State funded religious intolerance and discrimination -- what century are we living in now?

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jan/22/tennessee-jewish-couple-sues-state-christian-adoption-agency-denies-them-services

A Jewish couple from Tennessee has filed a lawsuit against the state’s Department of Children’s Services after a state-funded Christian program denied them foster care services for religious reasons.

According to the lawsuit filed on Wednesday, Elizabeth and Gabriel Rutan-Ram signed up for the foster-parent training class and home-study certification process last January at the Holston United Methodist Home for Children.

On 21 January 2021, the same day the Rutan-Rams were scheduled to begin the foster-parent-training class at Holston, an employee “emailed Ms Rutan-Ram to inform her that Holston would not serve the Rutan-Rams because of the couple’s Jewish faith”.

The employee wrote, “As a Christian organization, our executive team made the decision several years ago to only provide adoption services to prospective adoptive families that share our belief system in order to avoid conflicts or delays with future service delivery.”

In a statement released earlier this week, Gabriel Rutan-Ram criticized the organization, saying, “It’s infuriating to learn our tax dollars are funding discrimination against us. If an agency is getting tax money to provide a service, then everyone should be served – it shouldn’t matter whether you’re Jewish, Catholic or an atheist. We’re all citizens of Tennessee, regardless of our religion.”

In response to the lawsuit, Brad Williams, president and CEO of Holston said that the organization seeks to place children with families that “agree with our statement of faith”.

“Vulnerable children should not lose access to Christian families who choose to become foster or adoptive parents. Holston Home places children with families that agree with our statement of faith, and forcing Holston Home to violate our beliefs and place children in homes that do not share our faith is wrong and contrary to a free society,” Williams said in a statement to NBC News.

In early 2020, the state’s Republican governor, Bill Lee, signed a controversial adoption bill that allows faith-based foster care and adoption programs to use taxpayer money, even if the programs exclude families of various religious backgrounds and sexual orientations.

Lee, who is Christian, called defending religious beliefs “very important”. Other states with similar legislation include South Dakota, Texas, Alabama, Virginia, Michigan, Oklahoma and Mississippi.

The Anti-Defamation League’s Southern Division criticized Lee at the time in a statement that said: “Allowing a taxpayer-funded child placement agency to discriminate is outrageous. No child should be denied a loving foster or adoptive home simply because of a prospective parent’s religion, sexual orientation or identity.”

This is SO 1950s.

Yuck.

This is the same t ype of prejudicial behavior that allowed Adolf Hitler to support the murder of several million jews in Germany. It is a blackspot on the society in which we live

> This is the same type of
> prejudicial behavior that
> allowed Adolf Hitler to
> support the murder of
> several million Jews in
> Germany.


I just read on a reputable internet that the initial plan was to ship all the German Jews to the island of Madagascar, but then it was shown that in both time and money, killing them all was the more efficient choice.


...humans! Whattayagonnado?

Madagascar. . . Palestine, too.

Adolf Eichmann visited Jerusalem in 1937 to see if it would be practical to send Germany's Jews there. I believe there were one or two other destinations under consideration as well.

Sigh. I live in TN. There is no longer any separation of church and state here. The only religion recognized is Christian (Baptist or Evangelical based). It is discouraging. The anti-vax and those who believe the former guy won are getting more and more vocal. We are unable to move due to family. We have a small circle of friends. This group of mutual friends try to help each other with all the insanity around us. It is quite similar to those who are not or no longer Mormon and are surrounded by family, coworkers, and neighbors who are true believers. We are the ones who must be passive to get along. We live in a beautiful area. The weather is good for most of the year. We try to make the best of it.

I was listening to a Christian music station today while I was out and about, not one I hear frequently, playing less traditional faith music (understatement). There were a couple of tunes I enjoyed but a lot was noisier than I'm used to when it comes to scripture stuff. :)

It's a Canadian radio station, as far as I know. Maybe they import programs from afar. Right after one song with a pleasant tune that I hummed along to, the announcer guy came in, with his soft, mellow voice (it is radio after all) to say "there was a big demonstration today in our [nation/state - I didn't catch it] to uphold the sanctity of life". I've heard of the recent one down south so I assume that's what he was referring to. When he said "sanctity of life" his voice deepened and softened even more.

Yeah, but the guns, I said aloud (to myself; nobody else was there). It would be different if it were the non-Christians with all the guns and the believers in the crowd were busy beating their swords into ploughshares. But. Not.

I don't get why that yawning dichotomy is dismissed by all too many.

The religion I learned, in various denominations, was about reaching out to others, not building encampments to separate us. Loving, not judging. Being kind, not critical. I still keep expecting that's how it's going to turn out yet apparently not. Or not yet.

I have the Pollyanna gene. It frequently gives rise to the pain of disappointment.

So sorry to hear of the challenges religion can and does impose on its neighbours, Eric & all. "We are the ones who must be passive" is an indictment to those who supposedly worship the Prince of Peace. All too many of them have gone off the path - at least the one I have followed that was appealing and sensible to me. Kind of a live and let live approach. That certainly is more appealing and works better than what's presently occurring.

As for the agency not permitting a Jewish couple to adopt a baby because Christianity, I understand how and what they're thinking - not saying I agree. But then they shouldn't accept state money, imho. And does their manifesto make it clear they only adopt out to Christians? If not, why not. And can they guarantee that no babies will be left on the shelf due to a shortage of prospective adoptive parents who theoretically practice the approved faith? If not, that's appalling.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 01/22/2022 07:55PM by Nightingale.

We've seen this before:

"Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Führer."

Same old story.

Only this time, we know how the story will end -- if we don't do anything.


I like this story better :)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovwHkb1wEfU&t=180


What is America to me?
A name, a map, or a flag I see?
A certain word, "democracy"?
What is America to me?

The house I live in, a plot of earth, a street
The grocer and the butcher, and the people that I meet
The children in the playground, the faces that I see
All races and religions, that's America to me

The place I work in, the worker by my side
The little town or city where my people lived and died
The "howdy" and the handshake, the air of feeling free
And the right to speak my mind out, that's America to me

The things I see about me, the big things and the small
The little corner newsstand and the house a mile tall
The wedding in the churchyard, the laughter and the tears
The dream that's been a-growin' for a hundred and fifty years

The town I live in, the street, the house, the room
The pavement of the city, or a garden all in bloom
The church, the school, the clubhouse, the millions lights I see
But especially the people
That's America to me



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 01/24/2022 04:19PM by anybody.

Too many Christians whine about persecution and then go persecute other religions/denominations. It's absolutely disgusting.