[$tinkle]

NZ herald:

Communion wine banned from prisons

United Future leader Peter Dunne will complain to the Human Rights Commission over a ban on communion wine in prisons.

Wine, which is classed as a banned drug under the 2004 Corrections Act, is not allowed in prisons -- outraging Catholics who say it is a denial of religious freedom.

From 1999, Catholics were granted an exemption to bring communion wine into prisons, the NZ Catholic newspaper reported.

But that was recently revoked as it was deemed to be inconsistent with the new Act.

Public Prisons Service head Harry Hawthorn said the Act allowed no discretion.

But United Future leader Peter Dunne told the publication the ban appeared to be "another appalling example of political correctness gone mad".

"The last thing Parliament had in mind when passing the legislation in 2004 was banning the celebration of Mass in prisons, and it is stretching logic and common sense beyond any reasonable bounds to imply otherwise," he said.

Banning communion wine was a denial of prisoners' legitimate right to practise religion and he would be raising the matter with the Human Rights Commission.

"The Bill of Rights upholds all New Zealanders' rights to freedom of worship, wherever they may be, and to deny prison inmates the opportunity to go to Mass if they wish is a denial of their basic human rights," he said.

If the decision was allowed to stand it would make a complete mockery of a recent statement on supporting religious diversity, he said.

there are no words.

or wine.

they're being treated like...like...well, prisoners

 

[Silver]

We should be biblical and crucify all the Catholics.

You're supposed to live like Christ, right? (Well, plus the child molestation...)

 

[Transcend]

Give them grape juice and tell them to shut the F up. They are in prison, not at a religious retreat.

 

[N8 v2.0]

but do they still get conjugal sheep visits??

 

[$tinkle]

i don't recall the apostle paul getting communion when he was jailed.

NZ'ers are a bunch a slags.

 

[Changleen]

We're (they're) just generally nice to each other.

Personally I couldn't really care less. Actually it's probably worse that they just get a tiny bit of wine, then are denied the opportunity for any more. That's more of a punishment than a blanket ban IMO. Wine over here is pretty good.

 

[valve bouncer]

Anyone got a good recipe for some "toilet merlot"?

 

[Toshi]

Anyone got a good recipe for some "toilet merlot"?

i'm sure bloody diarrhea would do in a pinch, as long as it was heavy on the blood and short on the diarrhea