Biden Questions Safety of Christian Foster Parents?

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has joined 18 other state attorneys general in opposition to a proposed rule that would disqualify Christians from becoming foster parents if they did not affirm LGBTQ lifestyles.

The is Discrimination

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) proposed the discriminatory rule called the “Safe and Appropriate Foster Care Placement Requirements for Titles IV-E and IV-B” on September 28th of 2023.

“Those who do not ‘affirm’ the LGBTQ rules because of their Christian faith will be deemed ‘unsafe’ by the Biden administration and ultimately rejected as foster parent candidates,” the American Family Association stated regarding the issue.

As a result, AG Paxton joined 18 other AG’s in opposition to the proposed rule from Biden’s HHS.

The letter AG Paxton joined with his signature reads, “This proposed rule seeks to accomplish indirectly what the Supreme Court found unconstitutional just two years ago: remove faith-based providers from the foster care system if they will not conform their religious beliefs on sexual orientation and gender identity.”

The letter outlines several issues with the proposed rule, one of great significance is how the rule vilified faith based organizations and individuals who are a critical part of the foster care system.

Real World Example

A recent example of the discrimination that President Biden wants to push throughout the nation has already occurred on the State level with Jessica Bates, a Christian who desires to fulfill the call to care for orphans in Psalm 82:3 and James 1:27. Unfortunately for Jessica and the children she could be caring for, Oregon requires families seeking adoption or foster care to agree to the state’s radical gender ideology and “respect, accept, and support” the sexual orientation and/or gender identity of any child that could be placed in their home.

This policy blatantly excludes families who believe in scientifically proven biology, that males cannot become females and that females cannot become males.

Though Jessica was ruled against by a federal district court in December of 2023, attorneys at Alliance Defending Freedom have appealed her case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.

Thankfully, the letter AG Paxton signed states that, “The proposed [HHS] rule infringes on the freedom of religion and the freedom of speech, fundamental rights preserved by the First Amendment… [and that] The Supreme Court has repeatedly rejected attempts by the government to exclude foster care providers based on religious beliefs or to mandate speech on private actors.”

In addition to Paxton, the letter was signed by the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Perspective

Policies aren’t just words on paper, they have real-world impacts on our faith and our freedom. And even more impactful than policies that are written by men are the calls to action God given us while we are here on earth.

James 1:27 says, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”

As Christians, we are called to care for orphans, and today, Christians in the United States are more than twice as likely to adopt than the general population! We can’t help but ask ourselves, who would fill the gap if faith-based groups and individuals were barred from loving and providing for children in need? Who is the system really seeking to serve if political ideology comes before children?

America’s Constitution is clearly on the side of religious freedom as demonstrated in the Supreme Court case above. Challenging policies which undermine our faith and freedoms is not only necessary for the health of our nation today but for the sake of the generations of Americans to come.

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