Posted on 07/15/2005 11:29:25 AM PDT by nypokerface
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 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."
The agency is based in Grand Rapids, Mich., and has offices in 30 states, including three in Mississippi. Its Web site does not refer to any specific branch of Christianity.
Stewart told the Jackson Clarion-Ledger that the board will review its policy, but she didn't specify which aspects will be addressed.
The 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.
"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.
They are apparently different from other branches of Bethany which accept Catholics as adopters -which tells me they must have some pretty idiosyncratic doctrinal views.
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."Mother of God!
That would come as a surprise to Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Habakkuk, Joel, Haggai, Matthew, Luke, Moses, Daniel, Malachi, Nahum........(et al).
He's a faith healer currently under investigation by the IRS. He got into trouble with the authorities in FL, so he moved his headquarters to TX while he awaits a tax ruling.
"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.""translation
"This makes no sense are they Christian or they are pretending to be Christians? Which is it? And what is this “Statement of Faith" something here just don't flow; I could be wrong."
thank you all
He He
So I think what we have here, based on previous posts, is that some, but not all, Bethany chapters don't accept Catholics as prospective parents. And some Catholic diocese do not accept non-Catholics. I still see this as a non-issue.
That being said, I don't like an intra-Church test. I'm not evensure there should even be a Christian test. A saved baby is a saved baby.
The Catholic Catechism states that Jesus Christ is the final authority.
Some also believe that Catholics are a Marion cult.
This is not so much a "belief" as a display of stupidity.
Who on earth(or heaven)do you think Catholics believe in?
Time for a little history lesson.
ROTFLMAO!
Have you read this?
"The prayer actually takes the form of a request/vow formula. Wilkinson divides the prayer into four parts but the prayer in the Hebrew is a singular petition. The request represents the first part of the prayer but the vow is missing. Wilkinson’s phrase “that I may not cause pain” is a curious rendering of the text. The phrase does not occur in the Hebrew and the addition of these words suggests that Jabez is thinking about more than merely himself."
ROFL!
Unbelievible.
Only joke Bubba the 'Toon ever told that I thought was funny:
What's the difference between a Baptist and a Methodist?
Methodists say hello when they run into each other at the liquor store!
Oh, I get it.
Baptists are all hypocrites.
Ha ha ha. That's original.
It isn't. That's the one that gets all the attention though. The main difference between Catholics and Protestants is the Catholic belief in Christ's Real Presence in the Eucharist.
I can't take credit for that gem. Wish I could. ;P
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