Posted on 03/01/2021 2:16:23 PM PST by Ennis85
The largest Protestant adoption and foster agency in the country has decided to open up its services to LGBTQ parents nationwide, a win for same-sex couples as several religious agencies have declined them services in the past, the company announced to staff Monday.
Chris Palusky, the president and chief executive of Bethany Christian Services, informed staff of the evangelical organization that the change would go into effect immediately, according to an email obtained by The New York Times. The adjustment comes as several cities and states have mandated that adoption agencies accept same-sex parents in order to receive government funding.
“We will now offer services with the love and compassion of Jesus to the many types of families who exist in our world today,” Palusky said in the announcement. “We’re taking an ‘all hands on deck’ approach where all are welcome.”
Previously, the Michigan-based organization in most states referred LGBTQ parents to different agencies, although the process was not official, Bethany leaders told the Times.
A lesbian Philadelphia couple’s story of being referred to a different agency in 2018 sparked outrage, leading the city to suspend contracts with Bethany’s local branch and another agency Catholic Social Services. Bethany later complied with the city’s requirements, while Catholic Social Services took the case to court, prompting the Supreme Court to hear arguments in November.
The following year, the agency took a similar position in Michigan after the state declared it wouldn’t fund agencies that didn’t open up adoptions to LGBTQ parents. Bethany branches in 12 states allowed LGBTQ families to adopt as of late 2020, according to the Times.
Bethany’s national board voted in January to approve an inclusivity resolution that removed its previous statement from 2007 that “God’s design for the family is a covenant and lifelong marriage of one man and one woman.”
The new policy does not directly mention LGBTQ parents but says, “Christians of mutual good faith can reasonably disagree on various doctrinal issues, about which Bethany does not maintain an organizational position.”
Bethany intends to provide training to all employees in the coming months including at its locations where employees have not worked with LGBTQ parents.
"These days, families look a lot different than they did when we started," Nate Bult, the senior vice president of public and government affairs, said in a statement. "And Bethany is committed to welcoming and serving all of them."
Adoption is more prevalent among the LGBTQ community with more than 20 percent of same-sex couples with children having an adopted child, while 3 percent of straight couples said the same, according to a 2016 report.
What changed?
Evil evil evil
The Hart Children in this horrific nightmare were abused for years before their lives were snuffed out. What so absolutely insane is that the lesbians were once investigated for abuse of one of the children, but nothing came of it. Several of the smaller children were routinely starved as a form of “discipline,” and were reported as being HALF the weight of what children in their age group should have weighed, more like sub-Saharan African famine victims. One of the older children would sneak out at night and beg neighbors for food for his brothers and sisters.
When the obvious became too much for authorities to ignore, case workers visited the house, but not after the lesbian murderers fled with the children, knowing the gig was up.
Families are exactly the same as they have always been. One man married to one woman and their children.
As an adoption agency your first duty is to the safety of the child. If there is an outside chance that can be determined that placing a child with a given applicant will compromise the safety of a child you duty is to not adopt out the child.
LBGT individuals are by definition psychologically compromised. As such it is unsafe to place a child with such people.
If two women “divorce,” how does the judge know who to screw over?
I would love to see that logic tree for this decision.
I am guessing that money would be well presented.
That is throwing those children to the barbarians.
When is the Almighty going to drop an asteroid and erase this country? Sodom and Gomorrah were the Sunday School teacher’s pets by comparison to this sinful nation.
Don’t jump on the Bethany Christian Services people too quick. They have been in court as late as September of last year and won but the determination by the judge doesn’t protect them. District Judge Robert Jonker in Grand Rapids blocked Democratic state Attorney General Dana Nessel, Michigan’s first openly gay statewide officeholder, from barring the faith-based agencies from excluding LGBT couples from services.
He said the action conflicted with state law, existing contracts and established practice. Nessel had, through a legal settlement between same-sex couples and the state Department of Health and Human Services, reversed the state’s stance earlier last year. He said the action conflicted with state law, existing contracts and established practice.
But this will come down to a church and state issue at the next contracting date as a contract can be changed for the state’s needs. And Bethany doesn’t have to be
contracted as there are currently 57 other organizations just like them in Michigan. So it may not have to do a lot with the money but the threat of losing their contract, therefore, their business. And then the services, that are now international for them, will come to a screeching halt.
And history has displayed many situations where the needs of the state have over ruled the religious beliefs of the business owners. Wedding cake baking is one of them that the cake people lost. The times they are changing and not for the better. Get ready. You’ll see more of these when someone won’t help a gay person and it will end up in state, and possibly SCUS, courts often.
wy69
The statistics of same sex couples and violence and abuse is just plain damn true. No child should be given to them as it is a statistical risk.
I do know of same sex couples that would be of no risk but what are the psychological risks to a child growing up in that environment. There are many childless heterosexual couples desiring to adopt those children.
Oddly my ex sister in law had a child from a very normal marriage that failed. Her next partner was female. They raised the child most successfully and she is straight and now married with kids. That child was not at risk.
But at least the adoption agency continues on with their good work, accepted by the state and local governments, secure in their government funding.
A nation that sanctions abomination is under condemnation and is headed for damnation.
I want the 1980s back. The creeps stayed in their lane, and we left them alone, and they left us alone.
Ever hear the testimony of the teenager who was raised by 2 faggots right before the homo marriage law was enacted?
He said the 2 poofter parents molested him. Testified in front of Congress, and confirmed this has been going on with other children “raised’ by faggot “parents” . You can see the faces of the congressmen they know what was going on.
Of course it would be.
Since a female can not get another female pregnant and a male can not get a male pregnant...no matter how much they hate science (or religion).
Money talks. none of those “charities” that get millions to bring in third world violent Muslim and Africans don’t live anywhere near their colonies.
Its EVIL!!!
“Protestant” doesn’t necessarily mean “Christian”. Just sayin’.
Yep, you are right about ALL that!
Yep, it is EVIL!!
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