The Left Is Waging War Against Faith-Based Adoption Agencies, and Children Are Losing
I’m a lawyer. I confess that math was never my strong suit, and I figured that law school would keep me safe from it.
I did, however, pick up on some of the more basic concepts — like greater than or less than, and more versus less.
Surely, we can all agree on the basic math supporting the following statements:
For the more than 100,000 children waiting to be adopted in America, more adoption agencies to help with placing them means a greater opportunity to find a forever home.
For the countless moms wrestling over whether to place their child up for adoption, more adoption agencies to choose from means greater opportunities to find one that will walk with her compassionately through that difficult decision, stick with her afterward, and align with her values, beliefs, and hopes for her child.
For the children who are most difficult to place — the severely abused, older children, and those with special needs—more adoption agencies to help place them means a greater opportunity to find a family.
Sadly, many on the far left don’t seem to agree with this basic math — or worse, if they do, they don’t seem to care. One of their latest strategies is an attempt to shut down faith-based adoption agencies. The result is indeed a dangerous numbers game, but the victims ultimately will be the 100,000 children waiting to be adopted and the birth moms looking for a placement agency to meet their needs.
The left is targeting faith-based adoption agencies because they — no surprise — tend to operate their adoption ministries according to their faith. In fact, it is usually their faith that inspires them to serve children and moms in need, and to work for a private, faith-based agency, usually earning less than their state-employed counterparts, in the first place.
Faith-based agencies typically place children in homes where their faith teaches them that children will best thrive — homes with a married mother and father.
Moms usually select faith-based agencies to work with because they want their child placed in a home that aligns with their faith, or because the agency was the one that took the time to really listen and walk with them through a difficult time.
The left believes these agencies shouldn’t be permitted to operate according to their faith. Instead, they should place children with same-sex couples or even transgender individuals — regardless of what may be best for the child, the birth mother’s wishes, or the agency’s religious beliefs.
So, they are attempting to pass laws or regulations in the states that would force faith-based agencies to shut down or else violate their faith.
Several states have already worked to pass laws specifically protecting faith-based adoption agencies, including Alabama, Michigan, South Dakota and Texas. Georgia and Kansas are considering similar bills this year.
One bill, the Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act, has even been introduced at the federal level by Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., and Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., to protect faith-based agencies.
The Family Policy Alliance will continue to work toward each state protecting its faith-based adoption providers, and we hope you will join us.
With more than 100,000 children waiting to be adopted in America, each state averages 2,000 children waiting for a forever family.
If the left succeeds in its latest tactic, the results will be simple math:
Even more children on the waiting list to find forever homes.
Far fewer opportunities for birth moms to find an agency that will meet her needs.
Far fewer opportunities for difficult-to-place children to find families, especially since faith-based agencies often specialize in placing these children.
If the left succeeds in shutting down faith-based adoption centers, the reality is that men and women who have a heart for serving these children and moms in need will find another way to do so through their church or community.
In an attempt to “punish” faith-based providers for their beliefs, the left will ultimately end up punishing the many children and birth moms in need—in your state, and every state.
It’s a numbers game, but it literally comes at the cost of the orphans we’ve been tasked with caring for as believers.
Autumn Leva is vice president of strategy for the Family Policy Alliance.
A version of this Op-Ed appeared on The Daily Signal website under the headline “In the War Against Faith-Based Adoption Agencies, Children Lose.”
Originally published by the Family Policy Alliance.
The views expressed in this opinion article are those of their author and are not necessarily either shared or endorsed by the owners of this website. If you are interested in contributing an Op-Ed to The Western Journal, you can learn about our submission guidelines and process here.
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