secular chaplaincy and rehab in prisons

Proposer
andrewedmondson
State

Rejected

Vote Score

-2

Age

3272 days


@andrewedmondson edited manifesto/crime.md - almost 9 years ago

A review will be carried out into the composition of juries, especially for complex trials.

Chaplaincy

Organise the chaplaincy service along secular lines, with no privileges for religious chaplains. Provide secular alternatives to religious rehabilitation programs.

philipjohn

@philipjohn - almost 9 years ago

There shouldn't be a chaplaincy service at all, IMO. ✋

andrewedmondson

@andrewedmondson - almost 9 years ago

I've hosted talks from several chaplains who claim that it is a valuable service. Perhaps it could be entirely voluntary and secular?

On 17/04/2015 20:30, philipjohn wrote:

There shouldn't be a chaplaincy service at all, IMO. ✋

— Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub https://github.com/openpolitics/manifesto/pull/328#issuecomment-94058364.

yellowgopher

@yellowgopher - almost 9 years ago

Chaplaincy is valuable for a lot of people. As I have pointed out before there is guidance issued that advises chaplains reflect the beliefs of the areas they work in. It is up to individual Trusts to take that into account. I would, perhaps, make that a legal requirement. As for pay, well, there is already a mixture of voluntary and paid positions. If a local Trust wants to pay, why is that a bad thing?

philipjohn

@philipjohn - almost 9 years ago

State resources should not be used for the special treatment of any religions. If a particular faith group wants to provide chaplaincy services it should be provided entirely out of their own resources, just as with any other interest group. That's equal and fair.

andrewedmondson

@andrewedmondson - almost 9 years ago

Yes that is one acceptable approach. Another is to fund a secular chaplaincy service.

On 18/04/2015 20:13, philipjohn wrote:

State resources should not be used for the special treatment of any religions. If a particular faith group wants to provide chaplaincy services it should be provided entirely out of their own resources, just as with any other interest group. That's equal and fair.

— Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub https://github.com/openpolitics/manifesto/pull/328#issuecomment-94192583.

philipjohn

@philipjohn - almost 9 years ago

Secular chaplains don't exist. The non-religious equivalent to a chaplain would be a counsellor, so let's give people the counselling they need on the health service, without the influence of religion, or let them go outside the health service to their religion if they wish.

andrewedmondson

@andrewedmondson - almost 9 years ago

Secular does not mean non-religious.

A secular chaplaincy would be one that does not privilege a particular religion or belief.

Non-religious chaplains certainly do exist. Some are even paid, e.g. in ome universities.

A psychiatrist is not a chaplain. They are concerned with mental health rather than a friendly listening ear.

If a person is very ill and they are religious, they might want a relgious chaplain. If they are not religious, they might want to talk to someone who is not religious.

On 19/04/2015 21:32, philipjohn wrote:

Secular chaplains don't exist. The non-religious equivalent to a chaplain would be a psychiatrist, so let's give people the counselling they need on the health service, without the influence of religion, or let them go outside the health service to their religion if they wish.

— Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub https://github.com/openpolitics/manifesto/pull/328#issuecomment-94310833.

Andrew Edmondson

079 3450 8671 West Sussex Humanists http://www.westsussexhumanists.org.uk BHA logo http://www.humanism.org.uk/