[Shoshana]

I disagree with this statement:

" A homestudy may show that you are a good family this year, but being an active Christian/religious person insinuates that you will uphold that standard for more than a home examination. You are accountable to each other as bretheren, and ultimately, God. Granted, this doesn't hold true all of the time... but the liklihood of finding parents with such standards is better in a Christian/religious home. "

It is this idea that has likely caused May4u2nvme to have a Christian agency tell her that being Catholic isn't Christian. The underlying assumption there is that "Christians" are better.

I also disagree that people who are not Christian are less able to "uphold" standards -- or to follow through on those "standards" after a homestudy (?). There are plenty of moral, ethical, loving people in this world who are not Christians. It troubles me to hear any person imply or state that one religious group is better able to parent than others -- including those who do not adhere to an organized religion. In my experience, Jews are some of the most religious and ethical people I know. That doesn't allow me to state (and I would never even consider stating) that they are any better or more capable than Christians.

Of course, a religious birth mother has every right to find a adoptive family who shares her beliefs. I believe it is a different scenario when we are talking orphaned children, however.