Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Judge to Christian mom: No 'homophobic' teaching
Worldnetdaily ^ | October 31, 2003

Posted on 10/30/2003 10:37:12 PM PST by 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.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; US: Colorado
KEYWORDS: antichristianbias; catholiclist; homeschool; homosexual; homosexualagenda; judge; parentalrights; prisoners
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 121-131 next last

1 posted on 10/30/2003 10:37:12 PM PST by scripter
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: *Homosexual Agenda; EdReform; scripter; GrandMoM; backhoe; pram; Yehuda; Clint N. Suhks; ...
Homosexual Agenda: Categorical Index of Links
Homosexual Agenda Index (bump list)
Homosexual Agenda Keyword Search
All FreeRepublic Bump Lists

2 posted on 10/30/2003 10:38:01 PM PST by scripter (Thousands have left the homosexual lifestyle)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: scripter
This absolutely HAS to be unconstitutional.
3 posted on 10/30/2003 10:38:36 PM PST by Howlin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Howlin
This absolutely HAS to be unconstitutional.

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

4 posted on 10/30/2003 10:43:06 PM PST by scripter (Thousands have left the homosexual lifestyle)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Howlin
Wasn't a Christian man turned down by big brothers - sisters for character - moral defects !
5 posted on 10/30/2003 10:43:27 PM PST by f.Christian (evolution vs intelligent design ... science3000 ... designeduniverse.com --- * architecture * !)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Howlin
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.
6 posted on 10/30/2003 10:48:09 PM PST by stands2reason (REWARD! Tagline missing since 10/21. Last seen in Chat. Pithy, clever. Sentimental value.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: scripter
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.
7 posted on 10/30/2003 10:50:04 PM PST by Proud to Be a McCarthyist (To eternally damn you would be sinfully easy. All I'd have to do is tell you you don't need Jesus.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: f.Christian
This is just so wrong.

I can't really say what I want to say.
8 posted on 10/30/2003 10:53:15 PM PST by scripter (Thousands have left the homosexual lifestyle)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: scripter
Do liberals believe in freedom of thought?
Ya gotta be kidding
9 posted on 10/30/2003 10:53:16 PM PST by GeronL (Visit www.geocities.com/geronl)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Proud to Be a McCarthyist
I keep hearing about Bruce's book but haven't had the urge to go get it... yet.
10 posted on 10/30/2003 10:54:35 PM PST by scripter (Thousands have left the homosexual lifestyle)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: GeronL
Freedom of thought?

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

L

11 posted on 10/30/2003 10:56:00 PM PST by Lurker (Some people say you shouldn't kick a man when he's down. I say there's no better time to do it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: 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.
12 posted on 10/30/2003 10:57:37 PM PST by Porterville (American First, Human being Second; liberal your derivative lifestyle will never be normalized.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: scripter
And to think there was some moron "Freeper" a while back who asked me to define HomoFascism, as if it didn't exist.
13 posted on 10/30/2003 11:01:39 PM PST by JoJo Gunn (Liberalism - Better Living through Histrionics ©)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Porterville
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 !
14 posted on 10/30/2003 11:04:15 PM PST by f.Christian (evolution vs intelligent design ... science3000 ... designeduniverse.com --- * architecture * !)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: f.Christian
Well expressed, f.C.
15 posted on 10/30/2003 11:05:19 PM PST by Cultural Jihad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: scripter
bookmark
16 posted on 10/30/2003 11:07:33 PM PST by Dianna
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dianna
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.

17 posted on 10/30/2003 11:11:06 PM PST by scripter (Thousands have left the homosexual lifestyle)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Cultural Jihad; Jim Robinson


Well expressed, f.C.
18 posted on 10/30/2003 11:11:55 PM PST by f.Christian (evolution vs intelligent design ... science3000 ... designeduniverse.com --- * architecture * !)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: scripter
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.
19 posted on 10/30/2003 11:12:59 PM PST by enuu
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: 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.

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

20 posted on 10/30/2003 11:13:16 PM PST by scripter (Thousands have left the homosexual lifestyle)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 121-131 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson