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The Catholic Church blackmails the government on gay rights

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Why not, if they feel it's in the best interests of the children they are placing. At the end of the day that is what matters. Make rules for the local authority agencies by all means, but then let the 'specialist' agencies do their thing.

    What if an agency then feels its not in the best interests of the children to place them with a black couple? Is that OK?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Blagsta wrote: »
    If its OK to discriminate on grounds of sexuality, is it then also OK to discriminate on grounds of race?

    Doesn't that happen already then, aren't Caucasian parents prevented from adopting children with BEM backgrounds in some places?
    I am of White British origins. Can I adopt a black or mixed parentage child?
    We do our best to match black children with black parents and white children with white parents as this best meets the children's needs.]
    Here
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    To you maybe, to others no.

    Rubbish. People change religions all the time. Its a choice.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Doesn't that happen already then, aren't Caucasian parents prevented from adopting children with BEM backgrounds in some places?

    Dunno tbh.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Blagsta wrote: »
    Well religion is less important. Religion is a choice, a belief system. Sexuality isn't.

    Sexuality is a choice though. You are not born and raised knowing that you are going to be a homosexual. You make an active decision to be homosexual.
    Everything apart from who your Family are and the genetic make-up of you is a choice.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Blagsta wrote: »
    Dunno tbh.

    Sorry, see edit.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ghost18 wrote: »
    Sexuality is a choice though. You are not born and raised knowing that you are going to be a homosexual. You make an active decision to be homosexual.

    Not true. Most gay people say that they knew they were gay from a very young age, before puberty.
    Ghost18 wrote: »
    Everything apart from who your Family are and the genetic make-up of you is a choice.

    Again, not true. I didn't get to choose what my name was, where I went to school, where I lived when I was a child, my parent's jobs etc.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ghost18 wrote: »
    Sexuality is a choice though. You are not born and raised knowing that you are going to be a homosexual. You make an active decision to be homosexual.


    Can we not get into that discussion in this thread.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Doesn't that happen already then, aren't Caucasian parents prevented from adopting children with BEM backgrounds in some places?


    Here


    That's different though isn't it? Its not refusing someone point blank.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Blagsta wrote: »
    Rubbish. People change religions all the time. Its a choice.

    People with strong religious beliefs don't.

    Plenty of people change their sexuality all the time, but I wouldn't for a moment try to say that that means that everyone choses their sexuality. It deveops as part of them, as religion does for some.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Blagsta wrote: »
    Not true. Most gay people say that they knew they were gay from a very young age, before puberty.

    Again, not true. I didn't get to choose what my name was, where I went to school, where I lived when I was a child, my parent's jobs etc.

    No but your family made that choice. So it was still choice, was it not?

    Yes, they may have known they were gay from a young but they still made an active decision to come out of the closet. You can not say that this is not true as ask any homosexual and they will honestly tell you that they made that choice.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Blagsta wrote: »
    That's different though isn't it? Its not refusing someone point blank.


    How is it different? Homosexual couples aren't refused point blank, they are just not accepted by a few agencies, and are then given advice on how to persue things with a more suitable agency.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Blagsta wrote: »
    That's different though isn't it? Its not refusing someone point blank.

    They do refuse pretty much point blank on the grounds of the colour of skin and ethnicity. Unfortunately the entire world is still riddled with racism but most just mask over it with false comments and reasons.
    When they say "We have deemed you unsuitable to adopt this child" it isn't because you weren't unsuitable for any other reason other than the colour of the childs skin in comparison to yours.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    People with strong religious beliefs don't.

    Yes, they do sometimes actually.
    Plenty of people change their sexuality all the time, but I wouldn't for a moment try to say that that means that everyone choses their sexuality. It deveops as part of them, as religion does for some.

    People do not change their sexuality, don't be absurd. People experiment, yes. People grow and mature, yes. However gay people do not suddenly become straight.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Blagsta wrote: »
    That's different though isn't it? Its not refusing someone point blank.

    Suggesting that someone is unsuitable on the basis of their skin colour is acceptable then, is it?

    Like you said, how is that different from suggesting that they aren't suitable based on their sexuality.

    We're not talking about same sex adoptions being outlawed here, rather the opposite. Should a Catholic parent giving their child up for adoption be prevented from wanting their child brought up with their belief system?

    Liek I said, I personally don't agree with the stance of the Catholic Church, but I don't believe that my morals should be forced on them when there is a "market" for this kind of adoption.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ghost18 wrote: »
    No but your family made that choice. So it was still choice, was it not?

    It was not a choice I made. Oh and if you think everyone has a choice in their job or where they live, you've got a lot to learn about life.
    Ghost18 wrote: »
    Yes, they may have known they were gay from a young but they still made an active decision to come out of the closet.

    Which is a very different thing from what you originally said.
    Ghost18 wrote: »
    You can not say that this is not true as ask any homosexual and they will honestly tell you that they made that choice.

    Errrr...I've asked a few. They all say that it wasn't a choice. Any more than I chose to be straight.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    How is it different? Homosexual couples aren't refused point blank, they are just not accepted by a few agencies, and are then given advice on how to persue things with a more suitable agency.

    They are refused point blank by that agency.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    The Catholic Church isn't "blackmailing" anyone. The Catholic Church actively protects those who are the most vulnerable (whilst only 4% of adoptive children are in Catholic care homes, Catholic homes care for over a third of those who are classed as "hard to place"). The Catholic Church does this without any state funding or help. The Catholic Church is simply stating that if the state- who gives it no help- force this change on them, then they will stop helping the state. I fail to see the issue with that.

    I don't see why the Government should force something on the Church which the Church finds abhorrent, and then expect the Church to plod along as though nothing as changed. If the Government thinks this shitty law is more important than the children in Catholic care then so be it- but they can pick up the pieces when the Catholic Church quite rightly tells them to go and get knotted.

    Of course its much easier to blame the "evil" Catholic Church than cast the blame where it's really due- at an interfering Government that wants to get something for nothing from the Catholic Church whilst simultaneously stabbing them in the back.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It was their choice to do something about it, which is where the stance of the Catholic Church comes in.

    You evidently have no respect for how significant religion can be in some peoples lives, and until you do you won't appreciate this debate.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ghost18 wrote: »
    They do refuse pretty much point blank on the grounds of the colour of skin and ethnicity. Unfortunately the entire world is still riddled with racism but most just mask over it with false comments and reasons.
    When they say "We have deemed you unsuitable to adopt this child" it isn't because you weren't unsuitable for any other reason other than the colour of the childs skin in comparison to yours.

    If an agency point black refuses to deal with someone based purely on the colour of their skin, then that is against race discrimination laws. Refusing to place a particular child is not, as long as they agree to still deal with you. Regardless of what I feel about it...and I have mixed feelings tbh.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Well said Kermit. I agree entirely. and I'm still trying to believe I just said that.

    The Catholic Church aren't blackmailing anyone, they are stating a fact. If they are prevented from doing something within their priciples then they will stop doing it.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Suggesting that someone is unsuitable on the basis of their skin colour is acceptable then, is it?

    No, I haven't said that. Refusing to place a particular child based on the fact that they may be more suitable with a couple from the same cultural background is not the same as point blank refusal...regardless of what I think about it (and as I already said, I have mixed feelings on the issue).
    Like you said, how is that different from suggesting that they aren't suitable based on their sexuality.

    See above.
    We're not talking about same sex adoptions being outlawed here, rather the opposite. Should a Catholic parent giving their child up for adoption be prevented from wanting their child brought up with their belief system?

    If you give up your child, do you have any say in the matter?
    Liek I said, I personally don't agree with the stance of the Catholic Church, but I don't believe that my morals should be forced on them when there is a "market" for this kind of adoption.

    You still haven't said why religion deserves special treatment? Could another agency get special dispensation based on politics for example
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It was their choice to do something about it, which is where the stance of the Catholic Church comes in.

    You evidently have no respect for how significant religion can be in some peoples lives, and until you do you won't appreciate this debate.

    I have understanding about how religion is important to some people, yes. Do I have respect? Not sure tbh.

    Why should religion have special treatment above, politics, say? If I was running an adoption agency, could I refuse to deal with tories, say?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Blagsta wrote: »
    If you give up your child, do you have any say in the matter?

    Why shouldn't you? Just because you cannot manage, for whatever reason, then why shouldn't you want what you think is best for you child? Especially considering that giving the child up for adoption in the first place may be based on doing what you think is best for your child?

    You have said that placing a particular child can be relevant, so why can't the Catholic Church say that it's adoption policy covers all such children?
    You still haven't said why religion deserves special treatment? Could another agency get special dispensation based on politics for example

    Why not?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Why shouldn't you? Just because you cannot manage, for whatever reason, then why shouldn't you want what you think is best for you child? Especially considering that giving the child up for adoption in the first place may be based on doing what you think is best for your child?

    I don't know, I was asking a question.
    You have said that placing a particular child can be relevant, so why can't the Catholic Church say that it's adoption policy covers all such children?

    I'm not sure I get what you mean here.
    Why not?

    Well, if we could stop tories adopting, that might be an idea. :D
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Local Authorities have to deal with anyone, make their best effort to arrange adoption for all children that need it and consider all applicants.

    Other agencies should have the choice of dealing with what they are good at.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Blagsta wrote: »
    I'm not sure I get what you mean here.

    You say that a particular child's interests should be taken into consideration and that BEM children can be deemed unsuitable for adoption by white parents.

    My question is that if an agency - in this case the Catholic Church - believes that the children under it's care all consitute "particular needs" then why can't it apply a blanket ban?

    If unsuitability can be applied for one child under their care then why not all?
    Well, if we could stop tories adopting, that might be an idea. :D

    TBH I'd vote for sterilisation. Why punish the child? ;)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Blagsta wrote: »
    Well, if we could stop tories adopting, that might be an idea. :D

    That's the best thing I've heard you say all through this debate:) .
    Would you let a known NF member adopt a child?
    Before you say that the National Front isn't a political party let me inform you that the NF won 5 seats in the houses of Parliament in the 1977 general elections.
    The only reason they don't still run properly is that the BNP gained more support than them so the BNP took over the far right instead.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It's a toughie.

    If you start passing laws that make actively being a bigot illegal, then of course you're going to be at logger-heads with religious institutions; being bigoted is a large part of what they do.

    Still, I think it comes down to a question of what's best for the kids. I don't really see how closing down adoptive care centres is a particularly Christian thing to do, but if the Catholic Church is going to throw its toys out of the pram, then they really have the government bent over a barrel.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I think it is a bit harsj to accuse to the Catholic Church of throwing its toys out of the pram. The adoption agencies linked to it aim to place children within homes that support their ethos and that they see as suitable for the children they are trying to help.

    If the government decides to stop them doing that then it stands to reason that they will stop doing it.

    You run an animal rehoming centre, the government says you can no longer chose the people you think are suitable to rehome animals as defined by your standards. You'd probably stop doing it, rather than place the animals with people you think are unsuitable.
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