Chances of being approved - religion choice?

shoebox4

What are our chances of getting approved on home study/ adoption process if we do not actually want to pick a religion? I am not an atheist, but religion is something that I do not believe in at this moment in time. Please don't flame me on this. I have my reasons that I have yet to overcome. I also feel that lying on my home study form and just picking out a religion for the sake of getting the home study approved is not the path that I would like to take.

For those of you who have been through the home studies, what kind of religious/religion questions do they often ask?

 

 

Dragonfly_Bride

Honesty is best! Unless you're with an agency that has a religion stipulation, you're fine! I promise! We're not religious at all, not even "spiritual" and we haven't had any problems.?

MayDayGirl

I don't see it being a problem unless you choose a religiously affiliated agency.

Dragonfly_Bride

Drop me an e-mail & I'll pass along the one question we were asked about religion, and my response: dragonflybride at gmail dot com

CaptainSerious

Ditto Dragonfly!

As far as what the agency may ask, generally they want to know if you practice a religion, if you and your husband share that religion (and if not, how you handle that within your relationship), and if you plan on raising your child in that religions and, if so, if you and your husband are in agreement as to how you will do this (this question becomes most important if you and your husband do not share the same beliefs, obviously).

In almost all cases (even with most religiously-affiliated agencies), it's not important that you practice a faith.  They just want to know that you and your husband have discussed this aspect of raising a child and have come to or are working towards an agreement about it.  The only other reason they ask is because that information is typically disclosed to birthfamilies so they can consider it when choosing prospective parents if they so choose.

Good luck!

crystalpopcorn

I don't remember having to designate a religion on our homestudy form.  They asked us for that on our application, but we are using a Christian agency.  I don't think you will have any problems at all!

Dr.Loretta

I agree that honesty is best when it comes to adoption and homestudies. We are working with a non-profit agency, but they are also secular. They don't give a care what religion we are, and most of their BMs aren't particular about it either. We had no reason to lie about our religous affiliation. You may find more of an emphasis on it if you're going with a religiously affiliated agency.

FWIW, I am a practicing Catholic, and DH is a fallen away Taoist. We had no issue with our homestudy.

MyColonyNJ

I agree with all the previous posters.  I would think that in most cases, religion is indicated so that if a expectant mom WANTS a certain religion, that they can filter profiles that are that certain religion.  Know what I mean?

I think that honesty is key in a homestudy. 

FinallyMrs.G

Dragonfly_Bride:

Honesty is best! Unless you're with an agency that has a religion stipulation, you're fine! I promise! We're not religious at all, not even "spiritual" and we haven't had any problems.

This! You will be fine.

amberfernandez

I hate to be the only dissenter here, but we were denied by a "non-religious affiliated agency" due to our lack of religion.  We are exactly like you, we don't have a chosen religion, nor are we atheist.  We were asked by the agency to "clarify" our religious beliefs, more than the "We don't feel you need a chosen religion to be good moral and ethical people,...."  We answered there original question regarding heaven, salvation, forgiveness, etc.  And they asked us to "clarify" our position by filling out the same question again.  Once we re-answered their religious questions with two FULL pages typed of detail, we were told that we were not a good fit for the agency.

We purposely did not speak with any religious affliated agency's for this exact reason, and i was SHOCKED, that I was being discriminated against by a purported non-religious agency, because I don't have chosen religion.

Just because agencies tell you that they don't discriminate based on religion, they absolutely do.  I felt that even though all BM's were not religious, they were forcing their own religious belief's on adoptive families. 

We ended up going with a very open agency that is associated with women's clinics, who to our suprise, had heard about the religious discrimination of this particular agency from some of their other adoptive families as well!

Good luck with your search, be completely open and honest, because in some states, if they find out you lied, it could be considered fraud, and void the adoption.

Dr.Loretta

Amber, I don't see you as a dissenter. I see your story as a case where honesty is obviously the best policy so you know you're working with an agency that you're comfortable with.

I'm glad you found someone to work with.

katerena

Dr.Loretta:

Amber, I don't see you as a dissenter. I see your story as a case where honesty is obviously the best policy so you know you're working with an agency that you're comfortable with.

I'm glad you found someone to work with.

This, totally.  Be as honest as you can so you know you are working with the right agency, and then this gives yourself the best chance for the right birth family to find you. 

Dragonfly_Bride

**AmberF**:

I hate to be the only dissenter here, but we were denied by a "non-religious affiliated agency" due to our lack of religion.

Amber, just curious if this agency was actually a facilitator that starts with the letter L? Because it sounds like one I've heard about before...