-North Carolina: 6 Judges Resign to Avoid Conducting Same-Sex Weddings
by Dr. D ~ October 31st, 2014
Since Same-sex marriage became legal in North Carolina, at least 6 magistrates have resigned in order to avoid conducting same-sex ceremonies which were contrary to their religious convictions. Here’s the story from the Christian Post:
Since gay marriage was legalized in North Carolina on Oct. 10, at least six North Carolina judges have resigned from their benches because they do not want to go against their Christian faith and conduct wedding ceremonies for same-sex couples. …
All six magistrates, Kallam, Breedlove, Bill Stevenson (Gaston County), Tommy Holland (Graham County), Gayle Myrick (Union County) and Jeff Powell (Jackson County) say they are waiting on God to give them direction in starting the next phases of their lives. …
While these magistrates are just six of the 670 county magistrates that serve in North Carolina, other Christian judges who haven’t resigned have indicated that they will simply not conduct the same-sex marriages as required by law, which could lead to their dismissal.
Response: So in the future will judges in states that recognize same-sex marriage be required to conduct same-sex ceremonies regardless of their religious convictions? That would seem to be one take away lesson here.
Six North Carolina judges found that their responsibilities now included conducting same-sex weddings which were against their Christian faith so chose to resign. In the article it also stated that some other Christian judges decided to keep their jobs but planned to decline to perform same-sex ceremonies. It will be interesting to see how those judges fare and whether they will be forced to comply or resign.
This brings up another question. Will conservative Christians who do not support same-sex marriages be disqualified "a priori" from becoming magistrates and judges in the future? Without legislation in place to support the religious convictions of Christian judges to turn down same-sex ceremonies that may be one of the consequences.
It is hard to even imagine a judiciary that is completely devoid of Christian influence and what would that mean for America and religious freedom in the future? *Top
November 1st, 2014 at 11:31 am
You discuss the possibility that the US judiciary could be ‘purged’ of Evangelical/Conservative Christians.
Remember, also, that there was a pharmacist who got in trouble for refusing to carry ‘morning after’ birth control pills. And a couple of different psychology grad students who got in trouble with their school for their views on homosexuality.
I believe that a real potential exists for the US to create a de facto religious apartheid, in which one’s ability to work in a broad ranger of professions, one’s ability to enroll in colleges/universities/grad programs, and hold a government job will be implicated if one refuses to bow to the idol of homosexual marriage.
Indeed, considering that the Obama administration already has a precedent of imposing politically correct regulations on contractors working for the government, I could see either Obama or some future administration in which working for the government, or for any contractor who does business with the government, would require one to acknowledge/embrace the homosexual agenda.
November 2nd, 2014 at 7:52 am
Brian,
My concerns precisely. Recently a Christian professor was fired from a university because he believed in the creation even though he affirmed that evolution was correct on a certain level ultimately he believed that God designed and initiated it all and that small concession was unacceptable. This is going on in many different professions. All ready there are very few Christians left in the news media. Christians have been asleep for far too long and it is time to waken the sleeping giant before we are all boiled in the increasingly warming hot water.