Religion and related issues

[cavaor]

Biological Father has sole custody of 5 yo daughter. He lives in IL but KY has juridiction. Biological mother has recently began visits again (in KY).
BF has asked BM to not influence child's faith on numerous occassions.

BF, wife, and daughter is very active within his church with child attending faith based school, etc. BM attends a different faith church and puts child in her faith based daycare (where she works in a different class) on summer visits. This was without his knowledge for some time and when asked to stop, BM did not. BF wishes for child to be raised in a given faith and when old enough (much later), she may chose to.

On first visit with BM recently, BM had daughter "saved and baptized". This was without consent or knowledge of custodial father. Additionally, BM takes daughter to church services at her church during her visitation time where Child and mother are in different classes, etc. The 2 parents are of different faiths and beliefs vary in several areas.

1) Is there any precendent saying BM cannot influence childs religion?
2) Can BF request that visitation order address church actitivities?
3) Is there anything that can be done to prevent BM from confusing child at this point regarding faith, afterlife, etc?

[socrateaser]

>1) Is there any precendent saying BM cannot influence childs
>religion?

There isn't much precedent in case law. Generally, courts will try to have the child exposed to both faiths, because it's in the child's best interests to be able to decide for him/herself.

>2) Can BF request that visitation order address church
>actitivities?

What exactly do you want the court to order? Faith is a dicey subject, because there is no "objective truth" upon which to make a decision.

>3) Is there anything that can be done to prevent BM from
>confusing child at this point regarding faith, afterlife, etc?

I'm going to assume that, as you mention both parents attend different faith "churches," that this indicates that you are both of some persuasion of Christianity.

If this is true, then let me mention, as many theologians have throughout the years, that "The hallway to heaven has many doors, all of which lead to salvation." I doubt that God would care which door the child ultimately chooses. Maybe, if you try to explain this to the child, the confusion will vanish, and you will avoid a legal battle.

If you are not both Christians, then this could make the situation more difficult, nevertheless, who among us can say, with any real authority, what is God's design?

I don't have the precedential ruling handy, however, I believe it was a Pennsylvania court that made the most relevant opinion on the subject, so if you still feel that you must make this an issue, then that is where I would start researching. At the moment, however, I don't have time to look it up for you.