Judge to Christian mom: No 'homophobic' teaching

Worldnetdaily ^ | October 31, 2003

[scripter]

A Colorado mother is appealing a child custody decision in which a court barred her from teaching homosexuality is wrong.

Cheryl Clark, who says she is a Christian, has been ordered by Denver County Circuit Judge John W. Coughlin to "make sure that there is nothing in the religious upbringing or teaching that the minor child is exposed to that can be considered homophobic."

The directive arose from the decision to award joint parenting responsibilities for her daughter to a practicing homosexual.

"Forbidding the raising of children in the parent's Christian beliefs is an anathema to parental rights and religious freedom," said Mathew D. Staver, president and general counsel of Florida-based Liberty Counsel. "Must the mother rip out pages of the Bible that say homosexuality is against nature, or must she cover her child's ears if her pastor preaches about sexual purity?"

Staver explained to WorldNetDaily Clark and Elsey McLeod were in a lesbian relationship that broke up after Clark became a Christian and concluded homosexual behavior was wrong.

The Denver court gave McLeod join custody of Clark's adopted daughter, Emma, even though McLeod had no legal relationship to the girl. It also, in conjunction with the ruling in favor of McLeod, said Clark cannot raise her child with any religious teaching or upbringing that is "homophobic."

Staver said courts cannot "give parents a no-win decision of either abandoning their Christian beliefs or abandoning their children."

The definition of "homophobic," Staver noted, is "all across the board," from being fearful of homosexuals to disagreeing with their lifestyle.

"It takes no stretch of the imagination to envision a judge finding the mother in contempt of court for merely teaching her daughter about the Biblical truths on homosexuality," he said.

Liberty Counsel filed a friend-of-the-court brief on behalf of the mother in her case before the Colorado Court of Appeals.

Staver notes the U.S. Supreme Court has long held that the Constitution guarantees the freedom to "worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience." Similarly, he said, the high court has acknowledged "the values of parental direction of the religious upbringing and education of our children in their early and formative years have a high place in our society."

Another troubling aspect of this case, he said, is the award of visitation and joint parenting responsibilities to a third-party who has no legal relationship to the daughter or the mother.

The decision, according to Staver, stands in direct conflict with precedent throughout the country that denies visitation to a third party based solely on that person's prior sexual relationship with the legal parent.

Staver told WND he is not aware of any similar cases in the U.S., although there have been some in which a judge has told a parent not to say anything degrading about the other parent's lifestyle.

None, to his knowledge, however, have gone to the extent of Coughlin, issuing a directive that restricts a parent's religious practice.

[scripter]

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[Howlin]

This absolutely HAS to be unconstitutional.

[scripter]

This absolutely HAS to be unconstitutional.

I would really like to hear what Jay Seculow of the ACLJ has to say about it.

[f.Christian]

Wasn't a Christian man turned down by big brothers - sisters for character - moral defects !

[stands2reason]

Free speech, free exercise of religion....and they gave her homosexual ex-lover joint custody for no reason! And now the reformed homosexual can't get her daughter away from that life, and now must withhold her own beliefs from her? This is such unmitigated bullskite. I'm sickened.

[Proud to Be a McCarthyist]

Commu-Nazism at its best. Why don't I see Coughlin issuing any directives to McLeod not to say anything that contradicts the Bible in front of Emma? After all, shouldn't the sword of tolerance cut both ways?

Tammy Bruce, oddly enough, has made some interesting points about this issue. She thinks the gay elites have gone too far (she's a lesbian herself!). I recommend reading through The Death of Right and Wrong. A couple flimsy liberal dogmas can be found, but some VERY interesting points are made especially regarding the treatment of Christians.

[scripter]

This is just so wrong.

• Woman adopts girl at some time
• Woman's in a lesbian relationship
• Woman becomes a Christian and convicted of her lesbian lifestyle and leaves it
• A judge awards joint custody of adopted girl to lesbian ex-girlfriend who has no legal relationship to child
• Woman cannot tell the truth about homosexuality to daughter

I can't really say what I want to say.

[GeronL]

Do liberals believe in freedom of thought?
Ya gotta be kidding

[scripter]

I keep hearing about Bruce's book but haven't had the urge to go get it... yet.

[Lurker]

Freedom of thought?

Yea. You're free to think just the way they tell you to. Or else.

L

[Porterville]

Wow, if a judge told me I had to raise my kid like that, well then I'd move to Russia and get my freedom back... funny world.

[JoJo Gunn]

And to think there was some moron "Freeper" a while back who asked me to define HomoFascism, as if it didn't exist.

[f.Christian]

I was called the ghengis khan of Christianity today for libeling evolutionists ...

calling them nazis ---

I asked ...


When did evos become ... democratic - pluralistic --- I missed it !


No answer ... waiting !

Move to Russia to get our freedom back ... that's a jolt --- mind therapy !

[Cultural Jihad]

Well expressed, f.C.

[Dianna]

bookmark

[scripter]

Watch my profile for an update of the categorical index thread. I'll have many more articles and a different, hopefully easier to read format.

Homosexual Agenda: Categorical Index of Links

That'll be one you want to bookmark as well.

[f.Christian]

Well expressed, f.C.

[enuu]

You summed it up exactly. But even if this woman had not converted to Christianity, why should she have to share custody of her own adopted daughter with someone unrelated to her? If an ex-boyfriend tried to get custody of his former girlfriend's daughter, every woman's group would protest against it.

[scripter]

Wow, if a judge told me I had to raise my kid like that, well then I'd move to Russia and get my freedom back... funny world.

Perhaps a civil war will happen before we have to resort to leaving the country.