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.
Luke 1:28:.....Hail, thou that art highly favored
From Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionary:
highly favored- word charitoo' meaning to grace, indue with special favor, honor(make accepted, highly favored)
charitoo' from root word charizomai, meaning to grant as favor, that is gratuitously, in kindness, PARDON or rescue(deliver), frankly FORGIVE, freely GIVE, grant
Sorry about the all caps, I'm not yelling I don't have italics
Saying a Catholic doctrine is weird is not insulting a person.
I was a Catholic. I have some authority to point out some of the weird teachings I sat under.
I think your bad breath example is a juvenile tactic and not to the point when debating dogma.
Scott Hahn ping
And I was the Grand Duchess Anastasia.
Mary was not sinless, she was a virgin, but not without a sin nature. If indeed Mary was without sin, then Christ did not need to come. It would mean that man can be sinless if he just acts like Mary!
Mary is not the mother of God. Sorry. Christ is eternal.
She needed salvation just like all of us.
But, hey, that is the point of this thread, some people worship Mary as a divine being coredemptrix, pray to her and bow down before statues of her offering prayer, all clearly idol worship.
I would not want my kid put in the home of a catholic if there are Born again believers wanting him/her.
I laugh at these threads where Catholics are forced to convince others that they are Christians. I have many catholic friends, but catholic doctrine is well, so far off the mark it isn't worth arguing about. If you feel good about chanting prayers to Mary then you are no better than a muslim.....and no more saved probably.
I think I feel a zot coming on...
This would be fine if this was a denominational adoption agency. We have Catholic adoption agencies. It isn't.
This is particularly true in societies where the king had multiple wives. The King in that case would not designate a wife as queen because he could never be sure that his "son" was actually his. Instead, in pluralistic societies, the Queen was the Mother of the King. See The relationship between Solomon and Bethsheba as an example.
However, I do have a question of my Catholic brothers and sisters, that goes to an issue deeper than the "Mary" thing.
It is my understanding that the most basic rift between the Catholic and Protestant churches concerns the "tearing of the veil of the Temple", which was symbolicly saying that regular Joes like me were no longer seperated from the Father. (Most) Protestants believe that Jesus, through the atonement, took away the need for ANY intercessor: a priest, Mary, certain prayers, The Pope, Creflo Dollar, Benny Hinn, Jabez Bracelets - we can go DIRECTLY to the Father and ask forgiveness and his blessings in our life. We can appear before him daily without ANYONE's help.
The Catholic Church, correct me if I'm wrong, believes extensively in intercession.
Isn't this really what the big rift is?
Oh, so I'm a liar as you are. Is that your implication?
I certainly hope this isn't blanket policy -- my husband and I are supposed to be at the July 25th meeting in Lancaster, PA, to see about international adoption.
>> And I was the Grand Duchess Anastasia>>
I'm so glad you're here!
And you would say rightly. :) We worship the same God the Father. They just don't yet see that His salvation was accomplished in the Son and that they must trust in God the Son for that same salvation/deliverance promised in the Hebrew scriptures. And on the other hand, we Christians get a few things wrong also.
>>But, hey, that is the point of this thread, some people worship Mary as a divine being coredemptrix, pray to her and bow down before statues of her offering prayer, all clearly idol worship. <<
Who? Give some reference that a person is idol worshiping.
My point is, it's neither here no there whether you "were" Catholic or not. If you were a Catholic, obviously you were a nominal Catholic because you have a clue about the faith.
So, if you want to speak as an authority as a "former Catholic," than I get to speak as an authority on Imperial Russia as a Grand Duchess.
BTW, thank you for this opportunity. I always wanted to be a princess.
Yes, but the policy is clear. Who would ever guess that this statement:
"As the Savior, Jesus takes away the sins of the world 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"
means "no Catholics"?
I have no problem with an adoption agency specializing in finding children for a given clientel. What is outrageous is the assertion by the adoption agency that Catholics aren't Christian, and don't believe that statement.
If you deny Mary is Mother of God, then you're a Nestorian. If you don't know what that means, it means that you believe Christ is two distinct persons, one divine, one human, not a one person who is both human and divine.
Through His Son, Jesus Christ, I hope.
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.