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Multi-religion prisoners OK by state, but not chaplain |
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Main NEWS Section -
Religious
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Olympia, Washington (AP) 2-08
A change in state prison policy allows inmates to profess to belong to more than one religion.
The change that took effect in December of 08 is a result of a lawsuit from an inmate who said the state had prohibited him from worshipping as both a Native American and Seventh-day Adventist.
Multiple religions may be OK with the Department of Corrections but it’s not with Catholic chaplain Tom Suss.
He took a leave from his job at McNeil Island Corrections Center because he says the policy conflicts with his faith. He says he couldn’t minister to an inmate who claims to be a Catholic and a pagan at the same time.
Here’s breakdown of the top prisoner religious preferences as compiled by the Department of Corrections in September:
Protestant 5,544, None 2,092, Pagan 1,839, Catholic 1,534, Native American 1,252, Islam 1,078.
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