300 words soc religion disscussion bored

God H ate s N ag s: W hy in G od’s N am e is W estb oro

Pro te stin g K im D avis ?

re lig io ndis p atc h es.o rg

/g od-h ate s-n ags-w hy-in -g ods-n am e-is -w estb oro -p ro te stin g-k im -d avis /

Mem bers o f th e in fa m ously a nti- g ay W estb oro B aptis t C hurc h ( W BC ) a rriv e d in M ore head, K entu cky to day

to

pic ke t

th e R ow an C ounty c o urth ouse , w ork p la ce o f K im D avis , th e c o unty c le rk a nd “ re lig io us lib erty ”

marty r w ho r o se to fa m e b y r e fu sin g to is su e m arria ge lic e nse s to s a m e-s e x c o uple s c it in g “ G od’s

auth orit y .”

Davis ’s r e lig io us r ig ht c re dentia ls a re s o lid . H er s ta nd fo r “ re lig io us lib erty ” h as r e su lt e d in th e s u pport

of fo ur p re sid entia l h opefu ls — Te d C ru z, M ik e H ucka bee, B obby J in dal, a nd R and P aul— a

vis it w it h th e

Pope

, a nd c o m paris o ns to

Rosa P ark s.

P le nty o f o th ers o ppose d D avis , o f c o urs e , b oth b eca use o f h er

anti- g ay s ta nce a nd b eca use o f h er r e fu sa l to d o th e jo b s h e to ok a n o ath to d o. N o o ne, th ough, h as

crit ic iz e d h er fo r b ein g b oth in su ffic ie ntly a nti- g ay

and

dis re sp ectin g th e la w

.

No o ne u ntil W estb oro B aptis ts , th at is , w ho h ave la unch ed p erh aps th e s tr a ngest h om ophobe-o n-

hom ophobe a tta ck im agin able .

Lik e m any o f h er c rit ic s, W estb oro B aptis ts p oin t to D avis ’ fo ur m arria ges a s e vid ence o f h yp ocris y th at

underm in es h er c la im to b oth s tr o ngly h eld r e lig io us b elie f a nd th e m ora l a uth orit y to d eny o th ers m arria ge

lic e nse s. T hey a ls o fr a m e th eir c rit ic is m in a la rg er s to ry a bout A m eric a ’s d ecle nsio n in to a fu ll- b lo w n

Sodom a nd G om orra h ( a c la im th at m any o th ers in th e R elig io us R ig ht p re dic te d w it h

Oberg efe ll v . H odges

but h ave n ot ta ke n q uit e a s fa r). T he c h urc h , d ra w in g fr o m it s h yp er-C alv in is t u nders ta ndin g o f G od’s

engagem ent w it h th e w orld ,

exp la in s

:

[T ]h e S upre m e C ourt o f th e U nit e d S ta te s, fu lf illin g th eir d estin y, m ade s a m e-s e x m arria ge

th e la w o f th e la nd. T he d uty o f a ll m ankin d is to O BEY th e la w s o f G od a nd th e la w s o f

man. E nte r, K im D avis … .T he S upre m e C ourt, in th e p ro vid ence o f G od, a nd fo r th e

punis h m ent o f th is n atio n, h as d ecla re d th at s a m e-s e x m arria ge IS th e la w o f D oom ed U SA.

So D O IT !! … J u st n ote K im D avis … G od w ill N EVER h ave S am e-S ex M arria ge, b ut h e

does n ot r e quir e Y O U to d is o bey to d eal w it h th is n atio n. … G od h as H IS w eapons in H IS

arm ory , s o K im D avis n eeds to H USH a nd O BEY th e la w th at s h e h elp ed b rin g a bout.

In W BC ’s v ie w , s a m e-s e x m arria ge is a p unis h m ent th at G od is in flic tin g o n A m eric a fo r o ur m uch la rg er

fa ilu re to a dhere to G od’s s ta ndard s fo r s e xu alit y , s p ecif ic a lly in o ur e m bra ce o f le galiz e d a bortio n, n o-fa ult

div o rc e , a nd h ig h r a te s o f r e m arria ge a fte r d iv o rc e a nd p re m arit a l s e x. W estb oro B aptis ts a re s p eakin g n ot

only to K im D avis b ut to a ll o f A m eric a w hen

th ey s a y

o f s a m e-s e x m arria ge, “ Y ou a ske d fo r it , y o u b egged

fo r it b y y o ur d is o bedie nce a nd r e fu sa l to r e ce iv e c o rre ctio n o r in str u ctio n, s o ta ke it a nd lik e it !”

Kim D avis is t h e p oste r c h ild f o r W BC’s la rg er c la im t h at “ C hris tia n s C au sed [ G ay] M arria g e.”

It’s o ur lo ng e m bra ce o f s e xu al s in — so p erfe ctly illu str a te d b y K im D avis — th at m ade G od p unis h u s w it h

sa m e-s e x m arria ge. F or W BC , K im D avis ’ ta le r e ve als th e h yp ocris y o f C hris tia n p olit ic a l a nd le gal

engagem ent.

Of F re d P help s’ c h ild re n w ho r e m ain ed w it h th e c h urc h , n in e a re tr a in ed a s la w ye rs ( in clu din g M arg ie

Phelp s a nd S hir le y P help s-R oper w ho s e rv e d a s c o unse l fo r th e c h urc h ’s 2 010 S upre m e C ourt c a se o ve r th eir r ig ht to p ic ke t fu nera ls ). A cco rd in g to th ese fie rc e d efe nders o f th e F ir s t A m endm ent, D avis h ad n o

re lig io us r ig ht to d eny a pplic a nts m arria ge lic e nse s. D avis a cq uir e d h er “ h ig h-d olla r s a la ry a nd d ig s [… ]

ONLY a fte r s h e to ok a n o ath to u phold a nd d efe nd th e c o nstit u tio n a nd th e la w s,” th ey w rit e . E ve n th e

WBC a rg ues th at s h e n eeds to d o th e jo b s h e w as e le cte d— and is p aid — to d o.

Churc h m em bers c o uld c it e th eir o w n s u cce ss in d oin g th eir o w n w ork in w ays th at b oth r e sp ect th e la w

and th eir r e lig io n. F or e xa m ple , R ebeka h P help s-D avis s e rv e d o n T o peka ’s H um an R ig hts C om mis sio n,

whic h in ve stig ate s c la im s o f d is crim in atio n in h ousin g, e m plo ym ent, a nd p ublic a cco m modatio ns. W hen

th e c h urc h b egan it s a nti- g ay a ctiv is m d urin g h er te nure th ere , P help s-D avis r e cu se d h ers e lf fr o m c a se s

in vo lv in g d is crim in atio n b ase d o n H IV /A ID S s ta tu s.

When h er p re se nce o n th e c o m mit te e th re ate ned to u nderm in e th e a ppeara nce o f n eutr a lit y th at is

nece ssa ry fo r it to w ork , s h e r e sig ned. T he fa m ily la w fir m r e fu se s to r e pre se nt p eople s e ekin g d iv o rc e s in

th eir fir s t m arria ges b eca use th ey b elie ve th at, w hile a p ers o n c a n b e d iv o rc e d w it h out s in nin g, a p ers o n

ca nnot file fo r d iv o rc e w it h out s in nin g. ( C hurc h m em bers w ill, h ow eve r, s e rv e a s c o unse l in a d iv o rc e in a

su bse quent m arria ge s in ce th ose m arria ges a re in va lid in th e e ye s o f G od a nyw ay.)

One m easu re o f h ow im porta nt th is is su e is to W BC is to r e aliz e th at th ey r e je ct p ote ntia l c lie nts o ve r it . In

co ntr a st, K im D avis r e fu se d to d o h er w ork , w hic h w as m ere ly to v e rif y th e a ccu ra cy o f d ocu m ents , n ot

co nduct m arria ges. T hus W estb oro B aptis ts p oin t to h er a nd s a y, w it h out ir o ny, “ K im D avis c a use d g ay

marria ge.” O f c o urs e , th ey d on’t m ean th at s h e a dvo ca te d fo r it , b ut r a th er th at h er m ult ip le m arria ges a nd

div o rc e s a re ty p ic a l o f A m eric a ns, h er r e fu sa l to d o h er jo b u nderm in es th e la w , a nd o ur c o lle ctiv e r e je ctio n

of G od’s s e xu al s ta ndard , e sp ecia lly r e gard in g d iv o rc e a nd r e m arria ge, h as “ d oom ed” u s to le gally

re co gniz e d s a m e-s e x m arria ge.

WBC h old s a v ie w o f d iv o rc e th at w asn ’t a ll th at u nco m mon e ve n a g enera tio n a go. D iv o rc e is n ot

perm is sib le fo r c h urc h m em bers ; th ough, r e alis tic a lly , it is u navo id able if a s p ouse file s fo r d iv o rc e , a

posit io n W BC s h are s w it h

oth er c o nse rv a tiv e c o ngre gatio ns.

( A ddit io nally , in c a se s o f s p ousa l a buse ,

se para tio n is e nco ura ged in W BC .) In th e W BC p ers p ectiv e , if y o u a re th e v ic tim o f d iv o rc e , th en y o u

have n’t c o m mit te d a s in , th ough it d oesn ’t m ean y o u’r e p erm it te d to r e m arry . A ll r e m arria ge a fte r d iv o rc e is

a s in , e ve n if th e e x-s p ouse h as r e m arrie d. If y o u b elie ve , a s W BC d oes, th at G od b rin gs a m an a nd

wom an to geth er to b e h usb and a nd w if e u ntil d eath , th en e ve n a d iv o rc e d oesn ’t in te rfe re w it h th is .

Dra w in g fr o m m ult ip le p assa ges fr o m th e C hris tia n S crip tu re , th e c h urc h e xp la in s:

These m atte rs a re n ot h ard a nd u ncle ar. T hat m an th at K im D avis is liv in g w it h a nd c a llin g

her h usb and [… ] IS N O T! H er h usb and is D wain W alla ce , w ho s h e m arrie d w hen s h e w as

18-y e ars -o ld . It d oes n ot m atte r h ow m any y e ars y o u p ile o n, it w as a dult e ry a t th e

begin nin g a nd it w as a dult e ry in th e m id dle a nd it is in deed a dult e ry to day!

Of c o urs e , D avis

is n ot a lo ne a m ong C hris tia ns

in h er m arit a l c h oic e s. S he is s im ply th e p oste r c h ild fo r

WBC ’s la rg er c la im th at “ C hris tia ns C ause d [G ay] M arria ge.”

Kath le en E . J e nkin ’s

ca re fu l s tu dy

o f d iv o rc e d C hris tia ns s u ggests s ig nif ic a nt u nease , p ain , a nd s h am e o n

th e is su e o f d iv o rc e a nd r e m arria ge a m ong b elie ve rs , a nd c h urc h es h ave r e sp onded in c re ativ e w ays th at

pro vid e b oth th eolo gic a l a nd p ra ctic a l a ve nues fo r d iv o rc e d p ers o ns— as e vid ence d, fo r e xa m ple , in n ew

Cath olic r u le s o n

annulm ents

.

Yet th e d is so nance is n ot fu lly r e so lv e d. F or e xa m ple , in o nlin e c h atr o om s a nd in a dvic e c o lu m ns,

eva ngelic a l C hris tia ns c o ntin ue to a sk n ot o nly w heth er r e m arria ge is p erm is sib le b ut w heth er h old in g o r

eve n m ere ly a tte ndin g a s e co nd w eddin g in a c h urc h is a v io la tio n o f C hris tia n s e xu al e th ic s. A lm ost unanim ously , th ough, e va ngelic a l C hris tia n c u lt u re p erm it s d iv o rc e a nd r e m arria ge fo r C hris tia ns.

Theolo gic a lly , e va ngelic a l C hris tia ns n ote th e m erc y a nd fo rg iv e ness o f G od fo r a d iv o rc e , w hic h th en

allo w s fo r r e m arria ge. In p artic u la r, w hen th e d iv o rc e d p ers o n w as n ot a C hris tia n p rio r to th eir d iv o rc e b ut

has b eco m e a C hris tia n, c o nce rn s a bout th e “ s in ” o f r e m arria ge a re d is m is se d.

Kim D avis , w ho s a ys s h e w asn ’t a C hris tia n p rio r to h er fo urth m arria ge, w ould n’t b e a h yp ocrit e in th is lin e

of th in kin g— in deed, o ne m ig ht a rg ue th at it p oin ts to th e fa ilu re o f s e cu la r m arria ge! B ut, in fa ct, D avis ’ fir s t

tw o w eddin gs w ere c o nducte d b y

Baptis t m in is te rs ,

s o e ve n if D avis s h ould n’t b e h eld a cco unta ble to

co nse rv a tiv e C hris tia n s ta ndard s fo r h er d iv o rc e s, it ’s lik e ly th at m any in a tte ndance , in clu din g th e p asto r

who o ffic ia te d h er s e co nd m arria ge, c o uld h ave r a is e d a n o bje ctio n o r r e fu se d to s a nctif y h er m arria ge o n

re lig io us g ro unds.

In deed, th e r e se arc h s u ggests th at th ere a re m any, m any c o nse rv a tiv e C hris tia n c h urc h es q uit e w illin g to

marry d iv o rc e d p ers o ns w it h out r e gard to th eir s p ir it u al s ta te . A bout

one-th ir d

o f A m eric a n p asto rs s a y

div o rc e is a cce pta ble fo r b asic a lly a ny r e aso n, in clu din g fa llin g o ut o f lo ve , a nd 2 9% o f e va ngelic a l p asto rs

will

co nduct a w eddin g

fo r a d iv o rc e d p ers o n “ fo r a ny r e aso n,” w hile 6 5% w ill d o s o d ependin g o n th e

cir c u m sta nce s. O nly 5 % o f e va ngelic a l p asto rs r e fu se to d o s o o n a ny g ro unds.

But fo r W estb oro B aptis ts , e va ngelic a l p asto rs ’ w illin gness to r e m arry d iv o rc e d p eople is s im ply o ne m ore

sig n o f th eir d eep fa ilu re to d o th eir d uty a s s p ir it u al le aders . O r, a s W BC s a ys, D avis “ h as d ecid ed th at

her a dult e ry is le ss s in [… ] th an th e s in o f th e s o dom it e s.” F ro m th is p osit io n, D avis a nd h er s u pporte rs

have n o g ro unds to s p eak a gain st s a m e-s e x m arria ge.

In ste ad, W estb oro B aptis ts a rg ue th at b eca use D avis r e fu se s to r e tu rn to h er fir s t h usb and, s h e h as m ade

a m ocke ry o f C hris tia n s e xu al e th ic s a nd n eeds to a t le ast a ct w it h in te grit y a s a h yp ocrit e a nd is su e

marria ge lic e nse s to g ay p eople . T hus, A m eric a ’s m ost fa m ous r e lig io us h ate rs c a n

sa y to A m eric a ’s m ost

fa m ous r e lig io us lib erty m arty r:

If K im D avis r e ce iv e d m erc y fr o m G od a nd g ra ce , a s s h e c la im s, s h e w ould , w it h a ll d ue

haste p ut h er s in a w ay. S he w ould m ourn fo r h er s in s, a nd in a s h ow o f g re at m erc y, s h e

would b e b usy a polo giz in g to [g ay p eople w ho w ant to m arry ] fo r e nablin g th em , a nd s h e

would , w it h a ll d ilig ence , g iv e th ose p erv e rts a m arria ge lic e nse .