Liz and Gabe Rutan-Ram’s dream of fostering and adopting a child was shattered when a Tennessee state-funded Christian placement agency refused to work with them due to their Jewish faith. The couple sued the state, arguing that the agency’s religious discrimination violated the Tennessee constitution. Their case highlights the dangers of policies like those outlined in Project 2025, a conservative blueprint that promotes the rights of faith-based adoption agencies and undermines protections for LGBTQ+ and unmarried families.
Project 2025, supported by the Heritage Foundation, aims to redefine family values based on biblical principles and allow religious organizations to make placement decisions based on their beliefs. It calls for the elimination of nondiscrimination laws and the passage of the Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act. Critics, such as Rev Naomi Washington-Leapheart, argue that the plan excludes and marginalizes diverse family structures, paving the way for a Christian nationalist agenda.
The Rutan-Rams have become the face of a campaign led by Americans United for Separation of Church and State to expose the dangers of Project 2025. They are challenging a Tennessee law that allows faith-based agencies to dictate placement based on religious beliefs. Critics like Amanda Tyler warn that Project 2025 threatens democracy by eroding the separation of church and state and pushing the US towards a theocratic society.
The Rutan-Rams’ case underscores the potentially harmful impact of religious discrimination in the foster care and adoption system and the broader implications of policies like Project 2025. As the fight for equal rights and protections for all families continues, the battle against Christian nationalism and the erosion of the separation of church and state remains crucial.
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