Children of God?
Please forgive me if I'm wrong, but I'm going to assume that you're one of those people who don't give a hoot about same sex marriage.
I'm also going to assume, that whilst you don't mind two consenting adults getting married regardless of their gender, you draw the line at adoption.
In fact, chances are that you'd be ok with legalising same sex marriage but only if it didn't include the right to adopt children.
Well, I hate to break this to you like this, but...are you sitting down? Drum roll....
FLASH NEWS - both male and female Maltese homosexuals can LEGALLY adopt children.
Malta's Adoption Act permits adoption by married couples and single persons, and it does not in any way specify the sexual orientation of prospective adoptive parents.
The only thing that differentiates prospective straight parents from 'the' gays, is that the latter cannot adopt children as a couple, but only as single parents. This is because as far as Maltese law is concerned, gay relationships are a figment of everyone's imagination.
According to The Foundation for Social Welfare Services, all the applications for adoption received by Aġenzija Appoġġ are treated on an equal basis. This means that the Agency is bound to accept applications presented to it that are not specifically excluded by Law.
Having said that, there seems to be a huge gap between having a legal right to adopt, and that right being granted.
I know of quite a few lesbians who have successfully gone through Malta's adoption process as single parents, and they all heavily advise other prospective adoptive parents not to reveal their sexuality when applying for adoption.
The reason for this is that whilst the law does not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, the approval process involves so much subjective judgement, that revealing your sexual orientation to the assessors, is simply a risk not worth taking.
According to Aġenzija Appoġġ "the most important factor in adoption, is the couple's / person's willingness and ability to provide a loving, secure and stable environment for the child. The main focus is to ensure that the children's needs are met, and that they are offered a secure stable environment which ensures physical, psychological and emotional well-being. Throughout the approval process, it is ensured that the prospective couple or applicant can provide this environment for the child. This minimises the possibility that children, who would have already passed through the trauma of separation from their family, face another possible trauma. The aim of preparation and assessments also serves to help applicants understand the implications of adoption and reflect on their decision."
Whilst highly commendable, this sort of assessment can never be objective, and the assessors' personal values will always come into play.
What's more, couples are almost always prioritized over single applicants. Currently, for instance, only Malta and Russia are accepting adoptions by single Maltese prospective adoptive parents.
This means that realistically, single prospective parents end up waiting forever and a day for their turn to adopt a child, and one would assume that being openly gay, only puts them further down the priority list.
And... for the cherry on the cake?
Up to a few months ago, Ethiopia also used to accept adoptions by single Maltese parents, but now, the contact through which the Maltese are adopting in Ethiopia (the Church) has suddenly stopped accepting applicants from single people.
In simpler terms – Ethiopia's and Malta's Laws both allow adoptions by single parents, but the Church-run orphanage, through which the Maltese adopt from Ethiopia, has suddenly stopped accepting applications from single people.
Surely I need not speculate as to why this decision was taken by Malta's Church Authorities, but it can be safely assumed that it's not because Ethiopia has finally solved its poverty problems and that children are now thriving.
And then last week, during an homily at Ta' Pinu Sanctuary, Gozo Bishop Mario Grech preached that "adoption was an exemplary generous act." He also appealed to society to continue showing this hospitality, giving people considering abortion another option.
Of course, he failed to mention that single parents, especially 'the' gays, need not apply!
Popular Stories
In Discussion
39 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Charles Vincent Vella
Mar 4th, 17:16
I lean towards my upbringing in 1950s Malta strict Catholic. Many changes has taken place in the Catholic Church. The Church has always been against "Gay tendencies" any gay acts was always considered a mortal sin. I'm not a homophobic, then again I don't really care what anybody else's path they choose to take. We will all find out on "Judegement Day" Don't we ! God does not change the rules that he Himself set for us to follow. Think about that.
I've lived in North America for the past 50 years, and I have not changed or deviated from my Catholic upbringing. I stayed the course according to the Catholic Church.
Amante Reale
Feb 18th, 16:31
Oh dear. A voice of reason on this site?! I never thought I'd live to see the day.
ToM articles with a topic even remotely related to homosexuality are always chock full of homophobic comments... they makes me want to bang my head against the desk!
Mario Pace
Feb 18th, 19:00
"Oh dear. A voice of reason on this site?! "
Who you, a voice of reason?!! You who think you can use the term "homophobic" as an ad hominem argument?
Amante Reale
Feb 18th, 20:29
@Mario: If you're posting a comment regarding homosexuality, and you're homophobic, a reply on your homophobia does not make it an ad hominem argument. Get your facts straight first, then let me know.
Joe Xuereb
Feb 17th, 21:24
Alison, I thought this might interest you and anyone who follows your blog.
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-24035896-2100-women-seek-treatment-for-mutilation.do
@John Meli. Why are you so keen that I should follow the path that leads to your Kingdom of choice? Why exactly do you want this? Isnt your path there difficult enough without choosing to worry about it? Do you, perhaps, feel uneasy about embarking on the journey on your own? Or maybe you are unsure of your feelings about the whole thing and you want to drag people with you for solace?(as in the Maltese word 'wens' which describes what I want to say to a T). Why would I jeopardise my path (to nowhere as it happens) in favour of yours. When mine has proved most fruitful to me as a human being as opposed to that of supposedly religious people who no doubt mean well but their thinking does not stand up to scrutiny (what! what all that bigotry? all that holier-than-thou attitude. Oh they look and sound good alright but I do not want any of them anywhere near me. WE HAVE NOTHING TO SAY TO EACH OTHER. They make their choices. I make mine. Please leave me alone. No interested.
Simon Oosterman
Feb 17th, 13:59
It seems to me that the only consideration should be whether the children are better off in an Ethiopian orphanage or with a Maltese (homo or hetero) couple or single person. Obviously the clergy has decided that staying in the orphanage is preferable to being handed to Maltese single people. This is just another judgement I don't necessarily agree with.
Alison Bezzina
Feb 17th, 15:40
Actually Simon this is not the case, at least not with infants. The supply is so much lower than the demand for adoptable infants that none are left waiting in an orphanage for long. It's just that with this decision they will all go to married couples from Malta or other places in Europe.
It's a different story with older kids (older than 5 or 6 especially) however. These are not highly sought after as most people think it risky to adopt children this old. So yes, your statement stands true in this case. Shameful isn't it ?
Alison Bezzina
Feb 16th, 10:34
Seems like I'm not the only to get hot under the collar about this :
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120216/local/Maltese-run-orphanage-stops-adoption-for-singles.406962
Andy Farrugia
Feb 16th, 13:59
Did you bother to read the names of the usual suspects? Typical arch-provocateurs and spiteful hate-mongers!
Ms Maria Vella
Feb 14th, 13:29
Alison,
whilst I can totally see your point of view how can you expect the church to be in favour of gay couples adopting when it is against the whole homosexual thing
Mike Abbot
Feb 18th, 12:45
i don't think anybody expects the church to be in favour of it but it's just another example of how the church's point of view hurts people... in this case robbing defenceless children of a loving stable relationship. Sure, the church will argue that homosexual relationships are far from stable but pretty much every study will disagree with this. The problem is that church doesn't run it's affair based on reason or fact which is why more and more people are getting fed up with it's harmful dogma.
David Seychell
Feb 14th, 12:22
"Consensus now exists that pedophilia is a distinct sexual orientation, not something that develops in someone who is homosexual or heterosexual."
http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletters/Harvard_Mental_Health_Letter/2010/July/pessimism-about-pedophilia
So,Pedophilia is a sexual orientation, in the same way that homo/hetero sexuality is a sexual orientation. When it comes to who should be allowed to adopt children, we are therefore forced to make a choice: Either we let pedophiles adopt children or we discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation. It all boils down to that question.
For the time being this question makes theoretical sense but not practical sense. For the time being, the pedophile and the child offender are indistinguishable. In other words, we do not know whether a person is a pedophile or not unless this person is caught doing the crime. This leaves us the option to prohibit a pedophile from adopting children on the basis of its past criminal records instead of sexual orientation. But the time will come when pedophiles who never committed any wrongdoings, will finally find the courage to come out of the closet, and accept who they are. Words like Pedosexuality, Pedophobia and Pedopride would, one day, become commonplace. But they are unlikely to come out of the closet unless, first of all, we make specific hate-crime laws that offer them extra protection against crimes motivated on grounds of gender and sexual orientation.
In the very progressive and liberal country of Holland, pedophiles already tried to come out of the closet and campaign for pedorights but weren't very successful - for now.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/jul/18/topstories3.mainsection
Mario Pace
Feb 15th, 10:35
You got that right. Either we discriminate between different sexual orientations when deciding adoptions or one day, pedophiles will come out of the closet to reclaim their right to have access to the Children of God.
Zagroma Savrene
Feb 13th, 21:27
Oh my, the church, the thing that preaches about god loving everyone, suddenly thinks 'gays' are incapable of raising a child.
Perhaps the church bows its head to reality, that in the universe, the only God that exists is called "Nature".
Alison Bezzina
Feb 14th, 08:28
By your same 'nature' logic.... infertile couples (who are the ones most likely to adopt) are also incapable of raising a child....
John Meli
Feb 14th, 16:16
So your God is mother nature, but to proof this you might first want to go back through the verse of the Holy Bible and underline the two things that the Holy Bible says and everyone knows about God existence.
In many verses not only tells us that God exists, but that everyone knows about God’s eternal power and divine nature - Just mention one person that performed as many miracles and walked on water besides having resin from the death. Sensing that God does exists, however, does not remove all doubt.
I have met many people who question about God’s existence, from friends in philosophy classes at school to concerned Catholics or Christians who grew up going to church. It is one thing to have questions about God and experience doubt, but atheists go one step further and state that there is no God, until one day they would accept His existence.
It is easy to see how some do not believe in God because of those who represent God. But most would agree that, at the end, this is not a good basis for rejecting God and saying that he does not exist.
A second reason that causes many to doubt God’s existence is the moral expectation factor. Many of these that wonder if there is more evidence than the intuitive conviction or deep-seated hunch we get from looking at the present state of our world, things that are happening now but did not happen before (I can give more details). Many of us want more evidence because the stakes can be pretty high. After all, if we admit, in our heart of hearts, that there is a God, we know that there are moral implications for our lives. Many of us push God out of our consciousness so we can avoid giving up sin or so that we will not have to admit that what we have done is wrong.
The Bible teaches that many of us subconsciously move away from God in this way. We cling to practices and behaviors that we know are wrong and our knowledge of God becomes darkened. This is not just true for individuals, it can also be true for an entire culture.
Finally because if one really reads the Holy Bible, then he/she could remember what the book of Deuteronomy says in Chapter 28 verses 45 to 48 and also in verses 15 to 24.
In brief it say this that if you refuse to listen to the Lord your God and fail to obey the commandments and decrees that He has given you (and me) then all these curses (for the list go to verses 15 to 24) as He will pursue and overtake you until you are destroyed. These horrors will serve as a sign and warning among you and your descendants (and that includes us all) forever.
If you do not serve the Lord your God with joy and enthusiasm for the abundant benefits you have received. Then you will serve your enemies whom the Lord will send against you.
You will be left hungry, thirsty, naked, and lacking in everything. The Lord will put an iron yoke on your neck, oppressing you harshly until he has destroyed you. If you want to read more that go to Chapter 30 Verses 1 to 5.... Just tell me in what situation is Europe passing in financially and in the weather, because many in Europe have rejected the existence of God ?
Amante Reale
Feb 18th, 16:36
@John Meli: Burden of proof lies in your hands mate. The church is claiming that there is a god so you are the ones who need to come up with PROOF as to his existence. So far I have seen none.
"Just tell me in what situation is Europe passing in financially and in the weather, because many in Europe have rejected the existence of God ?"
lol Maybe we should do a little rain dance (or, euro dance, if you will) to ask God to help us out of the economic situation. Maybe he'll send Euros raining down from the clouds. Maybe we should even sacrifice a virgin, to be sure?
John Meli
Feb 12th, 19:34
Same-sex marriage and gay adoption is a topic that in fact the Pontiff (Popes) also holds the traditional Catholic views on same-sex marriage; One has to be reminded that in the year 2004 he said to the Italian newspaper La Repubblica the following:-
"Above all, we must have great respect for these people who also suffer (Yes, I do agree) and who want to find their own way of correct living (also including those who wish to try to be gay and celibate).
On the other hand, to create a legal form of a kind of homosexual marriage, in reality, does not help these people."[42 - Pope Benedict XVI in his own words] The Pope later described gay marriage as "pseudo-matrimony" and declared that "The various forms of the dissolution of matrimony today, like free unions, trial marriages…by people of the same sex, are rather expressions of an anarchic freedom that wrongly passes for true freedom of man."
Benedict XVI is also against gay couples adopting children; he wrote a Vatican paper concerned with the adoption of children into same-sex couples. "Allowing children to be adopted by persons living in such unions would actually mean doing violence to these children, in the sense that their condition of dependency would be used to place them in an environment that is not conducive to their full human development. "
Although the particular inclination of the homosexual person is not a sin, it is a more or less strong tendency ordered towards an intrinsic moral evil; and thus the inclination itself must be seen as a objective disorder.
Therefore one expects that special concern and pastoral attention should be directed towards those who have this condition, lest they be led to believe that the living out of this orientation in homosexual activity is a morally accepted option, but in fact it is not and we are in obliged to help them more than ever.[Section 3 Para 2 Letter to the Bishops from Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger dated 1st October, 1986 and approved by Pope John II ]
However, many are those (homosexuals) who even are ask on the radio or in the press “How does this God who is so loving and compassionate simple push me away from His arms?” So are we all failing in this subject?
Yes, it is quite true, God is very kind and a loving God, but one should not forget what St. Paul's said and he too made it quite clear to us in the Holy Bible, so if one reads 1 Corinthians Chapter 6 Verse 9 to 11, he said specifically and quite clearly telling us that through such behavior one cannot inherit the Kingdom of God – he further stated “don't fool yourself”, and explained “As none will inherit His Kingdom if he remains indulged in sexual sin or practicing such acts.”
He was referring to homosexual acts. Yet, many cannot or don't want to understand this fact, unless he realizes that he is on the wrong path to His Kingdom and we are all obliged to enlighten these persons with the true facts. So why are we all afraid to explain to such persons their prospective dangers if they don't follow the right passage towards the Kingdom of God.
If this is neglected would we not be judged for our negligence from helping the homosexuals to follow God's freedom from their bad habit?
Franco Farrugia
Feb 12th, 22:06
St Paul also writes that women are subservient to men, He also writes that being celibate is much better for the Kingdom of God than getting married, ... but if you simply cannot stay not married, get married, then. This is the man you are quoting. U se nigi niehdok bis-serjeta! U ma tarax!
John Meli
Feb 13th, 12:25
@Franco Farrugia:: This is my explanation to what you wrote:- Therefore, Wives should be submissive to their husbands, that the word of God may not be discredited. Titus 2:5 – But then “Likewise you wives, be submissive to your husbands, so that some, though they do not obey the word, may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, when they see your reverent and chaste behavior.” 1 Peter 3:1-2
“So once the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves and were submissive to their husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are now her children if you do right and let nothing terrify you.” 1 Peter 3:5-6
But you have to understand that while some people argue that God imposed the submission requirement upon women as a punishment for the original sin, this is not true. God designated the man as the head of his family from the very beginning of creation, even before the original sin. Therefore, man’s authority over the woman was not imposed as a punishment for the original sin, but to reflect the order of creation. see Gen. 2:18; 1 Cor. 11:9; 1 Tim. 2:12-13
But then you have to understand that in fact, God revealed that women would want to usurp their husband’s authority as the result of the original sin. After the original sin, God tells Eve: “Yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.” Thus, as a result of the original sin, Eve would desire to rule over Adam, but God ensured that Adam would rule over Eve. Gen. 3:16
Paul and Jesus did regard celibacy as a higher spiritual state than marriage, as shown by most of the verses you've cited. The issue then becomes why are some people called to be celibate virgins and others aren't.
God has given different believers different gifts, different talents, different callings, different purposes, in the Body of Christ (1Corinthians 12:14-31). Hence, there is an impressive list of spiritual giants who married, such as: David, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Peter, Noah, Enoch, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, and Moses. On the other hand, at least so far as to what Scripture actually reveals, Daniel, Elijah, Elisha, Paul, John the Baptist, and (of course) Jesus never married.
Part of these differences in calling likely reside in each individual's sex drive and the variations from person to person, to put it bluntly. After all, God knows our frame, and won't allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to endure (1Corinthians 10:13). Paul was aware of this, so although in 1Corinthians 7 he places the celibate state as being spiritually superior to the married state, he made it crystal clear it wasn't a sin to marry (verse 27-28):
Then about wives being celibate to the husband, then one would ask "Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But even if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. . . ." (1Corinthians 7:27-28, NKJV )
It is a pity that man and women have now turned away from God's commandments and are being ignored by left right and center all during the 365 days of the year, ignoring what he promised our forefathers as to observe if we want God's protection. Just because if you read the Holy Bible, then do remember what the book of Deuteronomy says in Chapter 28 verses 45 to 48 and also in verses 15 to 24.
In brief it say this that if you refuse to listen to the Lord your God and fail to obey the commandments and decrees that He has given you (and me) then all these curses (for the list go to verses 15 to 24) as He will pursue and overtake you until you are destroyed. These horrors will serve as a sign and warning among you and your descendants (and that includes us all) forever. [No wonder we are having all these disasters, diseases in animals and humans and regular floods and that Europe is entering into a Mini Ice Age, and the volcanic eruptions worldwide and worst of all those earthquakes such as those we saw in Japan with the waves killing all that they found in their path,,,,etc.]
So if you do not serve the Lord your God with joy and enthusiasm for the abundant benefits you have received. Then you will serve your enemies whom the Lord will send against you.
You will be left hungry, thirsty, naked, and lacking in everything. The Lord will put an iron yoke on your (ours too) neck, oppressing you (us too) harshly until he has destroyed you (us too). If you want to read more that go to Chapter 30 Verses 1 to 5....
Wenzu Vella
Feb 18th, 08:27
Mr Meli forget about the bible and try to live in the 21st century please.
David Seychell
Feb 12th, 11:04
"Malta's Adoption Act permits adoption by married couples and single persons, and it does not in any way specify the sexual orientation of prospective adoptive parents."
If that's the case, then even a pedophile can adopt children. So the question is, should sexual orientation be taken into account when deciding who should adopt? Are all deviant sexual orientations equally good in providing a healthy environment for the child?
Mario Grech
Feb 12th, 12:57
Waqa l-ghass....
Paedophilia is not a sexual orientation - it's a sickness and a crime
David Seychell
Feb 12th, 18:36
You're not up-to-date Mario. Pedophilia is NOT a crime, it is a variation in the human sexual orientation just like homosexuality is a variation in the human sexual orientation. Pedophilia is a sexual orientation comparable to homosexuality and heterosexuality.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/pedophilia-a-sexual-orientation-experts-tell-parliament/
http://noapologies.ca/daily-news/pedopilia-declared-a-sexual-orientation-by-witnesses-in-house-justice-committee
This shouldn't surprise us. This is the way Nature works. Nature loves to try new things, to experiment and create new varieties no matter how absurd they may appear to us but is careful enough to produce such variations in small numbers.
Amante Reale
Feb 18th, 16:40
@Seychell: Are you effin' kidding me?
Sexual Orientation is one thing - Heterosexual, Homosexual, Pansexual, etc. Pedophilia is a sexual preference (which also happens to be illegal due to emotional scarring). Get your facts straight.
Mario Pace
Feb 18th, 19:12
It seems that Amante Reale thinks he/she is better qualified than the top experts summoned by the Canadian parliament.
Ludicrous, isn't it?
Andy Farrugia
Feb 11th, 23:19
Forgive me for thinking outside 'the box', but what makes anyone think that, irrespective of one's sexual orientation, there is some kind of right for anyone to have or adopt children? Please do not quote international charters etc., etc., as I go by lived reality, which clearly demonstrates that some are inherently unfit/unsuitable/downright irresponsible to be mothers, fathers, parents, guardians or whatever. Some are not even to be trusted with keeping animals (as your kind self once pointed out in that incident of the dog locked up in a car), let alone human beings.
Alison Bezzina
Feb 12th, 10:17
Forgive me for agreeing with you on this one Andy....
I so agree with you that if it were up to me (and practically possible to implement) I would subject even biological parents to such checks and approval process....
Andy Farrugia
Feb 13th, 15:33
@ Alison Bezzina
What a really cheap shot that was, on another thread, about the Church and its stand on homosexuality! "Getting away with it," to boot. You disappoint me immensely; with your talent for writing and your concern for sociocultural matters, you could be a force for good in this world. A pity that you have to give free reign to your pet hates from time to time. Still, will continue to follow your blogs but will also know when to take you seriously!
Alison Bezzina
Feb 14th, 10:18
I hate to be of a disappointment Andy.... :)
Do explain how I'm wrong in saying that the Church is getting away with its discrimination against gay people wanting to adopt.
If your cheap shot comment is referring to my linking of violent attacks with such discrimination then forgive me for believing that amongst the various types of violence that exist, the physical one is not necessarily the worse.
David Seychell
Feb 14th, 12:29
Mr Farrugia,
“The aim of adoption was not to provide a family with a child, but to provide a child with a family,” -Minister Dolores Cristina
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20101028/local/adoptions-only-in-the-interest-of-the-child-minister-says.333434
Andy Farrugia
Feb 14th, 18:42
@ Alison
Your bald statement about the Church getting away with its discrimination of "happy" people is manifestly false, as the Church cannot discriminate against any human being; but you will never admit this as you are probably too obtuse or too angst-ridden to understand the difference between the doer and the action.
PS I meant BALD not bold as I do not see anything at all bold in hitting out against the Church in this day and age; it's quite the in-thing I have noticed, and it makes some appear with it. Puuhhlease! (to borrow one of your pet phrases. Now, off you go to do some more blogging!
PSS I also used "happy" instead of "gay" as I resent the fact that anyone should hijack any words of a language that I love (vide rainbow and the colours of the rainbow). And I do, at times, describe myself as being "extremely gay" or "in a really gay mood"; and will continue doing so.
Andy Farrugia
Feb 15th, 16:53
@ Alison Bezzina
Ooops sorry; that should have been PPS (post post scriptum) and not PSS (whatever that might stand for).
Eman Pulis
Feb 11th, 20:30
Seems like Malta is slowly accepting the notion of adopting gay couples. This, of course, is purely speculative, but I believe that strides in the right direction are being accomplished by the many local NGOs.
Mr Peter Barbara
Feb 11th, 19:48
Excuse me....as in the first three paragraphs you assumed incorrectly what I was thinking, I did not carry on reading your article...
Peter Shaw
Feb 11th, 19:44
While homosexual couples have every right for adoption, one must take into account the fact that Maltese society will harass the adoptive children because of the homosexual nature of their parents. Therefore the emotional well being of the child will be threathened.
Mr Joseph Carmel Chetcuti
Feb 12th, 04:00
Therefore also we have to start educating society so that the emotional well being of children is not 'threatened' by those who are intolerant.
Mario Grech
Feb 12th, 09:39
Peter,
Most children in every society (including Malta because humans are not that different anywhere in the world you go) are harassed for being fat. Should we not allow overweight or obese people to procreate or adopt ?
Joseph Aquilina
Feb 13th, 10:43
@Peter Shaw,
If you detest Malta so much then why don't you go live in a country better then ours?