Earl, it does not matter whether WE "see homeschooling or Christianity as sufficient reasons for persecution" -- in this context, GERMANY DOES and that is why the family fled and filed for asylum.

I don't know where to start, John. They were accessed crushing fines and the children were (albeit temporarily so far) removed from their home, for nothing more than wanting to pass their family's Christian faith on to their children by means of homeschooling them. If they are forced back into Germany, those children will be forcibly taken from them and put into foster care, brainwashed under the guise of "mental health care" and turned into the same cookie-cutter kid they want all to be "for the good of the state". BUT, NO, they are not "persecuted", you say....... I disagree with you.

jkash, I don't think the point was to rationalize but to point out the hypocrisy..... Of COURSE if this were an Islamic family, this would not have happened. But to the other point, yes, the family that dissented in an Islamic state would probably have been killed out of hand, rather than having time to emigrate.

One of my all-time favorite Dr Seuss stories, and tellingly true at that!

Homeschooling works! Each child is different, just as each adult is different. We all learn in our own way, at our own pace. We have subjects we love, some we hate, and others that hold no real interest. By trying to turn our kids into paper cut-outs through conformity in public schools, we are stifling their individuality and creativity. Looking back at (real) history, many of the greatest technical advances have come from people who have not fit well in the standardized school protocol. That is (one of many reasons) why we homeschool.

Sheppard was not murdered because he was homosexual.... he was murdered by two drug-addled THUGS because they thought he would be an easy target for thievery. Read transcripts of court documents, not biased media reports. At about the same time Sheppard was murdered, a teen named Jesse Dirkheising (sp?) in Northwest Arkansas was murdered by two homosexual men who held him captive and sexually assaulted him before murdering him. Where was the coverage of this crime?

Rarely, but it DOES happen.... That is the point!

No, not racist.... anthropologically correct!

Let me clarify. I am solidly pro-life. In my opinion, the sort of situation I outlined is the only time that an abortion should be considered, let alone performed. I know that I would likely have lost a good friend if she had not aborted her baby, who would have likely died anyway. That said, I do not believe that a woman who is heartless enough to kill her baby should have such an easy time legally doing just that. Even when my friend aborted to save her own life, the aftereffects were emotionally devastating. I can only imagine how much worse the guilt feelings would be if it was done for "convenience".

.... according to some, but it had devastating effects on all concerned.