With my sister now in the process of adoption, I am becoming more and more aware how the courts view Witnesses. Although you are told religion will not play a factor, my sister says that a lot of attention has been focused on the fact that her husband and her are not both Witnesses and they want to know "NOW" what religion the child will be raised in. They have not said that it would play a factor, but I think it will. After all, by giving a child to a Witness parent, you are not just taking away what some would consider to be fun moments with holidays and birthdays. You are also putting the child's life at risk, if medical treatment is refused in a time of life and death. Yet religious discrimination is illegal. So should a Witness parent be allowed to adopt a nonWitness child?
Should Witness parents be allowed to adopt nonWitness children?
by free2beme 18 Replies latest jw friends
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nicolaou
Your topic reminded me of this old news story I filed away years ago. It's from The Independant (UK) June 3rd, 2001
Adoption by Jehovah's Witnesses is blocked
By Brian Farmer
26 May 2001
A couple originally approved by a council as adoptive parents have been refused permission by social workers to adopt a child, because they are Jehovah's Witnesses.
The couple, who cannot be named for legal reasons, have had temporary care of the 16-month-old girl since she was a few days old. But the couple, who live near Cambridge, have now been told that they cannot adopt the child permanently because the girl's natural mother does not want her daughter to be brought up by Jehovah's Witnesses.
Cambridge County Council's social services department said that officials were acting in accordance with the child's natural mother as laid down by law. A spokesman stressed that they would probably be able to adopt other children as the council had approved them as adoptive parents.
The couple plan a meeting with social workers to try to reverse the decision. Liz Railton, Cambridgeshire County Council's director of social services, said: "The county council's adoption process does not have any religious restrictions."
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zagor
I think lawmakers will sooner or later have to make decision there as to what kind of environment different religions subject their kids (or kids in their care) to.
Because, many of them (in particular jws) are putting unbearable pressure on minors. WTBS is abusing "mature minor" clause in the law by applying it to any kids raised in jw family.
I believe that such a clause exist in law for only exceptional circumstances but one could hardly agree that every jw kid is such a case. He/she might be taught what to say and how to say it to make strong impression on courts and judges but these kids are all too often little more than well taught parrots. -
free2beme
The thing is, I think they can be against the religion and find other reasons to stop the adoption without directly saying it is the religion.
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Lapuce
Well I think they shouldn't, most courts don't know how they are, there is one case now in Quebec about 2 children that where adopted after the parents died in an accident, and the kids complain constantly to the natural grandparents that they are not allowed to do anything relating to holidays, birthdays and so on... yet those kids before did not have JW parents.
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blondie
Hey, Tom Cruise adopted 2 kids..................
I think some private agencies do block JWs from adopting. I don't know if government ones can do that without being accused of some sort of legal prejudice. All the JWs I know adopted children from other countries.
Although China blocks adoptions by JWs.
http://www.lavida.org/FAQ/FrequentlyAskedQuestionsIndex.htm
Q:
Do my religious practices matter?
A:
The country of China does not permit placement of children with families of the Jehovah's Witness faith. We believe that this is because of the faith's prohibition against blood transfusion. There are no other religious limitations.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JWAdopt/
I think the blood issue gets in the way of JWs adopting children. I don't think birthdays and Christmas are an issue because 3/4 of the world doesn't celebrate Christmas.
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EAGLE-1
When I was in the borg I was worried to death my parents would die in a plane crash because they travelled alot.They told us not to worry they had willed us to jubz.I hurled my cherrios.
Guess NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!
They shouldnt be allowed to adopt pet rocks
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Honesty
Should Witness parents be allowed to adopt nonWitness children?
Should nonWitness children be subjected to Witnesses who attempt adoption?
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LaCatolica
SHOULD JWs BE ALLOWED TO ADOPT NON-JWs?
NO!
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jwfacts
There was a couple desparate to adopt in Tasmania and were legally not allowed, though i think the law has since changed. The reason was that JW parents do not allow blood transfusions.
It is a difficult question, as if a religion is not banned than it is hard to say a parent can not bring a child up in it.