Too Religious to Keep Her Daughter: Are you next?

[SDG]

My mom brought this story to my attention yesterday.

Will this be precedent for future cases? I think this is flat out wrong and ridiculous.
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Too Religious to Keep Her Daughter? [Could you be next?]

Inside Edition ^| 3/5/08 | Inside Edition


Posted on 03/05/2008 7:59:02 PM PST by Howdy there



11-year-old Libby Mashburn is at the center of a child-custody battle with far-reaching consequences.

Libby's mother says she lost primary custody of her daughter because she was deemed to be too religious.

[A Judge in Alabama ruled that Libby could not be taught the Bible by her Baptist mother.]


Libby tells INSIDE EDITION, "I think children should be able to choose who they want to live with."


Libby's mom Laura Snider is a member of an [large] ultra-conservative Baptist church in Alabama. Libby spends several hours each week attending sermons. On weekends, she goes to Sunday school.[She attends church at the normal times, and for normal lengths. Sunday school, and Sunday AM and PM worship, and Wed. night service.]

The church encourages its parishioners to dress modestly, so Libby's closet is filled with skirts that fall below the knee.


Libby's mom, like other women in the church, doesn't wear makeup or swim in public. When they do swim, they don't wear swimsuits, instead they wear long dresses that Libby shows INSIDE EDITION.


They shun popular culture, so Libby doesn't watch much TV. She's heard of teen idol Hannah Montana but says she has never listened to her music.
[However, as a homeschooled 1st grader, Libby had visited Nepal, and many states in the US. She also tested above 3rd & 4th grade levels in most subjects when she was only 6.She scored on a high school level in vocabulary on the CAT.]


The question is: Should Laura Snider's religious beliefs be a factor in determining custody in a divorce? Libby's mother says the Alabama Supreme Court thinks so. The court awarded 60% custody to Libby's father, William Mashburn.



"We've been punished for our religion," says Brian. "We've been harassed for our religion. You know when you take a child from people because they're too conservative to put her in a situation because that's more "mainstream"...I don't think that's what the law is there to do," he tells INSIDE EDITION.


Across the country, child-custody disputes with religion as the flash point are increasing, and Libby is just the latest kid to get caught in the middle.


More indepth articles here:

Article in the NY Times
Our Daughter Libby, a short movie with full details
Courtroom observers discuss Libby's custody trial

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What say ye?

[SDG]

BTW, this woman is Baptist.

[Sam]

Originally Posted by Daniel Alicea

BTW, this woman is Baptist.

Well, as Baptists, these folks don't even have THE TRUTH and are unsaved.
Why do we even waste time talking about them?

[GodsBabyGirl]

Originally Posted by Sam

Well, as Baptists, these folks don't even have THE TRUTH and are unsaved.
Why do we even waste time talking about them?

I know some Baptists that are more strict than some Pentecostals.

Hey, and they don't speak in tongues and believe in the gifts of the Holy Ghost.

Just imagine how this would pan out if they were Pentecostal????

[RandyWayne]

Originally Posted by GodsBabyGirl

I know some Baptists that are more strict than some Pentecostals.

Hey, and they don't speak in tongues and believe in the gifts of the Holy Ghost.

Just imagine how this would pan out if they were Pentecostal????

I think Sam was being a bit sarcastic.

[DividedThigh]

being from the deep south, i can tell you that many baptists dress much more modestly as some would interpret modesty, than say even upc hardliners, very conservative, i even knew methodists in north mississippi that spoke in tongues, gasp, lol,dt

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Sam

Well, as Baptists, these folks don't even have THE TRUTH and are unsaved.
Why do we even waste time talking about them?

That's stupid, even if meant to be sarcastic. This woman doesn't even have 50% custody of her daughter now because of this ruling. What difference does it make if they have THE TRUTH or not?

And it can and will happen to those that Do have "The Truth" if it can happen to her

[Jehoram]

I have a feeling we are not hearing the entire story.

On it's face, this is very alarming.

[StillStanding]

Originally Posted by Alter Ego

I have a feeling we are not hearing the entire story.

On it's face, this is very alarming.

I feel the same way! I would be interested to hear the other side's story!

On face value, It is unbelievable that the judge would prefer the child to live:

1. Away from her mother. There usually has to be a strong case to take a child away from her mother. Normally it takes drug or sexual abuse!

2. With the father under the conditions of neglect mentioned in the video.

Remember that not only was this the opinion of the local judge, but his decision was upheld all the way the the state supreme court. I'm telling you, part of this story is missing!!!

[Rhoni]

Originally Posted by Pianoman

I feel the same way! I would be interested to hear the other side's story!

On face value, It is unbelievable that the judge would prefer the child to live:

1. Away from her mother. There usually has to be a strong case to take a child away from her mother. Normally it takes drug or sexual abuse!

2. With the father under the conditions of neglect mentioned in the video.

Remember that not only was this the opinion of the local judge, but his decision was upheld all the way the the state supreme court. I'm telling you, part of this story is missing!!!

Pianoman,

Such is the nature of family law. I have found letters my children wrote for their Dad what they ate for supper and what their Mom spent his child support on. The other parent always accuses the other of abuse or neglect.

I remember my son having his two front teeth knocked out when falling from a bunk bed on our hardwood floors. They were his permanent teeth and had to be wired back in. They stuck straight out. I took my ex to court several times as he refused to pay his share of the orthodontia bill. His attorney claimed it was 'cosmetic'.

People would be surprised if they truly knew the stories told in a sequestered court of law. The lawyers get rich on the revenge of angry and embittered ex spouses. The only winners are the attorneys.

The victims are the children.