I did some work with a small prison population in the US recently, in an education-oriented setting. During a group discussion, we raised the issue of religion in prison; inmates maintained that they were only partial to certain groups, i.e. Islam and evangelical Christianity, because these were the organizations that donated time and provided volunteers on a regular basis. They had a constant presence; no minority religions, let alone overtly secular, humanist or atheistic efforts, are represented by volunteer groups.
Personally, the missionary bent of certain faiths seems to cast the prison population as prime hunting ground for souls-in-need. But this seems a shame. While many of these young men identified a need for faith in their life, especially since their incarceration, the rationale they gave was based upon a need for a moral compass, hope, empowerment and a sense of direction. All things that, in my mind, can be provided by secular groups that focus on the study of philosophy, logic, humanism, etc.
Is there something like an atheist/humanist program that volunteers inside prisons? Do you believe this kind of program would provide inmates with the cognitive and social tools they claim to receive from religion?
I have the open opportunity to return to this facility and volunteer or teach a class of my own design in the future and was considering working with this idea. While the inmates have expressed an interest, I don't know how receptive the administrative bureaucracy would be...
Thoughts?
Edit: not sure if this belongs in the education sub-section instead?
Personally, the missionary bent of certain faiths seems to cast the prison population as prime hunting ground for souls-in-need. But this seems a shame. While many of these young men identified a need for faith in their life, especially since their incarceration, the rationale they gave was based upon a need for a moral compass, hope, empowerment and a sense of direction. All things that, in my mind, can be provided by secular groups that focus on the study of philosophy, logic, humanism, etc.
Is there something like an atheist/humanist program that volunteers inside prisons? Do you believe this kind of program would provide inmates with the cognitive and social tools they claim to receive from religion?
I have the open opportunity to return to this facility and volunteer or teach a class of my own design in the future and was considering working with this idea. While the inmates have expressed an interest, I don't know how receptive the administrative bureaucracy would be...
Thoughts?
Edit: not sure if this belongs in the education sub-section instead?
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