# So now atheists can't adopt!?! \[circa 1970 - ed. title\] **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 4, 2008, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-now-atheists-cant-adopt-circa-1970-ed-title/432295 "2008-01-04T18:14:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-now-atheists-cant-adopt-circa-1970-ed-title/432295/21 "2008-01-04T18:41:40Z")
This never makes any sense to me. Christians prefer orphanages than loving homes for children? ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-now-atheists-cant-adopt-circa-1970-ed-title/432295/22 "2008-01-04T18:42:29Z")
It looks like the link is available under the Most Popular sidebar, rather than on the front page. Perhaps someone dug it out of the archives, passed it around to their community, and once the views got high enough others starting seeing it? Just a guess. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-now-atheists-cant-adopt-circa-1970-ed-title/432295/23 "2008-01-04T18:42:46Z")
Can we still put a fence around New Jersey? ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-now-atheists-cant-adopt-circa-1970-ed-title/432295/24 "2008-01-04T18:52:13Z")
The case continued into [1971 at the Supreme Court of New Jersey](http://www.americanadoptions.com/adoption/article_view/article_id/2435?pg=1) and the judgement overturned. > [@](#): > > The judgment of the trial court is reversed. Since the sole ground for denying the adoption was the Burkes’ beliefs regarding religion and it is clear from the record that they are otherwise fit, we grant the adoption in the exercise of our original jurisdiction. See R. 2:10-5; In re Adoption by B, supra, 63 N.J. Super. at 104. > Judgment is entered in accordance with this opinion. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-now-atheists-cant-adopt-circa-1970-ed-title/432295/25 "2008-01-04T18:53:21Z")
Did Time make all of their archives available online? Anyway, this has gone from an outrage story to an Internet cautionary tale. ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-now-atheists-cant-adopt-circa-1970-ed-title/432295/26 "2008-01-04T18:53:42Z")
To avoid further confusion to those coming to this thread, perhaps a mod could change the title to “Atheists Denied Right To Adopt Back In 1970 But It’s OK, NJ Supreme Court Overturned The Decision In '71” ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-now-atheists-cant-adopt-circa-1970-ed-title/432295/27 "2008-01-04T18:58:32Z")
[QUOTE=photopat] My apologies to any participants who happen to be dead already. [/QUOTE] Best chuckle of the day anyway. 😃 Plus the thread has a rare triple-simulpost with a simuledit bonus too! ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-now-atheists-cant-adopt-circa-1970-ed-title/432295/28 "2008-01-04T19:01:21Z")
I thought this was an interesting passage from the decision: > [@](#): > > No one appearing before this Court argues in favor of the trial court’s determination. Attorneys representing numerous religious groups and adoption agencies and organizations have submitted briefs and appeared before us. They unanimously urge us to reverse the trial court and to make it clear that, in the future, our courts may not deny persons the right to adopt a child solely because of their religious beliefs or non-beliefs. It’s nice to know that even religious groups unanimously defended the couple’s right to adopt. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-now-atheists-cant-adopt-circa-1970-ed-title/432295/29 "2008-01-04T19:03:24Z")
Sorry, **Diogenes** , I missed your earlier post with the decision link. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-now-atheists-cant-adopt-circa-1970-ed-title/432295/30 "2008-01-04T19:32:12Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] I thought this was an interesting passage from the decision: It’s nice to know that even religious groups unanimously defended the couple’s right to adopt. [/QUOTE] They didn’t like the looks of that slippery slope they saw in the road ahead, I bet. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-now-atheists-cant-adopt-circa-1970-ed-title/432295/31 "2008-01-04T19:53:32Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] It’s nice to know that even religious groups unanimously defended the couple’s right to adopt. [/QUOTE] Maybe somebody actually… thought of the children! ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-now-atheists-cant-adopt-circa-1970-ed-title/432295/32 "2008-01-04T19:57:23Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] Can we still put a fence around New Jersey? [/QUOTE] I’m getting too slow in my old age; I was going to ask the same. But be careful, Texan. Glass houses and all that! ---
**Author:** ![Slypork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc29f/32.png) [@Slypork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slypork)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-now-atheists-cant-adopt-circa-1970-ed-title/432295/33 "2008-01-04T20:07:47Z")
[QUOTE=SSG Schwartz] I don’t know if it is related, but **babygirl** and I have been on the list to foster/adopt in North Carolina and have yet to receive one call regarding placement. I indicated atheist on the application that I filled out. Many of the of the bios on the children looking for placement state that religion is important to the child. It is amazing how many things that couples capable of producing their own children can do that couples looking to adopt cannot. I will refrain from the hijack though. SSG Schwartz [/QUOTE] I hope that’s not the case. When my wife and I went through DCFS to get our daughter I was more afraid of the religious ones than any others. We met quite a few people in the foster classes who frequently punctuated their sentences with, “Praise Jesus” or “Praise the Lord”. :rolleyes: I wish you the best of luck and know that you will find the child that needs you just as much as you need them and they will help to complete your family. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-now-atheists-cant-adopt-circa-1970-ed-title/432295/34 "2008-01-04T20:55:03Z")
BTW, I did a search on this guy’s name, and found a comment today from someone who saw a memorial to him on a Rutgers page, so he appears to be beyond our scorn. From my Googling, it appears that **photopat** was not the only person fooled by the date. ---
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-now-atheists-cant-adopt-circa-1970-ed-title/432295/35 "2008-01-04T21:07:32Z")
[QUOTE=Slypork] I hope that’s not the case. When my wife and I went through DCFS to get our daughter I was more afraid of the religious ones than any others. We met quite a few people in the foster classes who frequently punctuated their sentences with, “Praise Jesus” or “Praise the Lord”. :rolleyes: I wish you the best of luck and know that you will find the child that needs you just as much as you need them and they will help to complete your family. [/QUOTE] Thanks for your support. SSG Schwartz ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-now-atheists-cant-adopt-circa-1970-ed-title/432295/36 "2008-01-04T21:24:43Z")
[QUOTE=Voyager] From my Googling, it appears that **photopat** was not the only person fooled by the date. [/QUOTE] My friend was one such. I read the story last night on her blog and didn’t twig to the date then either. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-now-atheists-cant-adopt-circa-1970-ed-title/432295/37 "2008-01-04T21:31:03Z")
I have to confess, I first saw the story yesterday and noticed the date. I assumed it was one of those computer errors that sometimes occur making it appear files were created 50 or 60 years ago, or 5 years in the future. I meant to look it up but was otherwise occupied and forgot. Then today I just glossed over the date completely. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-now-atheists-cant-adopt-circa-1970-ed-title/432295/38 "2008-01-04T21:56:58Z")
[QUOTE=EddyTeddyFreddy] > [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > It’s nice to know that even religious groups unanimously defended the couple’s right to adopt. They didn’t like the looks of that slippery slope they saw in the road ahead, I bet. [/QUOTE] Yes. Given how religiously divided America is, religious tolerance ultimately benefits the majority of the religious factions; I’m sure they had visions of Catholic judges forbidding children to Protestants, Baptists to Presbyterians, and so on, down to some judge forbidding adoptions where he is to everyone who isn’t a member of his hundred person church. ---
**Author:** ![Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sophistry_and_Illusion)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-now-atheists-cant-adopt-circa-1970-ed-title/432295/39 "2008-01-04T22:31:16Z")
[QUOTE=SSG Schwartz] I don’t know if it is related, but **babygirl** and I have been on the list to foster/adopt in North Carolina and have yet to receive one call regarding placement. I indicated atheist on the application that I filled out. Many of the of the bios on the children looking for placement state that religion is important to the child. It is amazing how many things that couples capable of producing their own children can do that couples looking to adopt cannot. I will refrain from the hijack though. SSG Schwartz [/QUOTE] That is really awful. We adopted our daughter in Lebanon. In a sense, religion is more important there, since adoption goes through the religious courts (not the secular ones), and only Christian children can be adopted (and theoretically only to Christian families). But the kids are in orphanages, and the nuns we dealt with were realists–they would rather place the kids with a decent non-religious family than leave the kid in the orphanage, where their life prospects were grim. So they were willing to work with us. ---
**Author:** ![Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sophistry_and_Illusion)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-now-atheists-cant-adopt-circa-1970-ed-title/432295/40 "2008-01-04T22:34:10Z")
[QUOTE=SSG Schwartz] It is amazing how many things that couples capable of producing their own children can do that couples looking to adopt cannot. I will refrain from the hijack though. SSG Schwartz [/QUOTE] Obligatory Onion link: [FBI To Require Background Checks For Child-Care Providers; Child-Havers Unaffected](http://www.theonion.com/content/node/28616) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-now-atheists-cant-adopt-circa-1970-ed-title/432295.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-now-atheists-cant-adopt-circa-1970-ed-title/432295.md?page=3)