A Child Predator Gets A Baby But A Christian Mom Is Told She’s Unfit?

In a time when right is called wrong and wrong is celebrated on social media, one federal court ruling just lit a torch in the darkness.

Last week, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals delivered a stunning victory for religious freedom, parental rights, and common sense. Jessica Bates--a widowed Christian mother of five--was told by Oregon officials that she could not adopt because she refused to bow to the altar of gender ideology. Her crime? Believing boys are boys and girls are girls.

Oregon demanded she agree to "support, accept, and respect" any child's self-proclaimed gender identity. That included using "preferred pronouns," affirming transitions, and denying her own faith in the process. When she said no, they slammed the door in her face. But now, thanks to a 2-1 ruling from the Ninth Circuit, that door has been blasted wide open.

This wasn't just a legal win. It was a thunderclap reminder that Christians still have rights in America--and we must fight to keep them.

Judge Daniel Bress made it clear: the state does not have the right to force speech or crush conscience. "Adoption is not a constitutional dead zone," he wrote. You don't have to mutilate your beliefs--or your tongue--to prove you're worthy to love a child.

Let that sink in: a mother of five who wanted to bring two more children into a safe, faith-filled home was almost disqualified--not for abuse, not for neglect, but because she wouldn't lie to a child about who they are.

And yet--brace yourself--at the very same time, a registered sex offender in Pennsylvania is being celebrated online for getting a baby through surrogacy.

You read that right.

Brandon Keith Riley-Mitchell, convicted of felony child pornography and corrupting a minor after grooming a 16-year-old student, now has full custody of a newborn. He served a pathetic two months in jail after police uncovered 12,000 explicit messages and hundreds of graphic videos of a teenage boy on his computer. He lost his teaching license--but apparently not his ability to buy a child through a surrogacy contract.

He and his husband posted viral videos online showcasing their "beautiful family." But when their past was exposed by independent journalists and activists, the celebration turned to public horror.

This is evil. And it's not accidental.

Why did no one stop it? Because in many states, surrogacy bypasses the strict background checks required for adoption. No home studies. No moral vetting. Just a credit card and a legal contract. In the name of "progress," we've made it easier for predators to obtain children than for Christian mothers to adopt them.

Let's say it plainly: this isn't equality. It's insanity.

And it must end.

Children are not accessories. They are not experiments. They are not political trophies or the rewards of narcissistic ambition. They are precious souls, handcrafted by God, deserving of safety, stability, and truth.

That's what Jessica Bates offered. That's what Oregon tried to deny.

As believers, we should be enraged by the injustice--but even more, we should be inspired to act. Right now, over 113,000 children in the U.S. are waiting to be adopted. That's 113,000 cries echoing through the silence--waiting for someone to answer, "Here I am. Send me."

Adoption is not charity. It's warfare against darkness. It's an act of redemption, restoration, and radical love. The Church cannot remain on the sidelines while secular systems destroy families and elevate abusers.

We are called to rescue. We are called to defend. We are called to build families--not just complain about who is tearing them down.

So here's the challenge: If you can adopt, do it. If you can't, support someone who can. Fund it. Pray over it. Advocate for it. Be the voice that reminds this world: children don't need affirmation of confusion. They need the truth of identity--rooted in the image of God.

Let Jessica Bates's courage ignite your own.

Let the betrayal of that innocent baby placed in the hands of a predator shake us into action.

And let's refuse to live in a world where perversion is protected and faith is punished.