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.
Beg to differ, Jesus Christ started Christianity.
Please see my tagline.
Just because someone adheres to a false teaching, i.e. heresy, does not mean they are not a Christian - the first poster, your buddy jw777 is the cardplayer with his "Catholics are no more Christian than Hindus" comment.
Whatever my disagreement with Protestants on doctrinal issues may be, I don't pretend they are not Christians when they are.
It's a matter of what is meant by the statement "salvation may be obtained only through the Catholic Church."
Where did wideawake play the "heresy card?"
Fair enough.
Amazing how many people misread your post.
Unbelievable. See my posts. It's one thing to abide by a statement of faith, that is actually their business, but quite another to pretend that Catholics aren't Christians. I agree with other posters - what? - no Christians until after the Reformation? Give me a break.
Christianity has many branches ~ Catholicism, Reform, Evangelical, Apostolic, Mennonite, Amish, Cather, Arian, 4 Square Gospel, and so forth.
"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."
Many if not all Catholics vehemently oppose abortion. Considering that the funding came from pro-life license plates, it is hard to comprehend why Catholics should be prevented from adopting children.
Apparently the conflict between the stated faith orthodoxy and that of the Catholic church is that Bethany Christians believe that Catholics do not depend entirely on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to redeem their souls.
I wonder if Bethany would have any objection to a protestant who would assert that Jesus Christ is the only way, but abortion is also a reasonable choice?
Some Christian organizations have a formula for salvation which in part is expressed in narrow language and understanding. A Catholic, who has not been schooled in the theology of Marten Luther where salvation is by faith alone does not know how to express his belief in Jesus in words which are acceptable to certain Christian groups.
The major difference between Conservative Christian theology and Catholicism is the importance of Mary the mother of Jesus. According to Catholic dogma, Mary is a co-redemptrist, which seem to suggest that salvation through the Blood of Jesus is not sufficient. I would venture to say that it would be difficult to find a Catholic who even understands what I have just said.
Any Catholics out there wish to express their understanding of salvation and the position that Mary plays in that process?
1) I support the idea that an organization such as this should be allowed to apply their own guidelines, much as other organizations, such a Catholic Charities, surely have their own.
2) The concept that Roman Catholics are outside of their statement of faith certainly sounds like a truck load of manure to me. If they really mean Sola Scriptura when they say "Bible," they're being more than a little intellectually dishonest.
Until they are able to clearly state how Roman Catholics are outside of their statement of faith, all public monies to this organization should cease.
You forgot the miracle prayer cloth from Peter Popoff.
Oh dear, this is going to get interesting.
Moral Absolutes Ping.
If the adoption group is a private agency, then obviously they have the right to exclude as adoptive parents anyone they want. That said, if they want to exclude some Christians, they ought to make that clear up front so as to avoid hurting people and wasting their time.
Personally, I think it's ridiculous and sectarian. For anyone to think that Catholics aren't Christian is beyond comprehension.
Freepmail me if you want on/off this pinglist.
And it can't be anything else, because the "Faith Statement" they are using to justify their sin is about as vague and colorless a statement as possible.
Oh, jw777 is not my buddy.
I have never stated that Catholics are not Christian. In fact, I have been on the side of Catholics and the Catholic Church in virtually every such debate that I have entered on the subject here.
But, to say that all non-Catholic Christians think you must be healed by "Benny Hinn" to be obtain salvation is hateful.
Oh, and I am no heretic.
This is an abomination and this is a LIE!
Post 3
Well it should call itself exactly what it is - a Protestant Adoption Agency - problem solved.
Everything besides Jesus himself in religion is man-made.
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