Court backs decision to bar Christian foster couple

[hymie]

Should Christians be stopped from fostering because of their faith/belief?

LINK

Oh, and I also note that highstreet3 has made only one post on MN and guess which one it was?

One that's now been deleted. Good.

If I were a foster I would lie and tell the kid they can be whatever they want when they grow up. As long as they live under my roof there won't be any hanky panky. Sex is for adults FFS.

SF - you're not making a parents life easier by telling her to 'fuck off' are you?

• if you disagree with someone to the point where you're becoming abusive, maybe it's time to step away. - it takes time to type out a "fuck off' type reply, so it's not an impulsive loss of control - and it adds nothing to the debate.

within the last year or so we've had quite a few high profile 'homosexuality V Religion cases in the media - ( Stephen Gately/Jan Moir aside ) - The B&B couple, and now the foster carers. Newspapers dine out on stories like these for months - they love them, because they generate debate and controversy - sex/ religion they know it sells, and these cases are bound to get talked about on MN.
Respect and understanding for both sides is what's needed.

Ps; I can't remember who said it - but yes, fostering a child is so much more than just 'A job'

carmina - it was actually me first who told highstreet3 to fuck off. Why do think I did that? I am (normally) a reasonable and reasoned poster. But that post was the straw that broke my back.

I am a parent too, and I am the mother of a gay son.

Nowhere on this thread have I made any attacks on people's religious views. I believe that you can have any faith you want, or choose to have none at all. However, your sexuality is something that you are born with. It is innate. It is not something you choose in the way that you might choose to believe in any god.

I have been on Mumsnet for over four years, and am a regular (far too regular!) poster. Why on earth should I step away because someone with such offensive views decides to post? What on earth is wrong with expressing frustration, exasperation and anger?

Telling him/her to fuck off may have been childish, but it was, actually, a spontaneous outburst on my part.

And I'm not going anywhere. But I hope bigots like highstreet3 will disappear.

Then my life as a parent might be made easier.

WE SHALL OVERCOMMMMEEEE

LALALALALALALALALA

Biwi - I Completely understand, I know a parents natural instinct is to protect her child - ( believe me, I have my own personal 'struggles' with this issue - far too personal to ever go into on MN ) I just think there should be respect and understanding for people who have a religious take on life - the vast majority of religious people are not vile bigots worthy of nothing more than abusive contempt, they are kind and loving people - would you really tell Mrs Johns, a devout Christian in her 60's, to 'fuck off' ? - a woman who has helped many needy children in the past. Could you be a foster carer? Because I couldnt - don't you think she's worthy of some respect?

And fwiw - the biggest homophobes ( in my experience) tend to be non religious.

She might be. Her views aren't.

No - I wouldn't tell her to fuck off. Why would I? My 'request' was to a particular poster! What on earth makes you think I don't think Mrs Johns is worthy of respect?

And I have never made any derogatory comments about those with religious views, either on this thread or anywhere else, because I respect people's rights to hold whatever religious beliefs they want to.

I still think it was wrong to stop these people fostering. Its highly unlikely the subject would come up with 5-8 yr olds and besides, they've fostered 20 kids in the past without a problem.

How many gay people had parents that thought it was 'an abomination' ?....probably the majority.

A caring loving home must be better than the state care system.

Hullygully - do you know how many homosexuals there are who grew up in a religious environment? - Millions.

Having a parent - or foster parent, who doesn't sing the praises of homosexuality is not going to stop anyone - it might make life a little harder, but being excepted by society in general is more important.

Children almost expect to disappoint their parents, and it's not always their 'approval' they are seeking - ( who at 14 wants to be doing things their parent would approve of? )

Friends, School, work, neighbours, all these areas have people with 'views' - And these areas can have as much, if not more, impact on a child/adults life. There seems to be an assumption that the Johns would have totally destroyed ( a potential ) homosexuals life. I totally disagree with that.

Interesting Xpost

Yes, but 'support' isn't an open cheque. If your values mean you disagree then you have every right to say why you disagree or why you can't support them on that particular issue. Integrity is a valuable lesson for children to learn from their parents.

This is a very long thread! So, I'm sorry if someone else has pointed this out already...
Mr and Mrs Johns look as if they would be a lovely fostermum and dad.

So, why can't they be accepted as fosterparents to young children (?under eights?) only. Or babies, or toddlers?

They're entitled to their views. And if they were fostering little kids, discussions about sexuality would not arise. They just wouldn't.

So there should be no reason to reject the Johns, reject their home and reject their willingness to give love and care to a child who craves it.

Seems like a waste to me.

spot on dotnet, spot on.

Selectively giving love and care is not in the best interests of any child, dotnet.

Discussions of sexuality don't fit into nice neat boxes that ensure uncomfortable conversations only happen once the child is a certain age.

A couple I know have primary school aged children.
The parents are getting divorced because the wife met a woman she is now in a relationship with.

It is a difficult situation and I can easily imagine how the children could end up in a temporary foster home as their father is struggling and mother has moved away from the area.

The children have both spoken to me about their mother and where/who she is now living with. In a foster placement, I would expect them to be similarly trusting and open. The idea that the foster carer would feel it was OK to condemn the mother is horrible. The children have enough to cope with, without having to deal with the prejudice of an adult who is supposed to be supporting them.

LG - I said it might make life a little harder - but not impossible.

And anyway - how do you know how Mr & Mrs Johns would have reacted? - they may well have been very supportive of their gay teenager.

We'll never know will we .
Just because you haven't swallowed the Communist Manifesto doesn't mean you can't support homosexuality - should it present it's self to you.

Strong religious beliefs, and supporting your homosexual child are not mutually exclusive.

Leningrad, are you deliberately being obtuse ?. If I had a gay son and the whole gay thing was unacceptable to me then of course I would still love my son and support my son in every way I could, but I would not encourage it by letting his partner sleep here with him under my roof.

If that makes me a bad parent then tough.