Is it OK to lie about how religious you truly are........?

Question

if it will increase your odds at being qualified to adopt or foster a child? What do the agencies and social service want to hear?

Answer 1

No it's not okay to lie. The expectant mom may be basing her decision in large part on this issue, and she should only be given true facts.

Answer 2

It's not ok to lie about anything, period.  It's unfortunate that there are those caseworkers who are prejudiced, though.  Just because you're not [Christian, Catholic, Mormon, etc.], that doesn't mean you can't provide for all of a child's needs, emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual.  In a perfect world, I think kids would get to decide what spirituality calls to THEM.

Answer 3

The general rule of thumb is not to lie.

Your religious beliefs rarely play that large of a role in the adoption process.  Its not like only Christians get to adopt, or only devout Catholics get to adopt.  Some biological mothers may request that their child goes to a certain religious home, but generally its just not a factor.  Just be yourself.  As long as you aren't sacrificing chickens in your basement, you should be fine.

Answer 4

Independent,

Is it ever ok to lie?!

ESPECIALLY in adoption?!

(You ask such good questions!!)

Answer 5

I just wouldn't lie.

It depends on your area here, at least in england.

Some look favourably on religion, some don't, most don't care as long as you're not a looney.

So don't lie. Period. About anything.

If they don't know who you are, they can't match you up properly can they.

Answer 6

Heh, that's funny.  When my closest friend Alanna gave her child up for adoption, she chose an agency that allowed her to pick out the family who would get her child... Ironically, intentionally chose a family that WASN'T super religious over a bunch that were just because she thought it would be a better and more open minded environment.

Answer 7

I have found a few places that wanted me to tone down the part of my adoption profile about our religion. One of our agencies said most birthmoms are not very religious and many don't want families that are "too into" their religion. Sorry, I'm a Christian, I teach in the childrens program. I don't hold signs at rallys that say "God hates g**s" but I do love Jesus. I didn't change one word of it.

On the other hand, there are some Christian agencies out there that want a certified letter from your pastor that says you are a member there. We had to do this for another of our agencies (Bundle of Hope). It depends on where you go and the agencies philosophy. I certainly wouldn't lie though.

Answer 8

Be honest with your answers.

Answer 9

They removed our adoptive child from a strict Baptist foster family and placed him with us...who call ourselves Unitarian Universalists (extremely liberal) but who rarely attend services. I think you need to be honest and I think that the only reason it matters is in what they are look for for the child. If the child is a little older and already has a belief system, it would/may be important for him to continue with that belief...many children in foster care are not available for adoption initially....so, as everyone else has mentioned, their parents may wish that they attend a certain type of service/belief. ..it didn't seem to matter much to CPS at all....in a very small southern town.....that we didn't go to church and don't believe what 90% of everyone around us believes.

Answer 10

Lying about religion...

(scratching head)

I mean what's the point?!

Answer 11

Are you over or understating it? I think you should just tell the truth so they can match you up more suitably to a child. Some parents may not want their kids going to a freaky over the top religious family, I know I wouldnt, even my in-laws are too catholic for me

Answer 12

NO. why would you lie to the people who are helping you get the life you have dreamed of?

NO

Answer 13

I am not sure where you live, but generally religion isn't a part of the adoption process.

Answer 14

I don't think it should matter. Someone who is very religious is not going to make a better parent than someone who isn't religious. Unless if the biological mother said to place child w/ a religious family.

Answer 15

They want to hear how you really are. If you say you go to church, they'll ask you where? and then they'll check up on you. Really. You live in a fishbowl when you do foster care/foster-adopt.

Answer 16

i dont understnad how your religious beleifs would have anything to do with whether you can adopt a child or not. If a woman is giving up her baby for adoption and wants it to be raised in a specific religious home, she can ask for families with the same beiefes, otherwise i dont think it matters

Answer 17

No, it's not ok.  Lying about ANYTHING to increase the chance of adopting is absolutely wrong and anyone who would consider this is a very poor prospect to be a parent.

Answer 18

If the adoption agency you are going through is religious based, of course they want to hear that you are a member of a church of their order be it LDS, Catholic or Lutheran.  Yes, it increases the chances that a child will be placed with you. Heck, the primary reason why these groups are even involved in adoption is to increase their ranks.  After all, they all support having huge families and if you can't have children, what will happen? They will lose your financial support eventually.

If you are going through a general agency, I don't think it has any real bearing and I don't think they can even ask about your religious affiliations.