wrecks. However, that religion can not and must not be state sponsored. The can of worms that brings doesn't fit on this nation's pantry shelves.

Art