Adoption...Is it for Christians?

MinisterAmos

I was taking a stab at writing a WT style headline, so pardon the rhetoric.

Anyway, the wife's sister has been a full-on JW and a Pioneer since high-school. Her husband is 6-7 years younger than she is. he was tapped at 25 or so Y/O to be an Elder, and is a frighteningly serious JW.

(Side Note: My wife brought my daughter to stay with them for a few days, and her DF'ed brother decided to bring his family to visit as well. Somehow they all wound up around a dinner table in the Sister's house and it came time for the prayer. Awkward? According to my wife my six Y/O daughter clapsed her hands, waited and waited and finally demanded to know why her Uncle Elder was not praying.

Moment of truth...

Since the JWs refused to pray with a DF'ed brother, my child decided to lead the prayer. The moral of this anecdote is well founded in Biblical wisdom:

Luke 18:16
But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.)

Anyway the point of this post is that ever since they married, my wife's sister and her husband have told us that they are (you know what's coming) "waiting for the New System" before they have children. The Society has used their influence to keep any number of couple in the field and working for free using the "Better to wait, it would not be fair to put a child through the Big A". Anyway, my wife's sister recently had a medical procedure that made it impossible for her to have children. They are now talking about adoption. We all know that there is ZERO chance that any concientious Government would approve adoption to a JW couple based on their blood beliefs. However, my question is, has the SOCIETY ever expressed an opinion on JWs adopting? I can't find any words of wisdom on the subject.

Amos

PSacramento

Adoption is in many ways the highest example of Christian love, it is the embodiement of Mattew 25:

34 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ 40 And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, g you did it to me.’

MinisterAmos

But what "wisdom" does the Society offer?

PSacramento

Did you just use "wisdom" and "society" in the same sentance?

*tsk,tsk*

Ninjas have been sent to shave your pubes and tattoo "property of the WTBTS" on your buttocks.

MinisterAmos

For free? i usually have to pay big-bucks for that!

cult classic

I know quite a few Witness families that have adopted without any problems from adoption agencies. There was a magazine that highlighted the subject, although I can't recall the month/yr. Someone will probably post it soon. If I remember correctly, WT is quite supportive of adoptive families.

MinisterAmos

Ummm CC are you SURE about that? How can a Government agency sign off on letting a JW couple have a baby knowing that they will refuse any life saving transfusions?

Even the Humane Society makes inquiries, and requires potential adoptees to agree to certain conditions before letting people adopt a friggin' puppy!

dissed

Hey there Minister Amos,

We adopted as JW's and yes, there is some concern from the government officials, but they can not discriminate over religion, etc...Knowing what I know now, I would not want to place a child in a JW home.

Most of the concern we saw was over cultural differences. A white family having a black child or a Native American child being placed in a non-Native American home.

dissed

As to the WT's view?

The WT didn't really committ for or against, always saying it was the parents decision. But........

Many in the congregations would talk in a disparaging way about us making such a poor decision in wanting to adopt when we are so close to the new order. (I was a Pioneering Elder at the time and taught at the Pioneer School) We adopted our girl in 1991, we are now in our 50's.

If we followed the mature reasoning of that day, we would not have had a lovely daughter to share our lives with.

But it was that talk that lead to our leaving the WT. The talk became so bad that few in our KH would accept her, to the point of treating this 1-2 year old poorly. And these were the Elders, Pioneers, the supposed strong ones. An Elder even used the scripture with me, that in Israel, a bastard child was not to be accepted. (He is now a CO)

Bringing it up with our then current CO, and how discouraged we were, he acknowledged the talk was true, but we should not hold it against them, as they meant well. Ugh!

In the end, all went well, as this episode opened our eyes to the fallacy that this is God's loving organization. We raised our daughter out of it and she is a very nice young lady who is starting college soon.

I asked her recently if she had any recollection of the KH? She said very little, but that the meetings were very boring and people were so mean to her.

cult classic

Yep I do remember a few articles highlighting adoption. And here again, I know several witness families who have adopted with no problem from the agencies.

Adoption...Is it for Christians?

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