Prisoner of Christ Testimonial

From Prisoner of Christ Facebook
┬á ┬á ┬á ┬á ┬á ┬á ┬á ┬á ┬á ┬á ┬á ┬á ┬á ┬á ┬á Note: “Through salvation” Secular?

On Wednesday afternoon, the Leon County Circuit Court will begin hearing oral arguments in a case filed by atheist group Center for Inquiry against Lamb of God and Prisoners of Christ, two ministries that are also drug and substance abuse rehab centers. CFI, a nonprofit atheist organization headquartered in Amherst, New York, that also has an office in Fort Lauderdale, filed a motion for summary judgment last May, looking to stop the public funding that goes into the two ministries.

The motion filed argues that the funding violates the Florida constitution┬áand asked the court to rule in its favor without the need for trial. CFI says that the two ministries’ rehab methods are biblically based and say that they use public funding through the Florida Department of Corrections┬áand are not monitored by any government overseer. Moreover, CFI argues, the ministries’ public funding is mixed in with church donations in a common bank account┬áand is┬áused for both general expenses and sectarian ministerial activities.

“The religious liberty interest at stake in this case is the right not to have oneÔÇÖs tax dollars support religious institutions and programming,” Ronald A. Lindsay, p

[resident and CEO of the Center for Inquiry, tells New Times. “This is a fundamental right that has been recognized since the founding of this country. CFI has brought this case to vindicate that religious liberty interest, which is protected under the Florida constitution, which specifically prohibits public funds from being used to aid any church or sectarian institution.”

To view the full story, visit the Broward Palm Beach New Times