Christianity continues to be under attack in this country. Extreme leftist states like California refuse to allow practicing Christians to be foster parents unless they are willing to violate the tenets of their faith. A Maine judge has taken this to a new level.
Child custody cases are often fraught with trying and unusual behaviors and demands. A recent custody order from a judge in Maine has taken bigotry against Christians to a new level.
The fight is between two people, Emily Bickford and Matt Bradeen, who never married but whose daughter Ava is now nearly a teen. And the coming decision by the Maine Supreme Court will determine if judges in that state can simply overturn the constitutional religious rights of parents.
Some background:
Emily has primary custody while the father has visitation tights. Emily is Christian and has worked to provide a foundation of faith for her daughter, something her non-custodial father opposes. He has been described as ‘hating’ Christianity. The father demanded that the court ban his daughter from attending a Christian church.
Bradeen engaged a leftist judge and then brought in a former Marxist sociology professor from California as a “witness.” The witness testified that Calvary Chapel in Portland (and any church that believes the Bible) is a “cult” that causes psychological harm to children.
The result was a court order that found that the mother “was a fit parent EXCEPT for the fact that she is a Christian.” Huh? Being a Christian now makes one an unfit parent? What’s next? Requiring all Christians to convert to Islam as supporters of the new NYC mayor are pushing.
Key items from the court order:
- Ava cannot associate with any of her church friends or any member of Calvary Chapel Portland.
- If Ava meets a new friend outside of Calvary and that person begins attending Calvary, Ava must cut ties with that friend.
Ava cannot attend ANY Christmas, Easter, or any other Christian event or celebration at ANY church, including any wedding, funeral, or even hospital visits with anyone associated with Calvary Chapel. - Ava cannot have any contact or participation with ANY religious organization (which would include Salvation Army or a food bank, homeless shelter, or crisis pregnancy center).
- Ava cannot read the Bible or religious literature or be exposed to any “religious philosophy.”
- Matt Bradeen is even using the court’s custody order to insist that Emily cannot read the Bible or teach Ava ANYTHING about the Christian faith!
The judge went even further chastising Emily for allowing the church pastor to pray for Ava.
The communists in this country know that Christianity is a threat to their potential control over the country. The judge in this court case is just another warrior on the Left looking to banish religion from the public square. This case it is even more intrusive by inserting the state into the religious formation practices of a fit parent.
Maine’s Supreme Court will issue a ruling in a few weeks.