The United States is supposed to operate on a separation of church and state. But an Albuquerque, New Mexico mother recently had her children taken away from her by the government, after she refused to attend “counseling” that was extremely religious in nature.
The “therapy” was court ordered by a judge who told Holly Salzman that she would face contempt of court charges as well as lose custody of her children, if she did not attend.
Local KRQE Channel 13 news says that Salzman contacted the court after her first session with the Evangelical Christian fundamentalist counselor, Marry Pepper.
But the court was unconcerned about the religious nature of Pepper’s 10 session-long counseling.
Salzman recalls, “I walked into the session and the very first thing she said to me was, ‘I start my sessions by praying.’”
But when she “expressed my concerns that I didn’t pray she said, ‘well this is what I do’ and she proceeded to say a prayer out loud.”
Salzman explained that she had no option not to go to these classes, “You don’t have a choice. You do it or you’re held in contempt of court.”
Instead of listening to Salzman’s concerns about the counseling imposing religion on her, the court decided to take her children until she finished the sessions.
“We went back to court. I expressed concerns again about the religious overtones and they stated they hadn’t heard any problems concerning Mary Pepper with religion,” Salzman said to local Channel 13.
“It’s probably the worst thing I’ve ever been through in my life,” she recalled.
“The meaning in my life is to know love and serve God,” Pepper said to Salzman in a recorded meeting. “If you want to explore how God was in your past, how God was in your life and not in your life… I know you don’t believe in God which is fine but I now at some points he was in your life in some way.”
continue http://countercurrentnews.com/2015/09/court-takes-children-from-non-religious-mother-after-she-refused-to-attend-religious-therapy-from-fundamentalist-counselor/
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