Saturday, September 05, 2015

Persecution Complex (2)

Rachel Held Evans vs. Reality in ten rounds or less:

Rachel: “For the sake of the gospel, drop the persecution complex.” 

Reality: “Kentucky clerk’s office will issue marriage licenses Friday — without the clerk.”

Rachel: “Not only do American Christians experience complete religious freedom in this country, we also enjoy tremendous privilege.”

Reality: “A Kentucky county clerk [has been] found in contempt of court and held Thursday for her refusal to issue marriage licenses after the Supreme Court decision to allow gays to wed.”

Rachel: “Christians like to imagine themselves as the scrappy underdogs, bullied and oppressed for their faith yet bravely standing for their beliefs.”

Reality: “Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis, whom U.S. District Court Judge David Bunning has placed in the custody of U.S. marshals ready to take her to Boyd County jail, said through her lawyers that she will not authorize any of her employees to issue licenses in her absence.”

Rachel: “Neil Carter, who was actually fired from his teaching job for being an atheist, suggests that Christians create fictions like these because ‘real life does not sufficiently validate people’s persecution complexes.’ ”

Reality: “[Bunning] indicated that he would lift the contempt charge against the defiant county clerk if deputies began issuing marriage licenses.”

*   *   *   *   *

Look, the issue here is not complicated: all the character assassination floating around about Kim Davis being a Democrat, a three-time divorcee, etc. is completely irrelevant. Davis’ conscience prevents her from performing a job she took an oath to perform. But she took her oath when the job was defined differently. She swore to do her job when her job consisted of a different set of duties. The U.S. Supreme court changed the rules, and Davis is paying the price.

What Davis is currently engaged in may be characterized as insubordination. When people are insubordinate, you may fire them. The people to whom Ms Davis is accountable are at liberty to do so. And since she is an elected official, they may do it at the next election. Or I believe impeachment is possible if they can’t wait that long.

But putting someone in jail unnecessarily simply for refusing to violate her conscience is … well … persecution.

Deal with it, Rachel.

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