Recently, CBS’s Miami affiliate published the first statements from detainees in the Everglades’ newly constructed detention camp, colloquially known as “Alligator Alcatraz.” Among other allegations, some detainees stated that they had religious articles, including in one example, a Bible, confiscated.
One detainee reported being told “there is no right to religion” while in detention. While these claims have been disputed and politicized, they do highlight the need to stress and prioritize human dignity, including the dignity of religious liberty, for all people.
As a Florida Baptist pastor and theologian, one of our core Christian convictions is the human dignity of every person, and therefore the need to protect religious liberty for every person. Certainly, every criminal should be held accountable for their actions to the full extent that justice requires. However, every person, even a criminal, has inherent human dignity and worth because they are made in the image and likeness of God. As such, every person deserves to be treated with dignity, even when in detention or incarcerated…