Christian adoption agency won't let Catholics adopt

[Nikki Stone 1]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050715/ap_on_re_us/adoption_catholics

Adoption Agency Rejects Catholic Parents

Fri Jul 15, 3:30 PM ET

A Christian adoption agency that receives money from Choose Life license plate fees said it does not place children with Roman Catholic couples because their religion conflicts with the agency's "Statement of Faith."

Bethany Christian Services stated the policy in a letter to a Jackson couple this month, and another Mississippi couple said they were rejected for the same reason last year.

"It has been our understanding that Catholicism does not agree with our Statement of Faith," Bethany's state director Karen Stewart wrote. "Our practice to not accept applications from Catholics was an effort to be good stewards of an adoptive applicant's time, money and emotional energy."

Sandy and Robert Steadman, who learned of Bethany's decision in a July 8 letter, said their priest told them the faith statement did not conflict with Catholic teaching.

Loria Williams of nearby Ridgeland said she and her husband, Wes, had a similar experience when they started to pursue an adoption in September 2004.

"I can't believe an agency that's nationwide would act like this," Loria Williams said. "There was an agency who was Christian based but wasn't willing to help people across the board."

Bethany, based in Grand Rapids, Mich., has 75 offices in 30 states, including three in Mississippi. The offices are independently incorporated and are affiliated with various religions, spokesman John Van Valkenburg said from the agency headquarters. He couldn't say whether any were Catholic-affiliated.

He said the Jackson office is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church of America.

"They included this practice of not including Catholics," Van Valkenburg said Friday.

Stewart told the Jackson Clarion-Ledger that Bethany's board will review its policy, but she didn't specify which aspects will be addressed.

The agency's Web site says all Bethany staff and adoptive applicants personally agree with the faith statement, which describes belief in the Christian Church and the Scripture. It does not refer to any specific branches of Christianity.

"As the Savior, Jesus takes away the sins of the world," the statement says in part. "Jesus is the one in whom we are called to put our hope, our only hope for forgiveness of sin and for reconciliation with God and with one another."

Sandy Steadman said she was hurt and disappointed that Bethany received funds from the Choose Life car license plates. "I know of a lot of Catholics who get those tags," she said.

She added: "If it's OK to accept our money, it should be OK to open your home to us as a family."

Bethany is one of 24 adoption and pregnancy counseling centers in Mississippi that receives money from the sale of Choose Life tags, a special plate that motorists can obtain with an extra fee.

Of $244,000 generated by the sale of the tags in 2004, Bethany received $7,053, said Geraldine Gray, treasurer of Choose Life Mississippi, which distributes the money.

"It is troubling to me if they are discriminating based on only the Catholics," Gray said.

The Bethany spokesman, van Valkenburg, said the offices in Mississippi do not receive any public money, but that some offices in other states do, for example, because they are involved in foster care.

___

On the Net:

Bethany Christian Services, http://www.bethany.org

[Zenlitened]

1. Gay couples, catholic couples -- some people just shouldn't...

... be allowed to adopt.

:sarcasm:

[ten]

16. If you let Catholics adopt...

If you let Catholics adopt, then what's next? Dogs? Rocks? Rick Santorum? Where does it end?

[RevCheesehead]

2. unfuckingbelievable.

I wonder: if they accept funds from Catholics, why that money isn't considered in conflict with their "faith statement." :puke:

Is there any legal action pending?

[Nikki Stone 1]

3. I don't know. I'll look and see. My guess is that this article might be

the catalyst.

[Coastie for Truth]

4. Questionable Constitutionality

The generic, plain vanilla "Choose Life" license plate fee law in those states that have it provides for

funding eligible private, nonprofit organizations that provide services committed to counseling pregnant women about the option of adoption.

So, the state is collecting - and parceling out - the money. That makes it "public money" -- possibly a proscribed "establishment of religion" - which is compounded by a sectarian, sect-specific religious test to received the adoption services. This is a questionable "prohibition of free exercise."

And these people wonder why the ACLU gets involved. The ACLU isn't being "anti-God" and "anti-religion." Bethany is being "anti-God" and "anti-religion" and "violating the First Amendment."

And, in my opinion, as a person of faith, they are breaking the Third Command by TAKING THE LORD'S NAME IN VAIN -A BUNCH OF BLASPHEMOUS HERETICS HIJACKING GOD'S NAME.

[Nikki Stone 1]

With you on all counts, Coastie

Interesting to see how this shakes out. Imagine Catholic couples being defended by the ACLU! Before it comes to this heresy, the Church will have ironed out some deal with these nutty Presbyterians.

[Coastie for Truth]

7. The ACLU is most definitely NOT anti-religion.

It is pro-First Amendment, pro-"free exercise of religion" and anti-"establishment of religion."

The ACLU goes to court as frequently to protect the "free exercise of religion" as to fight the "establishment of religion."

"Establishment" - in its most extreme case - is that the government runs the theological seminaries, trains and hires the clergy, builds and owns the churches/temples/mosques, compels attendance, and penalizes non-conformance. (Some of the 13 Colonies actually did this before Independence). Kind of like compulsory school prayers or compulsory Bible reading (which we had when I was a kid, and the Douay, SS Cyril and Methodius, and Hertz translations and Jefferson abridgment were all forbidden - only the King James Bible was allowed).

[Nikki Stone 1]

8. I know. But many of the religious right see the ACLU as the tool of the

devil. I was just trying to be funny. Musta failed miserably, eh? ;)

[Coastie for Truth]

9. Actually not-

It is a major fund raising problem.

[Nikki Stone 1]

10. Which "not"? The RW perception is wrong or *I* have the wrong perception

about the right wing?

[Coastie for Truth]

13. The right wng perception is wrong. But your perception of them is right.

[Nikki Stone 1]

14. Thanks for clarifying. I thought that's what you meant. Someone sent me

this crazy tract recently. It was just completely nutty and off the wall.

http://www.eco.freedom.org/el/20050601/ward.shtml


What is the goal of the ACLU?
By Jack Ward

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) sounds like an organization that protects American values. Many people believe that the ACLU is the nation's guardian of liberty, and great protector of the U.S. Constitution.

Unfortunately, the ACLU was never a promoter, or protector of American values or the Constitution. In fact, ACLU might as well stand for the American Communist Lawyers Union. The ACLU has created the facade that it is a champion of the oppressed, but it uses the powers of the government to coerce all members of our society into accepting a socialist existence.

Don't believe me, just read what Roger Baldwin, the co-founder of the ACLU said: "I am for socialism, disarmament, and ultimately, for abolishing the state itself... I seek social ownership of property, the abolition of the properties class, and sole control of those who produce wealth. Communism is the goal. I don't regret being part of the communist tactic. I knew what I was doing. I was not an innocent liberal. I wanted what the communists wanted, and I traveled the United Front road to get it." In spite of Baldwin's Communist leanings, President Jimmy Carter awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom on January 16, 1981....

There's more drivel at the link, but you get the general idea. This, from what I have seen, is the most common view of the ACLU held by the RW. I don't know where this guy gets his info from, and if someone knows the source of this quote (or misquote), I'd be grateful to have it. I want to send a response to this email because the person who sent it is not truly rabid and I think there is some hope for her.

[Kerrytravelers]

5. When your thinking is guided by idology, you're not thinking.

So, basically, these people aren't in the business of finding children loving homes, but rather forcing them into an idology and raising little clones?

Great. Just what America needs.



I'm Catholic, by the way, and persoanlly, as a teacher, I've had children in foster care with same-sex couples (I'm in CA.) I think anyone who has a safe home enviornment and wants to dedicate their lives to helping children should be allowed to participate in cultivating our nation's future.

[SpiralHawk]

6. This is where "faith-based" social programs are all heading.

Straight to Hell.

Thanks a pantload, George W. Bush. You are responsible.

[electron_blue]

11. Dontcha know... Jesus was a Southern Baptist

I think I see where they are headed with this. First... outlaw all abortions. Then insist all non-aborted babies are given up for adoption, but only to families with their religion.

This isn't a faith-based initiative, this is their only way to boost enrollment numbers that they can find!

(sarcasm of course)

[Nikki Stone 1]

15. Jesus was a Democrat. He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey.

:evilgrin:

[powergirl]

12. I TELL MY FELLOW CATHOLIC THAT THIS IS WHY WE DON'T SUPPORT *

Catholics have no business aligning with those "Christian conservative" weirdos. They have never liked Catholics. They consider us idol worshipers and I also believe they don't like all the Hispanics who are Catholic. Does Rick Santorum know about this. According to the rules of the agency, Rick can't adopt - but I bet those idiots support him. AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH:argh: