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Child welfare services in Norway have reportedly removed five Christian children from their parents’ home and placed them into foster care after the parents were accused of radicalizing and indoctrinating their children with Christianity. According to the British-based Christian Institute, Norway’s child protection services, known as the Barnevernet, seized the three sons and two daughters of Ruth and Marius Bodnariu in mid-November.
Although the family wasn’t quite sure at the time why their children were being taken away from them, their lawyer discovered that the parents were being charged with Christian indoctrination. The Bodnariu’s lawyer obtained a copy of the government document that lists the charges against Marius and Ruth, which includes being listed as “radical Christians who were indoctrinating their children.” The lawyer told the parents that the government agency had overstepped its legal boundaries by not providing documentation and by separating a mother from her breastfeeding baby.
A Facebook page was created to support the family and provides some insight into their case. Marius’ brother, Daniel, posted on the page Wednesday that the social services investigation was prompted by a call from the principal of the daughters’ school, who listed concerns about how the children were being raised, disciplined at home and the nature of the family’s Christian faith.
Daniel explained that the principal cited how the parents, aunts, uncles and grandmother of the children believe that “God punishes sin.”
“[The principal] does not believe them to be physically abused at home, she believes that the parents need ‘help’ and guidance from the Barnevernet into raising their children,” the English translation of Daniel’s post reads.
Daniel, who is a pastor, added that when investigators interrogated the girls about their home life, they girls admitted that they hide some things from their parents because they fear being pulled by the ear or spanked. Daniel added that the girls explicitly told investigators that although they might fear punishment, they do not fear their parents.
The parents appeared for a hearing last Friday in which their appeal against the Barnevernet’s actions were rejected. However, the Facebook page reports the couple will be granted visitation rights to Ezekiel twice per week for two hours at a time, while Ruth will be allowed to see her other sons once a week. The parents were denied contact with their daughters.
Read the full story at Christianpost.com.
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