Nov 30th, 2009
Posted by Suzanne Ito, ACLU at 5:10pm	Free Exercise of Religion, Restriction of Rights

Pentecostal Prisoner's Religious Rights Restored in N.J.

Today the ACLU announced a settlement with prison officials in New Jersey that will restore the right of an ordained Pentecostal minister to preach to his fellow prisoners.

Howard Thompson, Jr., incarcerated at the New Jersey State Prison (NJSP) since 1986, had preached at weekly worship services and taught bible study classes for more than a decade when, in 2007, without warning or justification, NJSP officials banned prisoners from preaching, even when done under the supervision of prison staff. The ban deprived Thompson's fellow prisoners of his religious instruction, which chaplain staff had previously encouraged and believed had a positive influence. Thompson was ordained as a minister in 2000 by the prison's Protestant chaplain.

In response to the ban, the ACLU and ACLU of New Jersey filed a lawsuit on Thompson's behalf last November, asserting that NJSP officials had unconstitutionally infringed upon Thompson's right to freely practice his religion. Today's settlement will allow Thompson to resume preaching at Christian worship services and teaching bible study classes.

This case is just one of the ACLU's many cases defending the right to religious exercise and expression. You can read about the many, many more cases on our defending religion page.

Permalink |	Free Exercise of Religion, Restriction of Rights

1. Michael Miles Says:
   Nov 30th, 2009 at 10:34pm

   Who has given u the right too remove the crosses from the ARLINGTON CENEYARY??? Those men lying benieth those crosses earned that cross.They sacrafised their lives so that you and i could live in a peasfull country.....WHO GIVES YOU THE RIGHT?????

2. roald Says:
   Dec 1st, 2009 at 1:22pm

   ACLU, thanks for working to uphold the religious rights of all individuals.

3. Paen Says:
   Dec 1st, 2009 at 2:37pm

   If the prison officials had any brains they would have known that spirituality is the one thing that can help even the worse of us become better.

4. Anonymous Says:
   Dec 2nd, 2009 at 2:12am

   why dont u fight for the building of churches in muslim countries? they are upset cuz they want to ban minerets in switzerland (not mosques) yet christians are not allowed to build/repair churches in muslim countries. they destroy the churches and then cannot rebuild. where is the equality?

5. Anonymous Says:
   Dec 2nd, 2009 at 7:07am

   Woot

6. Derek Browne Says:
   Dec 2nd, 2009 at 11:56am

   This is just proof that the ACLU is hypocritical. While chosing to rightfully defend the minister, they also chose to file suit against a memorial cross in the mojave desert. While fighting for religios freedom on one front they fight against it on another. I used to be a supporter of the ACLU, but now it is my contetion that they are just a bunch of lawsuite mongers.

7. roald Says:
   Dec 3rd, 2009 at 1:44pm

   Mr. Browne...I truly doubt that you ever supported the ACLU. The religious freedom for which the ACLU fights is individual religious freedom against actions by the State. In this light, their actions are both consistent and correct.

8. Russ Brown Says:
   Dec 3rd, 2009 at 3:39pm

   This is just proof that many people don't truly understand the separation of church and state, and why it is required for religious freedom. In this case the government was preventing expression of religion, in the case of he Mojave Cross it is imposing (in a haphazard way) imposing it. Both are violations of religious freedom.

9. Anonymous Says:
   Dec 4th, 2009 at 9:52am

   If the prison is owned by the government isn't it your belief that you can't mix religion and government? Seems to me that you are not consistant in your beliefs. The same is true of allowing Muslim woman to wear their head scarfs in court rooms. The head scarf has to do with their religion. Which again according to you we can't mix religion and government. It would appear that the only religious people you have a problem with are the ones who believe in Christianity. If you read our country's Constitution you would see that our forefathers built this country on Christian/Judeo beliefs. You are trying to destroy all Christians while giving all the rights possible to the Muslim population. Are you basically Muslim supporters like our president? Will you not be happy until the United States is destroyed by Muslim terrorists? Stop being so hypocritical. You fight for some religion even though it is mixed with government and then you fight against it in other cases. Why is it that the Christians of this country are not given the same rights as the ones you fight for? You expect everyone to be tolerant of others but what you fight for the most is for intolerance. If someone is offended by something they may be the problem. We have people going after a citizen who is displaying an American flag because it is offensive. It is our country's flag. If people don't want to look at it they can go home. More than likely they are here illegally anyway. And by the way I am offended by people who come to this country illegally and then expect us to change our customs and our values. Start backing the American citizens. Or go to a country where freedoms are not allowed and start fighting there.

10. RAM Says:
    Dec 5th, 2009 at 9:23am

    Very hypocritical. The ACLU is a cancer in our society!

11. roald Says:
    Dec 8th, 2009 at 1:56pm

    Mr. Browne, With all due respect, I find it difficult to believe that you ever were a supporter of the ACLU as you appear to understand so little of their mission.

12. Anonymous Says:
    Dec 15th, 2009 at 10:01am

    MERRY CHRISTMAS ACLU AND I REPEAT AGAIN, MERRY CHRISTMAS! YOUR ARE A BUNCH OF HYPOCRITES AND ATHEISTS IN DISGUISE. WHAT DON'T YOU BRING YOUR WORK TO IRAQ. YOU DO NOT DESERVE TO LIVE IN THE USA

13. roald Says:
    Dec 16th, 2009 at 4:48pm

    anon #9. You have not picked up on the notion of separating State from Church. The ACLU's position is clear and consistent.

    The prison is part of the State and, thus, cannot force a State religion or utter suppression of religion on the inmates. The court is part of the Stare and, thus, cannot force a State religion or utter suppression of religion on the people who enter the court.

    Individual religious symbols on headstones in a military cemetery reflect an individual's religious choice and the ACLU has fought to extend the rights of people of different religions to have their own symbols. The cross on government property is the State favoring one religion over another.

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