State funded Repuke adoption agency won't allow Catholic parents to adopt

[Proud2BAmurkin]

Bush voting taliban scumbags

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/15/AR2005071501091.html

JACKSON, Miss. -- 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.

[enough]

1. It must be very confusing to be these people.

Catholicism is anti-abortion, but it's not real Christianity?

[getmeouttahere]

2. I have no words....

except "you couldn't make this shit up"

[tallahasseedem]

3. This is reality in this country now.

The Bushies must be so proud.

[woodsprite]

4. Hmmm, guess they don't believe in the Apostle's Creed

"....I believe in one holy catholic church, the communion of saints,...."

I'm Presby and have gone thru infertility and I find the fact that Bethany Svcs. wouldn't let Catholic couples adopt very offensive. I am SOOOO glad we didn't the "Christian" adoption svcs that were recommended to us. Bethany was one of them.

[KamaAina]

5. Lots of action on this over at LBN

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1629925&mesg_id=1629925

Enjoy -- and don't forget the popcorn!

[lastknowngood]

6. The Catholics better wake up as well jews, blacks, browns and

anybody who doesn't fit the Reich Wing radical WASP mold. These people don't even consider them people, they are the "other" and are only to be used as chattel.