Child Protective Services Mistreats Children in Texas
Thankfully, the Texas Supreme Court has crawled out of its Dark Ages hole for a moment to decide that ripping children away from their loving parents may not be a great idea. For a brief moment, the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is seeing a brief ray of hope that America may actually, occasionally, value freedom of religion.
Now even Child Protective Services (motto: "We can take children away from anybody") has agreed to actually follow the law for once, and are giving the children back. There's nothing in the agreement that says fathers have to stay away, although the parents are required to take parenting classes (which we think every high schooler should take). But, perhaps worst of all, they have to stay in Texas.
This whole case raises several issues. First, why is polygamy illegal? It's supported in Christian, Jewish and Islamic tradition (try actually reading the Bible and Torah and the Qur’an). And why do the headlines continually speak of the "polygamist group?" That's one part of their belief system, not the defining part. Why don't we called Baptists the "monogamist group?"
Second, why do we insist people aren't adults until they turn 18? Is there some adulthood fairy who magically transforms them at midnight? Consider that Muhammad, father of Islam, had a 12-year-old wife, and Joseph, who early Christian writers said was about 60, married Mary when she was somewhere between 12 and 16. Nowhere does Christian or Jewish scripture specify an age for adulthood or a minimum age for marriage.
People are also upset by arranged marriages. This was the standard in Christian, Jewish, Islamic and many Eastern traditions for millennia. The marriage success rate was generally very high, with families getting together who had similar religious and economic backgrounds.
Am I saying I personally agree with everything this church teaches and practices? Am I ready to join? No. Even though, had all the restrictions that CPS and the American Government want to apply been followed several years ago, I would never have been born. Of course, that would have made some of you very happy.
What I am asking is this: Where does America get off persecuting people for practicing their religion and loving each other?
See story at http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080530/ap_on_re_us/polygamist_retreat
Comments
They should not return those children! Children should be raised to believe in God, not some Godless religion. Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation.
Marriage means one man one woman. Adam and Eve were married by God in the Garden of Eden. If God wanted people to have more than one wife there would have been more than one Eve.
Posted by: Christian Andy | June 1, 2008 01:40 PM
This Texas story is another reason I like California.
Posted by: California Girl | June 3, 2008 10:51 PM
Ah, Christian Andy, the old Adam and Eve argument. Adam and Eve were the first people, therefore we should follow their example (at least before that "apple-eating" incident).
As it happens, the Biblical book of Genesis also says that Adam and Even were nudists and vegetarians. If you're advocating nudist vegetarianism, then I'll have good reason to seriously consider your argument.
Posted by: Reverend Loveshade | June 3, 2008 10:55 PM
I agree with this, but don't be surprised if you get flamed here by some of the principiadiscordia.com folks. I see some of them flamed you there already. But don't think they speak for us all. We might want to think Discordians are all open-minded and enlightened, but some of them are closed minded bigots just like you'd find anywhere else.
Posted by: Discordia Who? | June 6, 2008 07:28 AM
Stay way from PD.com, xxxxxx! We don't the xxxx want you here! We All Hate You! If you come back we'll burn you alive, xxxxxx xxxxxx!
(Sorry for our little edits. Please see our policy on posting at http://loveshade.org/blog/2006/08/how_to_post_on_our_site.html . Share the love.)
Posted by: Angry Discordian | June 9, 2008 03:50 AM
The government wants to fun our lives. What makes them more qualified to do it than we are?
Live as you will, love as you will.
(Thanks for your comment. We assume you meant to type "run our lives." We wish the government would fun our lives; we like that. But don't feel bad about making a mistake; nobody's perfect, except for Reverend Loveshade, of course. At least in es own mind.)
Posted by: Lauire G | June 9, 2008 05:59 PM
So everybody at PD.com hates us? Don't be silly. So u even know us?
Posted by: Lorien Loveshade | June 10, 2008 02:58 AM
There isn't only one religion that teaches love! Im Wiccan but that doesn't mean I believe Wicca is the only way. Theres many different paths even in Wicca!
If they love each other, we should leave them alone. Don't make laws against love!
Posted by: Lorien Loveshade | June 10, 2008 02:59 AM
They let you have more than one wife? Where do I sign up?
Posted by: Big Bad Bob | June 12, 2008 07:18 AM
What's the government for if not to ruin everything?
Posted by: Pope Maneater | June 13, 2008 04:13 AM
Sign up to be a Discordian, Big! All the women you can drink. Guaranteed!
Posted by: Pope Maneater | June 13, 2008 04:14 AM
What about women having more than one husband? And wives if they want them.
Posted by: TawTew the Naturally Perfumed | June 14, 2008 04:03 PM
Rev. Loveshade Adam and Eve were naked because they were the only people in the Garden of Eden! They didn't have to wear clothes because no one else could see them. I don't know where you got they're vegetarians it doesn't say that in the Bible!
Posted by: Christian Andy | June 18, 2008 03:21 PM
Christian Andy Adam and Eve were given clothes by God when they were the only two people! Nakedness wasn't a sin. But when they sinned they had to be covered by blood sacrifice that's why fig leaves didn't do it they were covered with animal skins. There is no forgiveness of sin without the shedding of blood. If Christians are forgiven of their sins which they are, then Christians don't have to wear clothes. Follow your argument through! :-)
Posted by: Tonya Who's Christian | June 19, 2008 09:11 PM
I saw my daughter naked. Will that get CPS after me?
Posted by: Georgie | June 25, 2008 06:38 PM
Georgie, probably.
Posted by: Dr. Bigg Ass | July 5, 2008 07:11 PM
Don't you know the Government is there to Help You? Whether you like it or not? They were put there by God in his wisdom. That's why your Government is completely perfect!
Posted by: Matt the Phatt | July 7, 2008 09:14 PM
CPS is there for the good of CPS. If they accidentally help children now and then, that's OK. But it's not really very important.
Posted by: Gargle | August 18, 2008 04:16 AM
I think you're being too hard on CPS. They're trying to protect children, and they're trying to do their best. They're going to screw up sometimes. Forgive and forget.
Posted by: Kitty Balsa | August 21, 2008 10:03 AM
Kitty how do you forgive and forget when they destroy parents' lives? Oh, we ripped your home to pieces and destroyed your reputation. Have a good day.
They need competent people! If they aren't competent get rid of them!
Posted by: Heartless Government Hater | August 23, 2008 08:46 AM
It's all just another government bureaucracy wasting taxpayers dollars. Get rid of CPS. If peeps looked out for each other we wouldn't need it. Anybody remember it takes a village to raise a child?
Posted by: Whitney West | August 23, 2008 08:05 PM
Christian Andy you make us Christians look stupid. We aren't all stupid, honest!
Posted by: Ron Jones | August 24, 2008 09:32 PM