USA ADF: Massachusetts Violates Religious Protections of Foster Parents

[Webster]

American Family News: Massachusetts violates religious protection of foster parents

A federal lawsuit has been filed against Massachusetts Department of Children and Families.

Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) attorneys filed the lawsuit on behalf of two Christian families in Massachusetts. The families say they were told that they are no longer eligible to continue serving as foster parents because of their religious beliefs.

Massachusetts now requires families to promise they will encourage a child to "transition," both socially and medically, use a child's preferred pronouns, and affirm without question a child's desire to "change" their gender.

This condition violates these families First Amendment right of religious protection by conditioning their license to foster children by forcing them to renounce their religious beliefs.

ADF attorney Johannes Widmalm-Delphonse spoke with AFN regarding the case. "This case is about whether the state is actually going to prioritize the welfare of children in its custody and care or whether it's going to put its ideology first," states Widmalm-Delphonse.

The lawsuit against the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families is known as Jones v. Mahaniah. It is filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. "You don't have to agree with our families' religious beliefs to see that this policy harms children," says Widmalm-Delphonse. "It reduces the pool of loving families."

The attorney went on to say that Massachusetts, like other states, is suffering from a crisis. For example, Widmalm-Delphonse says that Massachusetts is housing children in social workers' offices.

"They're sleeping on cots on the floor or in some type of institutional care instead of going to loving families because of the shortage," says Widmalm-Delphonse. "So, this is really about doing what's best for the children in the system right now regardless of your religious beliefs or your views on these topics and making sure that every child can find a loving home."

 

[Frankj]

It is very important to the Left that they force Christians to violate their religious beliefs if they want to participate in mainstream culture and have full access to it in the Western nations.

Adoption, foster care, photography, rentals, bakeries, use of public areas for meetings, public speech, etc.

Only Christians from what I can tell, all other religions are perfectly fine to be a valued part of the mainstream and given full and equal access to it.

 

[Webster]

This should be an easy case for SCOTUS to deal wtih as they've already dealt with it a few years back in Fulton v City of Philadelphia.
Government is not allowed to discriminate agst. individuals/families based on religion; basic black-letter constitutional law.

 

[Frankj]

This should be an easy case for SCOTUS to deal wtih as they've already dealt with it a few years back in Fulton v City of Philadelphia.
Government is not allowed to discriminate agst. individuals/families based on religion; basic black-letter constitutional law.

The sad thing is that these cases have to be taken to the Supremes over and over again.

From what I recall from a number of decades ago (may not be currently correct) it costs about a quarter million to go all the way to the USSC, something governments and some organizations can readily afford to spend but it puts it beyond the reach of the average citizen to pursue on his own no matter how righteous his case may be.

Actually this is mostly true at every level of the legal system which is why the innocent frequently plead guilty to something they did not do in exchange for reduced sentencing; they simply cannot afford to defend themselves against the resources brought against them.