'Santa was in prison and Jesus got the death penalty'

Concludes a terrific post from Solitary Watch on the topic, "Christians go to church to worship an executed savior and shop to commemorate an incarcerated saint. And most Americans give little thought to their 2 million countrymen who are spending this Christmas behind bars."

While most folks are familiar with Jesus' fateful run-in with the criminal justice system, "Less well known is the fact that Saint Nicholas, the early Christian saint who inspired Santa Claus, was once a prisoner, like one in every 100 Americans today. Though he was beloved for his kindness and generosity, Nicholas acquired sainthood not only by giving alms, but by performing a miracle that more or less amounted to a prison break."