In California, you will go to jail for not believing in a higher power in rehab.

Quote:An atheist in Northern California has been awarded nearly $2 million in a settlement with the state and a nonprofit drug rehab organization for violating his religious liberty by sending him to jail for refusing to submit to a “higher power” as part of a treatment program, local news outlets reported.

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/20...ement.html

(October 15, 2014 at 5:20 pm)Dragonetti Wrote: In California, you will go to jail for not believing in a higher power in rehab.

Quote:An atheist in Northern California has been awarded nearly $2 million in a settlement with the state and a nonprofit drug rehab organization for violating his religious liberty by sending him to jail for refusing to submit to a “higher power” as part of a treatment program, local news outlets reported.

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/20...ement.html

Excellent that he got a pay out.

It's a very bad ruling. A higher power, as it says in the article, can be anything: the greater good, aliens, his girlfriend, or even his own penis. Nothing says the higher power must be divine.

Even so, the requirement is ridiculous.

In the Christian rehab I was in, some guys preferred going back to prison instead of completing the program.

But, yes, some judges will offer you this deal, but you have to complete the year. Unfortunately, the secular world doesn't really have an answer yet for addictions either.

(October 15, 2014 at 5:54 pm)Dorian Gray Wrote: In the Christian rehab I was in, some guys preferred going back to prison instead of completing the program.

But, yes, some judges will offer you this deal, but you have to complete the year. Unfortunately, the secular world doesn't really have an answer yet for addictions either.

http://www.sossobriety.org/12steps.htm

They exist, I'm just not sure courts will recognise them.

(October 15, 2014 at 5:38 pm)ChadWooters Wrote: It's a very bad ruling. A higher power, as it says in the article, can be anything: the greater good, aliens, his girlfriend, or even his own penis. Nothing says the higher power must be divine.

Yeah, right - the program includes frequent prayer and references to god but the higher power could be "anything".

(October 15, 2014 at 5:38 pm)ChadWooters Wrote: It's a very bad ruling. A higher power, as it says in the article, can be anything: the greater good, aliens, his girlfriend, or even his own penis. Nothing says the higher power must be divine.

(bold mine)

Right. Which makes the "higher power" hyperbole that much more ridiculous.

(October 15, 2014 at 10:49 pm)rexbeccarox Wrote:

(October 15, 2014 at 5:38 pm)ChadWooters Wrote: It's a very bad ruling. A higher power, as it says in the article, can be anything: the greater good, aliens, his girlfriend, or even his own penis. Nothing says the higher power must be divine.

(bold mine)

Right. Which makes the "higher power" hyperbole that much more ridiculous.

Well, with enough Viagra I guess it could count as a higher power.

At least higher than before . . .

My penis skills are substandard to be label as a higher power.