Posted on 09/05/2012 1:58:15 PM PDT by NYer
September 4, 2012 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Nicaraguan Mennonites say that they have been persecuted by government authorities since they chose to shelter ex-lesbian Lisa Miller and her daughter Isabella following their escape from the United States, but add that they are willing to suffer and even die to protect Isabella from a court-ordered custody transfer to her non-biological lesbian “mother.”
Lisa Miller and her daughter fled the country in late 2009 in order to avoid sharing custody of Isabella with Miller’s former homosexual partner, Janet Jenkins, with whom she had entered into a Vermont civil union. Jenkins is not biologically related to Isabella, who was conceived through artificial insemination and never adopted by Jenkins. Nonetheless, the Vermont court declared Jenkins to be Isabella’s “mother.”
Following their breakup, Miller repented of the homosexual lifestyle and professed faith in Christ, and began to fight the shared custody arrangement imposed by the court. Although expert testimony was submitted as evidence that Isabella was traumatized by the visits with Jenkins, the court refused to cancel them.
In a letter published on a Mennonite website devoted to defending Pastor Kenneth Miller (no relation to Lisa Miller) and others involved in Lisa and Isabella’s escape, the Mennonite “Nicaraguan Brotherhood” describes pressure and harassment from both U.S. and Nicaraguan authorities regarding their decision to shelter the two after their arrival in the Central American country.
The Brotherhood says that their churches in Nicaragua have been “questioned and pressed to give information” regarding the whereabouts of Isabella. “Some have been questioned when going to the US embassy. Others were interrogated in their homes.”
“Brethren and neighbors have been watched, interrogated and threatened,” and, “In some churches Sunday morning services have been watched and videoed,” they write. “A house of one of the brethren was searched without a search warrant.”
“Some excommunicated brethren said that they were offered free visas, a trip to the states, study offers and easy ways to become a police officer if they would help find her. The policeman also suggested they rejoin the church but work as spies for them,” write the Bretheren.
The Brotherhood says that they forgive their persecutors, but will stand firm in the defense of Isabella, now 10 years old, who “has become an innocent victim of an ungodly agenda.”
“Her wellbeing has not been given much or any consideration. According to the Bible we believe that God has given Lisa sole responsibility to care and protect her own daughter since she has no known father. According to the Bible it is a war between good and evil, a battle between God and Satan. As congregations we stand united in this spiritual warfare against evil.”
The Brotherhood add that they are willing to suffer imprisonment or death in the cause of protecting Isabella.
“The fact is that suddenly we find ourselves having to choose between obeying God and man made laws,” they write. “We have chosen to obey God. We are willing to give up our rights, go to jail, or even die, for the cause of helping anyone become free from a sinful life and helping that person to live in obedience to God’s Word.”
U.S. Mennonite pastor Kenneth Miller has already been convicted of helping Lisa Miller and Isabella to flee the United States, and may face up to three years in prison when he is sentenced. Jenkins has also filed a civil suit against Kenneth Miller for unspecified monetary damages, and has included organizations in the suit that have expressed support for Miller. Liberty University Law School’s dean Mat Staver has characterized that complaint as an attack on freedom of speech.
The letter of the Nicaragua Brotherhood does not specify which Nicaraguan Menonite churches are represented. Although its publication date is given as February of this year, it appears not to have been distributed outside of Mennonite circles. It was quoted in May in the Mennonite World Review, and was quoted in Jenkins’ lawsuit.
Related article:
Those Mennonites deserve respect for their stand.
I am not a fan of the Mennonites. I believe their doctrines are seriously wrong on church-state relations and on pacifism.
However, this is a perfect example of where conservative Christians need to put very important differences aside to pray for these persecuted brothers who are seriously wrong on important issues. Anyone who thinks that legalizing homosexual marriage won't have consequences needs to look at cases like this. Also, as Lymelady has pointed out, Janet Miller has seriously harmed her case by accepting child support from her former lesbian partner — actions have consequences and sometimes judges have to enforce bad laws. Not saying the judge here did the right thing, but I am saying that if the push for gay marriage continues, someday conservative Christians in the judicial profession are going to have to ask if they can in good conscience send a child back into a lesbian or gay home when the law really is clear (as is not necessarily true in this case).
We need to fight tooth-and-nail against gay marriage or things like this will become more and more common.
For now, as long as the law remains unsettled, we still have things we can do to fight. There are at least two members of Congress with Mennonite ties. Both are conservative Republicans who do not agree with the historic position of their church on pacifism and seem to try to avoid being identified as Mennonites. I wonder if either of them are involved in this privately or officially?
Don’t know why I said Janet Miller. I know the victimized mom is Lisa Miller. Bad typo...
The dedication and honor of these folks is humbling.
Where are our crusaders? Why is the American populace at large so unaware of these draconian injustices? If every American citizen who knew about this case (and many others like it) spread the word to their family members and friends then that would be a start. But people don’t know what inequities the judicial system is enforcing on us in the name of “equality”, like Human Rights Tribunals and this horror.
Only places like Life Site News or World Net Daily report on these issues, so they’re relegated to fringe-kookiness. HuffPo or DailyKos have no problem reporting these cases, but with their special “perspective.” Where’s Drudge on this? Fox News? Is there any mainstream source willing to report the truth? I guess FR is one of the brave few.
God bless these people and keep them safe.
“Conservatives” are terrified spitless of homo nazis. Do any of tha “conservative” talk people mention the homo nazi agenda? NO! How about elected representatives? Shame on them!
A few R elected people speak out and they are instantly labeled “haters/bigots/homophobes/evil” etc. Well it takes courage to stand up and we as a society sorely need courage.
Thus my tagline.
Our gov needs a series of high colonics.
And I've often wondered why one half of a lesbian pair always appears to have a need to make themselves appear to be masculine? Is it because they know that if they allowed their feminine attributes to be seen, the object of their 'affections' would not be attracted to them?
May God bless these Christians.
Thanks for the photo. It’s a mental/spiritual illness. And hte face is the mirror of the mind. Faces and appearances change with the mind or the consciousness. I’ve seen incredible changes in people due to their consciousness.
(BTW - just sort of surfacing after extreme busy-ness and not feeling well, have info you posted I need to attend to, maybe tomorrow!)
I am still pissed off at VA Gov. McDonnell for not telling the Vermont court to go to hell on behalf of VA resident Miller, that VA does not recognize VT civil unions, and that Isabella would NOT be handed over to a woman who is NOT her mother.
Russia does not extradite “political refugees” With the current Russian moves against homosexuality, they probably would refuse to send her home.
How did the world get so weird?
Amen.
There was a time when judges were of God. Now they are gods.
Sad stuff...
[but I must admit that I simply cannot fathom how God can allow this atrocity to continue. ]
Read Romans 1:18++
“because of this, God gave them over...”
When the created become the object of worship instead of the Creator - there are consequences; and the proliferation of perversion and homosexuality is part of the punitive plague.
Stand up now, or crawl later.
They choose to stand up.
There should be a protective cordon of people around this woman and her child...and not just from the Mennonites ready to defend them, by any and all means necessary.
God bless them and protect them.
The civil union was between the two women. A civil union does not include custody of children. An adoption would authorize custody. The woman does not have custody, nor is she her mother, so why in the world are they forcing the mom to share custody with her ex female lover? This is ridiculous. And quite disturbing at that. God bless the people protecting the mom and child.
I believe that the term is “psychological parent.” I’m guessing that there is also a Hague element although I don’t know whether Nicaragua is a signer of the Hague Convention on International Kidnapping.
God works through the hearts and minds of men. These are hardened as was Pharaoh’s. Don’t presume on God’s plagues; it was we Christians who allowed this to happen.
These evildoers always prey on our better natures to shame us into allowing them license to practice their sin publicly.
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