The Insanity Continues to Grow

Today is decision day for the Rowan County (KY) Clerk Kim Davis.  She has resolutely held her ground in refusing to issue same-sex marriage licenses because doing so would violate her strong religious faith.  This past Monday, the United States Supreme Court denied her request for a stay of a judge's order from a lower court that she issue those marriage licenses.  Bob Unruh reports that "Justice Elena Kagan, who oversees the district, was one of the two justices, along with Ruth Ginsberg, who defied conventional judicial ethics and performed a 'same-sex wedding' while the Obergefell case establishing the legality of same-sex marriage was under consideration.  She had received the request for a stay in the Davis case and referred it to the whole court.  But the justices refused to consider Davis' constitutional religious rights and, without comment, refused to act."  (www.wnd.com/2015/08/supremes-decide-on-clerk-who-refuses-to-marry-gays). 




Friends, the four dissenting justices on the Obergefell case, cited that there would be a clash between the new "marriage right" and the First Amendment right of the free exercise of both religion and speech.  In his article, Unruh cites Liberty Counsel founder Mat Staver, who is representing Ms. Davis in this matter.  Staver said, "Providing religious conviction accommodations is not antithetical for public employees.  Throughout our history, the courts have accommodated people's deeply held religious beliefs.  The Supreme Court's marriage opinion does not suggest that religious accommodations cannot be made or that people have a fundamental right to receive a marriage license from a particular clerk.  There is absolutely no reason that this case has gone so far without reasonable people respecting and accommodating Kim Davis' First Amendment rights.  The SSM Mandate demands that she either fall in line (her conscience be damned) or leave office (her livelihood and job for three decades in the clerk's office be damned).  If Davis' religious objections cannot be accommodated when Kentucky marriage licenses are available in more than 130 marriage licensing locations, and many other less restrictive alternatives remain available, then elected officials have no real religious freedom when they take public office."




This afternoon, Kim Davis and her office staff have a meeting with elected officials.  At that time the Rowan County Clerk will be told to have her office begin issuing "same-sex" marriage licenses, or, if she continues to refuse, she will be held in contempt of court and could face jail time and a fine, or, she will be terminated from her office.  And so the "snowball effect" of the Supreme Court's decision keeps on rolling down the hill.



I want to also share with you this week my troubled heart over the attacks upon our nation's law-enforcement officials.  Four policemen have been murdered in the past eight days.  The latest being a policeman from Illinois.  Now I realize that there are good cops and bad cops - just as there are good doctors and bad doctors, good lawyers and bad lawyers, good pastors and bad pastors, good parents and bad parents.  And I realize that mistakes in judgment can be made by any of us. But,  our police and law officers should not be wearing a target on their backs.  They should not be "open game" to anyone who wants to get some revenge for some supposed hurt they have been nursing for years. 




And I believe it is sadder yet that some organizations can get away with their blatant anti-law enforcement rhetoric.  Just to give you an example: Last Saturday there was a march organized by Black Lives Matter in front of the entrance to the Minnesota State Fair Grounds.  One of the slogans that they shouted was, "Pigs in a blanket, fry 'em like bacon!"  It does not take a rocket scientist's reasoning to know exactly what they were saying.  The target of their venom was at those very same law-enforcement men and women who were protecting them as they marched down Snelling Avenue in front of the Fair Grounds.  Were any arrests made for "hate speech?"  Of course not!  Did the media report this as "hate speech?"  Of course not! 




Townhall published an article, written by Dennis Prager, that I highly recommend for your reading.  You can find it at www.townhall.com/columnists/dennisprager/2015/09/01/the-left-sees-only-white-evil-n2046237. 


Perhaps I am more sensitive to this issue because we have several families within our congregation who are law-enforcement officials.  I remember them in prayer often.  And I often wonder what it is like to send your spouse off in the morning or afternoon, wearing the uniform that in the past has meant "to protect and to serve", and not knowing if you will ever see that spouse alive at the end of the day.  Friends, our law-enforcement officials need some encouragers right now.  They are in the front lines of a war and it seems the deck is stacked against them.  So, give a word of blessing to an officer this week.  Share a word of thanks with them.  You can even tell them you are praying for them and their families.  I believe that this is what Jesus would do.


Before I close I want to share with you an opportunity to join me in a visit to the Holy Land next May 17-28, 2016.  We will be in Israel 12 days, walking where Jesus walked, sharing in the stories of the Patriarchs, and visiting those places you have read about in the Bible.  If you would like to have information on this tour, please just respond with a Facebook message and share your address.  I will get information in the mail to you immediately.


So, keep looking up....our Redeemer is coming soon!