By VITRUVIANNMAN
Added: Wed, 30 Mar 2011 20:32:37 UTC

A newly-elected judge who told offenders to read a bible study book if they wanted to avoid community service has been forced to abandon his controversial idea.

Lawyers and the American Civil Liberties Union have attacked Judge John Clinton for 'preaching' to defendants who appear before him in Houston, Texas.

He caused outrage last week by suggesting nine defendants read The Heart of a Problem, which advocates turning to God to solve problems.

Full article here.

Whether he meant well or not, how a judge can have such poor judgment is just beyond me. Surely this guy must have been educated on the First Amendment.

I was told about the book. I received the book. I read the book. I thought, 'Hey this is a great book.' Again, me thinking based on my faith, not thinking in general.

How comforting. We have judges who think based on faith, not thinking in general.

TAGGED: ESTABLISHMENT CLAUSE, LAW, SECULARISM, SOCIETY