Keeping the Faith?

I don't talk about religion much. Despite what my mother and my church attendance record might say however, I have deeply held beliefs that affect my life in many ways. It is an important facet of the lives of a large part of the world and I'm sure that includes many people in the highest positions of our government.

So why is the Federal Bureau of Prisons taking religion away from inmates?

I understand not allowing prisoners to get their own personal copies of the Anarchist's Cookbook, but to cut religious texts to a paltry 150 titles per religion? Does Robert H. Schuller's "Hours of Power" really represent a great threat to the federal prisons? Are they afraid the prisoners will rise as one and start belting out gospel music? Frankly, if I were a prisoner, I would rather do that than read one of the 9 C.S. Lewis titles that are permitted. Narnia is lyrically fabulous; "The Pilgrim's Regress" should be used instead of anesthesia.

But correct me if I'm wrong - religion tends to promote peace and tolerance as a rule. Any religious text that promotes ideas of violence and extremism, I would argue, it not religious text at all but propaganda. And we all know exactly what kind of text the Bureau REALLY thinks is dangerous. So be honest, Bureau of Prisons, and ban texts that incite violence and extremism. At least then you aren't impinging unnecessarily on the rights of those who want to read true Christian, Muslim, Jewish and other religious books. You're making the same mistake so many make these days - associating an entire religion(s) with the few psychos who want to use the said religion as a mask for their said psychosis.