A Roman Catholic adoption charity’s appeal to be allowed to discriminate against gay people wanting it to place children with them has been rejected.
Catholic Care wanted exemption from new anti-discrimination laws so it could limit services provided to homosexual couples on religious grounds.
The Charity Commission said gay people were suitable parents and religious views did not justify discrimination.
The Leeds-based charity said it was “very disappointed”.
Presumably, this will lead to the same result as here in the USA, where various Catholic charities have closed their doors rather than compromise their faith and doctrine when a legal fiat was rammed down their throats. And the media will then issue a great hue and cry over the heartlessness of Catholics, the lack of resources for the needy, and the unfairness of it all – never once noting that a church is, first and foremost, a Church; based on a set of common beliefs which, if set aside, change it into something else – a “secular-compliant” organization, perhaps.
I have a very difficult time understanding how it is that government thinks it can dictate to people of faith how their charitable donations must be spent.
#1. Well that’s not quite an accurate record of what happened in the US, but it sounds like it could become part of the myth!
RC adoption agencies were working with gay people in both the US and UK – I have friends here in the UK who adopted through a RC agency some years ago – while in the US Cardinal Levada personally approved the adoption of children by gay couples.
The new rules that were “rammed down their throats” came from Rome – they demanded that RC agencies should no longer work with gay couples.
Singles, yes
Divorced and remarried, yes
Atheists, yes
Other religions, yes
But gay couples including those bring up their children in the faith – NO!
Many, in fact nearly all the Boards operating these charities wanted to resist this new Vatican move. In the UK they continue to operate the service and the bishops have withdrawn their “catholic status” – though parishes still support their work and some continue to operate from property owned by the RC Church. Many have expanded their work in the last two years. Just a couple of the smallest decided to close down.
In America, while the bishops forced the closure of some agencies – others worked out imaginative ways to accommodate the new Vatican rules while fulfilling the non discrimination requirements – in at least one case I know – they have flourished and expanded ten fold.
In the present case, other local adoption charities have said they can take up the slack should this agency close – so the children will not suffer.
Non-discrimination laws are designed to coerce behavior and they can, and are, being used to control and as necessary ban religious based behavior. Such laws have been use to discriminate against Jews in the past and now they will be used against Christians.
This has nothing to do with children and everything to do with normalizing homosexual behavior.
Br. Michael has it very right. This is all not about the children, but political correctness morphing into political dictatorship with the target being Christians.
Dear #2 – homosexual practice is a mortal sin. I think you now can understand the Church’s position on allowing such people to adopt children.
#5 Living in any sexual relationship outside marriage is viewed in a similar light, so it is a shame that the Roman Catholic Church is not consistent in this.
I think the relevance of decisions such as this is in relation to the recent moves in relation to the bringing of not only the UK assets, but the entire undertaking, procedure and objects of the Anglican Consultative Council under not only English Charity Law, but English Company Law.
Notwithstanding any current limited exemptions, the ACC is now at the whim of any future British Government and legislature.
Unwise in my view, but typical of the short-sighted leadership [if that is the correct term] being shown from London.
Charitable contributions can be directed however an institution wishes. These agencies like Catholic Charities and Lutheran Social Services (as two examples) are largely funded on grants from the government at various levels. It is an arrangement that works well for all involved until the government mandates nondiscrimination. Then there is a breakdown.