As my husband and I discussed the news about Rowan County Kentucky clerk, Kim Davis, who refused to obey the law she vowed to uphold as an elected government official, two main thoughts popped into my head.
- First, it is a complete travesty of government that she could not be fired for failure to do her job, due to various administrative red-tape-hoopla that makes my head swim. It should not be so difficult or expensive or time-consuming to ensure hired officials do the jobs they promised to do.
The average American has little to no job security, and can be fired at the drop of a hat with or without cause, the employee may never know. Yet Kim Davis, as are all other elected officials, maintain not only a high salary but pretty stable job security, even when they refuse to do their job! Bernie Sanders, let’s get on this.
Second, most of the media attention and public comments went toward Davis, her personal beliefs, her hypocritical stance as an elected government official who wanted to keep her salary and her morals, her arrest, her “martyrdom”, and release. A few online news sources hit upon the topic of Davis’ beliefs and where those come from, including the general practices of the denomination she adheres to, Apostolic Pentecostalism. My concern though, was with the “man behind the curtain”, the one pulling her strings and teaching her what to do, and coaching her on what to say. After all, by her own claim, Davis had only been “born again” 4 years earlier. I tried looking up who Kim Davis’ pastor was, and did find his name.
Daniel Carter is the senior pastor of Rock Solid Apostolic Church in Moorehead, KY, and has only made one
public statement to date, through Christian News Network. In this interview, he talks a lot about the constitutional rights of Mrs. Davis being stolen because “she was in jail because she stood by her convictions”. I don’t suppose it ever dawned on Pastor Carter that abortion-clinic bombers likewise go to jail for the same reasons, that terrorists go to jail for standing by their convictions, that lots of people who do wrong do so with sincere beliefs in their own righteousness.
Kim Davis put herself in a compromising situation, promised to uphold the law of Kentucky, then promptly broke a law, knowingly, willingly, joyfully. Kim Davis has a right to her beliefs, she does not have the right to obstruct the law. Without the ability to fire her, without her willing resignation, the judge who held her in contempt was absolutely correct to do so.
Still, what is more telling than all the demonstrations, lawsuits, media coverage, and public commentary, is simply this: Sr. Pastor Daniel Carter has gone silent as has his church. The church’s website has been shut down for days, maybe weeks. The church phone is not receiving calls. The Christian News Network article states,
“[Pastor Carter] made it clear that he did not want to the discuss the church’s teachings or beliefs, nor Kim Davis herself, and rather desired to accentuate the freedoms that all Americans are losing.“Kim Davis doesn’t want this to be about her. This is about freedom of religion in this country,” Carter said. “This is not about our church. This is not about any church. This is not [even] about Christianity.”
But of course it is, Pastor Cater! This issue solely concerns your teachings and beliefs. Those are the entire reason Kim Davis and her actions were brought to the spotlight to begin with. I am certain Pastor Carter knows all this however, so what is he trying hide?
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Sources (In order of appearance):
http://www.apostolic-churches.com/pages/Morehead—Solid-Rock-Apostolic-Church-6458.html
The Midwest Courier 
Any job position is no place to creating a platform for one’s beliefs, Christian or not. Throughout the course of our work days opportunities may arise that give us a chance to speak with people about what we believe, but if your religious convictions impede your ability to perform your job then it is, government paid position or not, then you should seek other employment or expect to be fired.
Not being able to be easily fired is something that should be corrected for her position and since she refused to step down and let someone else take over who would perform the job they agreed to. Not doing that the judge really had no other option then to temporarily remove her so that the marriage license system could actually work again. Kim Davis is not a pastor or other religious head that is validating a marriage before God and as such has no moral ground to refuse passing out a piece of paper that validates a marriage in the eyes of the state, not Got.
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Very good article. I agree Kim has a right to her beliefs but when you work for the government you have to follow their rules or leave your job.
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Exactly. If you find your morals compromised at any job, you have the freedom and duty to your conscience to seek another position.
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Well said. As for why he’s hiding, my first guess is he doesn’t want a strong association with someone in such clear violation of oaths made to serve the public, regardless of motivation for failures like that.
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Nice, Loura! You know, I didn’t even consider the man behind it all. Thank goodness you did!
“Kim Davis does not want this to be about her.” I call bull-honkey!
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Thank you, Kathi! I also call bull on that statement.
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