Pro Team Rebuttal: Rev. Lynn

Rev. Lynn counters Mr. Colson's opening statement by saying many non-Christians seek justice and that what Mr. Colson seems to be asserting is that unless we gird ourselves in a religious worldview we cannot bring justice, and this is wrong. The court case filed by Rev. Lynn's organization against Prison Fellowship (Mr. Colson's organization) in Iowa has shown that the courts agree these activities should not be subsidized by tax dollar. Activities that seek justice must come from shared, civil values. Mr. Colson responds by saying that PF did not lose the Iowa case, only the state funding which it didn't want anyway. He cites the program's success—8% recidivism rate in Iowa, compared to 67% nationally—and notes that these programs are voluntary and have no religious test. He says he believes in a separation of church and state, and that government should stay out of the business of the church. But the public has a right as Christian citizens to make their views known.

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[BenAliGtor]

Note that the disparity of recidivism between this christianist correctional program (PF) and the national average is based upon "successful completion" of that program. That includes both job placement and extensive post incarceration support services.

When the latter are afforded in non-christianist correctional programs, the statistical difference does not exist.