Does Kim Davis Hate Gays?

When I read about the Kim Davis story, it is hard not to think about the prophet Daniel. I know the situations do not compare in scale, but there is something similar at work. A government official refuses to obey the law because his or her commitment to God is a higher obligation.

I see that a lot of people don’t get that. And I understand it. It is strange, and they feel like the only way to make sense of it is to assume hatred is at work.

For the record, I agree with what Davis is doing, but for me, it has nothing to do with hatred. And I ask you to just try to get into our mindset. Try to see how we could be telling the truth when we say our objection to homosexual marriage comes from a place of love.

Think of it this way. Suppose you are married, and your spouse asks you to remain faithful. Your coworkers, however, are not married, and fly from meaningless fling to meaningless fling. Not only that, but they tell you that if you do not cheat, they are going to beat you. Your choices are to either betray your spouse, take the beating, or give up your job and leave.

Which would you choose? Could you be so loveless as to break your vows for the approval of your friends? Would you take the beating without protesting, knowing they will just get worse and worse? Would you give up your livelihood? If you do, you are setting the precedent for every other married person in that office.

This is very much like what a Christian person goes through in the debate over gay marriage. We do not want to hurt anyone. But we believe that homosexuality is not good. It was never part of God’s purpose. He has told us so, and we love Him, so we want to abide by what He has said. Not just in this, mind you, but in everything. And we are not always consistent, obviously, but past mistakes do not excuse future compromises. We cannot, in good conscience, condone, celebrate, or participate in homosexual marriages because it would damage our relationship with God.

Maybe you don’t think it would, and it is ok if you do. Maybe you are right. But we don’t think so. And isn’t that the point? There is a difference between being told what you should believe, and what you must believe. The one is about persuasion, the other about force. I don’t want to force you to do anything. Please don’t try to force us to do things that would break our hearts.

Is Davis right, as a public official, to refuse to follow the law? Again, I think so. Her love for God comes first, no matter what other people tell her. When a law is unjust, it is a moral imperative to disobey it. She is already paying a price. Probably, she won’t win. But it is worth the effort. It is better than just giving up, and far better than giving in. Better to be faithful to the Lord, regardless of the cost, than to betray Him. And believe it or not, that is the only thing this is about.