A bizarre story of state abuse and gross over-each of powers has emerged from Norway over the last few weeks. Child welfare services in Norway have begun the adoption process of 5 children they seized from a family because of concerns about the family’s Christian faith.
The principal at the school attended by the two eldest children reported the Bodnariu family to authorities on the basis of the children’s Christian upbringing, in particular that their parents were teaching the kids that God punishes sin (heaven forbid!).
The principal did not request the children be removed, but suggested that child welfare authorities provide counselling (read: re-education) to the family for holding such subversive and dangerous ideas. However, of course, things did not end there. Norway’s child ‘protection’ agency removed the children from the custody of their parents based a on an allegation of physical abuse. While no physical or medical evidence of abuse was found, in Norway it is illegal to smack children or physically discipline a child, and evidently, a child’s testimony to this form of punishment is sufficient cause to warrant removal from their parents.
According to the Christian Post:
“The children, including a nursing infant son, have now been placed in three separate foster homes while their parents have been given extremely limited visitation rights. Although both parents can see their infant son twice a week, only Ruth [the mother] can visit with her two oldest sons once per week while neither parent can visit their daughters.”
