What’s a chapel doing in a prison anyway? Atheists don’t get a room for themselves, full of books on rationality, to have freethought meetings. I understand we’re in the minority, but giving space to religion (even if the space is “non-denominational” to include all beliefs) without giving space or meeting time to non-believers is still favoritism, and a violation of the separation of church and state.

I’m still wondering why there’s no holiday for Atheists. There’s Darwin Day, but most people don’t know about or acknowledge it, and that’s technically a day for promoting science, and the teaching of science in the classroom. When will Atheists get a special holiday of their own? Why should the religions have a monopoly on claiming a special day off?

I suppose the only FAIR thing to do is to give all religions (christian, buddist, moslim, satanists, wiccans, American Indians etc) their OWN room free of other religion’s iconry AND to give atheists their OWN room full of science books and free thought materials and allow them to hold in-prison meetings with access to outside visitors/mentors such as science teachers, anthropologists, geologists and other free-thinkers…just like the religious do with shuttling into our prisons countless preachers and missionarys to lead prayer, sing songs, bear witness, perform baptisms and save the souls of the damned.

The above might sound FAIR, but highly impractical. The only real SOLUTION is to eliminate special privileges to all. No chapels, no atheist rooms, no american indian sweat lodges, no satanic alters, etc, etc.

And yes, atheists do need a special day, but not one officially acknowledged by the government. And the national day of prayer needs to be repealed.

I just wonder about the rights of Atheists in prison…probably are none.

Can you imagine and atheist being cellmates with some religious wacko who hangs up crucifixes and religious iconry on his half of the cell and prays, chants and recites verses out loud…?

I think I’d be busy making myself a shank out of a comb or something…LOL

But really…what about this hypothetical situation? Where are the Atheist’s rights to freedom from this “cruel and unusual punishment”.

I suppose its his bible thumping cellmates “right” to impose his religion on him, even if indirectly.

There is a lot of things they should not be able to do or have in their cells (especially if shared)…and a bible and religious iconry is just a few of them.

They can go to the chapel for that if they like.

I strongly question as to whether they should have this right at all while in prison…after all the bill of rights also affords them the right to keep and bear arms, and protection against illegal, unwarranted searches and seizures…

A few parts of the constitution and bill of rights simply does not apply to prisoners and our military.