If this opinion is allowed to stand, it could be used by family courts to remove children from churches nationwide.

Because of the importance of this case, Liberty Counsel has taken on the appeal to reverse this opinion.

Don’t let an anti-God judge BAN parents from taking their children to church! Support our legal fund today and have your gift DOUBLED in impact by a special Challenge Grant.

Elizabeth* and Mark* had a child out of wedlock 12 years ago. Though the relationship ended even before their daughter, Andrea*, was born, everything was fine ... until Elizabeth and Andrea began attending church.

When little Andrea began wearing T-shirts emblazoned with Bible verses to her father’s house, Mark rushed to the local family court, declaring those shirts to be “religious paraphernalia.” 

Mark even complained that his daughter wanted to be baptized, which he apparently views as indoctrination. 

In pleadings before the court, Mark complained that Elizabeth’s church — Calvary Chapel of Bangor — “teaches the [B]ible chapter by chapter, verse by verse.”

Mark hated the fact that his ex-girlfriend and daughter had found Christ so much that he hired a former California State University sociology professor to testify that Calvary Chapel is a “cult.”  

The judge ruled that Elizabeth’s religious beliefs “eclipsed her ability to make decisions that are in [her daughter’s] best interests,” because Elizabeth had testified that her daughter’s belief in God was “more important than anything,” before FORBIDDING Elizabeth from ever taking Andrea to Calvary Chapel — or ANY church that does not meet Mark’s approval — ever again. To date, Mark has refused to allow Andrea to attend ANY church, with or without her mother.

This is one of the most shocking and dangerous judicial opinions I have ever read in all my years practicing law!

The U.S. Constitution, hundreds of years of legal precedents, and even the Maine Supreme Court ALL agree that the government MAY NOT prevent a parent from raising a child in his or her own preferred faith. 

Additionally, the judge refused to capitalize the word “god” throughout her ruling. I have never seen such a thing in all my years as an attorney!  

Even the Maine Constitution and the State of Maine’s judicial oath capitalize the world “God.” But this judge went out of her way to minimize the Creator of the Universe to fit her apparent personal animus against God, even as she stripped Elizabeth of her legal right to take her daughter to church. 

Liberty Counsel is taking this case up on appeal. We will not allow this, or any other God-hating judge to strip parents of the right to bring their children to church. 

Help us defend Elizabeth and her daughter’s RIGHT to attend the church of their choice, and a generous Challenge Grant will DOUBLE your impact.

Elizabeth and Andrea would not have this opportunity to fight for their religious freedom rights if it weren’t for faithful Liberty Counsel supporters like YOU. 

A special Challenge Grant has been extended to fill our legal fund. Every donation made — including recurring monthly donations — will be DOUBLED in impact. Please, help Elizabeth, Andrea, and other Americans being persecuted and punished for their faith with your gift today.  

Please be in prayer for Elizabeth and her daughter. Be in prayer, too, for the girl’s father and the judge, that they might accept the love and light of our Lord Jesus Christ in their own lives.