General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsKim Davis is not following the tenets of her Apostolic Christian Church
This is brilliant--discovered by a Rabbi--and posted urging her to follow her own church's Statement of Faith.
Rowan County clerk Kim Davis refuses to issue marriage licenses to anyone because of the Supreme Court ruling extending marriage rights to same sex couples. She claims she is doing this on the authority of God. Ms. Davis is an Apostolic Christian. Among the 20 points listed in the Apostolic Churchs Statement of Faith (http://www.apostolicchristian.org/page.cfm?p=555) is the following:
Governmental authority is respected and obeyed. Members serve in a non-combatant status in the military. Oaths are not taken, but truth is affirmed.
Among the Bible passages used to bolster this teaching is Romans 13: 110:
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is Gods servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are Gods servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. 6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are Gods servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. 8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,[a] and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: Love your neighbor as yourself. 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
As an Apostolic Christian Ms. Davis believes the Bible is inerrant and is to be read literally. A literal reading of Romans makes it clear that governments are controlled by God, and that government employees, like the judges of the Supreme Court, are Gods servants. Rebelling against the government is the same as rebelling against God. And yet this is exactly what Ms. Davis is doing: she is rebelling against God.
Ms. Davis has said that her refusal to issue marriage licenses is a Heaven or Hell decision. I agree. My fear is that by rebelling against God she is condemning herself to Hell. I call upon Apostolic Christians everywhere to come to her aid: urge her to either comply with the ruling of Gods servants or resign her position. If you love this God fearing woman please help her step off the road to damnation.
http://www.rabbirami.com/help-save-kim-davis-soul/
Matariki
(18,775 posts)"The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves"
So, North Korea then? 'God' is kind of a dick, by biblical accounts.
mnhtnbb
(31,384 posts)I just find it interesting that a rabbi--no less--did the homework to discover that this
woman who claims to be following God is NOT following the tenets of her own church.
That pretty much tells you that she is getting bad counsel not only from attorneys,
but also members of her own church, or else she is just a publicity seeking, money grubbing,
renegade looking for ways to support her own bigotry.
Matariki
(18,775 posts)Like most christians of her ilk, she is selective about what she uses from the bible to support her biases.
Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)as if he was God's proxy on Earth, with a full heart and total devotion. It also says that women should never exert authority over men nor even speak in public. This book remains popular in spite of these very backward teachings.
nichomachus
(12,754 posts)God is a total dick, not "kind of dickish."
Matariki
(18,775 posts)"kind of dickish" reads better
Truely, Crazy Yahweh reads like some kind of sadistic mafia don.
Vinca
(50,269 posts)After she's racked up something remotely close to homophobic bakers she'll retire to a beach somewhere. Maybe she'll find hubby #5 after her bank account's full.
hobbit709
(41,694 posts)mnhtnbb
(31,384 posts)Hadn't see this one!
fritzmb
(2 posts)Just to clarify, the Apostolic Christian Church of America (apostolicchristian.org), the church referenced in this post, is an Anabaptist-based denomination. Kim Davis is not a part of this denomination. Apparently the church she attends is a part of a Pentecostal denomination that also has Apostolic in its name. These two denominations are not associated, and are significantly different.
mnhtnbb
(31,384 posts)factchecker99
(1 post)You have the facts wrong. Kim Davis is not a member of that (Anabaptist) group. She is a member of the similarily named Apostolic Pentecostal group which has no such beliefs about oaths.
yardwork
(61,599 posts)She doesn't have the right to get paid not to do her job.
If her religious beliefs conflict with her job duties, then she needs to resign.
If she is allowed to dictate her job responsibilities based on her personal beliefs, where would it end? Police officers refusing to work on Sundays? Magistrates refusing to marry interracial couples or previously divorced people?
mnhtnbb
(31,384 posts)denomination was revealed.
It doesn't change the fact that she took an oath to uphold the laws and Constitution
of the United States. If her personal religious views--which are not even shared by millions
of Christians and Jews who do support marriage equality-- interfere with the duties of her job, then
she should resign.