Clerk 'sought God' on marriage license issue

[Botany]

Source: The Courier Journal

COVINGTON, Ky. – Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis testified in federal court Monday that she prayed and fasted over her decision to refuse marriage licenses for same-sex couples and still believes she is upholding her oath under the Constitution and the First Amendment.

“It wasn’t just a spur-of-the-moment decision,” she said. “It was thought out, and I sought God on it.”

snip

She choked back tears at times as she argued that issuing licenses under her name and authority as clerk violates her religious beliefs, even if a deputy clerk performs the task in her stead.

snip

But Michael Biel, a demonstrator from Rowan County who was out in support of the couples, said Davis needs to do the job she was elected to do.

“She was not elected to be a preacher,” he said. “She was not elected to bring her brand of religion into the courthouse, which is what she has done. Her particular interpretation of her religion is in violation of my interpretation of my religion.

Read more: http://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2015/07/17/marriage-license-suit-vs-clerk-back-court/30319757/

---

Kim Davis, God wants me to be a bigot.

I hope the Governor of KY fires her ass ASAP.

[Trekologer]

1. God: do your job, eat a sandwich

[hughee99]

2. If she found god and got an answer to her question, she should quit her job.

Her talents are being wasted as a clerk.

[bluestateguy]

3. At a certain point the governor will have to remove her from office

As in sending in state troopers or national guard to take over her office, arrest her and issue marriage licenses themselves, until such time as a replacement clerk can be found.

[Botany]

7. I wish that Gov. Beshear would send the State A.G. or one of his/her top assistants along ....

..... w/some law students and tell Ms. Davis that she can either do her job or
she can clean out her desk and anybody else in the County Clerk's office has 10
minutes to decide if they want to keep their jobs and that they can be replaced
by the law students right now.

Good jobs are hard to come by in KY and if these people don't want to do their
job then they have to leave their jobs right now.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

4. That's strange...

God told me Kim Davis is an asshole.

[shenmue]

19. Me too!

[irisblue]

5. interesting

from the article


Davis later testified that she is still following the Constitution because it protects expression of religion, and she noted that the Kentucky Constitution limited marriage to one man and one woman when she was elected. But under cross-examination, she struggled to answer questions about who has the final say in interrupting the Constitution, saying “I’m not a lawyer.”

When asked if the Supreme Court holds final authority, she answered “I suppose."

so far the comments have not been supportive of her position.

oh and a RW group, Liberty Council are her attorneys.

[Botany]

9. So what are her attorneys saying here? The law shouldn't be uniform in every county?

But, attorneys from the Liberty Council, a religious freedom organization representing Davis, say people can still obtain licenses in surrounding counties and that Davis’ First Amendment liberties protect her decision — even in public office.

Roger Gannam, an attorney with the group, said the couples drove an hour to last week’s hearing in Ashland and two hours to the hearing Monday in Covington and could have obtained a license in either place.

“This case is not about these plaintiffs' desires to get married,” Gannam said. “The case is about the plaintiffs desire to force Kim Davis to approve and authorize their marriage in violation of her constitutionally protected religious beliefs.”

[irisblue]

10. I bet this is the first salvo in the freedom of religion above all else.

well, the right religion that is.

[cstanleytech]

13. If it is then its missing the target by a wide margin because this isnt about

forcing her to perform a wedding inside a church but rather issue government civil marriage licenses which is part of her job and if she can and or will not do her job then she needs to be removed.

[irisblue]

15. I totally agree with you

I just suspect that the larger number of complaints the RW lawyers gather together, eventually something will be found actionable by a very conservative court. Gloomy thought I know.

[cstanleytech]

18. Thats why I am praying a democrat keeps the whitehouse for the next 2 terms atleast to fill the

next empty spot with atleast some true moderate judges at the very least if not some more progressive ones but either would be better than more conservative judges on the court which we do not need.

[csziggy]

20. She also has other comments that prove selective discrimination

"After working in the clerk’s office for nearly 30 years, she said she has never denied a license on religious grounds or asked applicants about relationships she might find sinful." From the link in the OP.

So even though the Bible says adultery is sinful, she doesn't ask if couples have gone against that dictate. She only uses her religion to discriminate the more obvious couples - the same sex ones.

[Snow Leopard]

6. seems an opening for Jesus' line

about to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God (paraphrase) In this case the licenses are of Caesar, so she should have no issue.

[dhill926]

8. funny how her god reinforced...

her prejudices...

[wolfie001]

11. She prob'ly wants someone to set up a "go fund me" for her

What a sanctimonious POS.

[negoldie]

24. Clerks should go to jail

I live two counties west of her. She is a real piece of work. She and the Casey county clerk, named ironically enough, Casey are both gonna lose and it may have to come out of their own pockets. Yes there will be a go fund me page, but for someone with a real need check out my own page. I have stage 3 Mantle Cell Lymphoma, a rare non hods kins lymphoma, it is chronic and I am eighteen months into the 3 year median survival rate. Tomorrow is chemo maintenance, 6 hours of chemicals and steroids. Not a real fun experience. If ya have 10-20 bucks I would really appreciate the help, check me out at: http://www.gofundme.com/y4d8hs
Let's hope they give these clerks an ultimatum and they lose their job. As the proud father of a gay daughter, it wouldn't bother me in the least if they jailed them both!
Take care!

[wolfie001]

28. Good luck and take care to you and your daughter!

I'll check it out.

[skepticscott]

12. If she had said she sought Aristotle

or Napoleon, or St. Augustine, or George Washington, or anybody else, her mental fitness would be questioned by everyone. But strangely enough, when it's god's voice she hears in her head and listens to, lots of people think it's just great and she's as sane as anyone.

[rpannier]

17. I guess she never consulted God about her divorces

Someone posted she's been divorced 3 times
I'm sure God is just thrilled by that

[Henryville]

14. Do your job or quit...

I don't care which...

[rpannier]

16. Someone posted in the commenst that she's been divorced 3 times

If true, talk about violating the Bible with double exclamation points

[jimmydwight]

21. What if she worked in a bar and refused to serve liquor? Time to change your job or

change your mind, I would say.

[Javaman]

22. Amazing isn't it...

the more they refuse to do their jobs, the more likely they will be fired and someone who is not a colossal bigot, will be hired to fill the job.

thus defeating these morons "messages from god".

I'm always amused by bigots and racists inability to understand irony.

[hamsterjill]

23. I respect her right to seek God on matters.

I engage in that to a degree myself. I do not respect her right to force her religious beliefs on anyone else.

She is free to practice her religion in her life, in her home, etc., but if she is going to be employed in a government position she is going to have to recognize the separation of church and state and either DO the job she is being paid to do with ALL duties that are assigned for that position, or else find another job.

With the obvious angst and concern that doing the duties of her position is now causing her, it is clearly evident to me that she needs to resign and find different employment. I think that might be what God is telling her...

[Arugula Latte]

25. More religious lunacy ...

How much better off we'd be as a country and as a planet if people would let go of this nonsense.

[HassleCat]

26. Insome counties

I think the official job title is "Preacher-Clerk." In the more liberal areas, it might be "Clerk-Preacher."

[shenmue]

27. How about seeking the law?

[mahatmakanejeeves]

29. Same story from USA Today, Wednesday morning

Warning: autoplay commercial. Mine was for Ingalls Shipbuilding. I think I'll go buy an aircraft carrier.

Ky. county clerk invokes God in denying gay marriages