THOU SHALT NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD THY GOD IN VAIN is one of the ten commandments, yet there are those like Kim Davis and others who have used God to justify their own actions and religious beliefs to discriminate against others.
Davis as a public employee of the state or county and who is responsible for issuing marriage license to those couple's who are qualified to be married under existing laws that are made by man. Her refusal to do so by taking the name of God in vain is a violation of her job and laws she swore to execute and as a result was found in contempt of the law and sentenced to jail time.
Republicans Ted Cruz and Mike Huckabee who are both seeking their party's nomination for President went to Kentucky to support Davis. Like many so called conservatives, both support using the name of God and freedom of religion to discriminate. And like the republican party in general use religion to divide the country and its people.
There is documented evidence that four thousand years ago kings in the middle east went to war with other middle east countries in the name of their God, or by order of their God. Those religious wars in that part of the world are still going on today with the various factions. Those wars will continue to go on as long as religion is used for justification.
The separation of church and state in the U. S. Constitution has worked well and will continue to do so as long as religion is not allowed to preempt the civil laws of the country using religious freedom as a means to discriminate and overturn civil laws. The U.S. has always been a nation of laws and have accepted even those laws when there is disagreement. But now conservatives have adopted a new tactic. Use religion to oppose and not enforce the laws you don't like even if it means discrimination.
The judge who sentenced Kim Davis to jail for her refusal to obey the law made the right decision. She was released from jail yesterday because her office in her absence has begun to issuing marriage license to some same sex couples. If people like Davis get their way what is the next step? Well it will be intolerance of other people's religion and a break down of civil law. Judge Bunning in releasing Davis ordered her not to interfere with the issuing of marriage licenses by her office.
At the inauguration of an American President he places his hand on the bible and swears to up hold the constitution and the laws of the land. Republican's Ted Cruz and Mike Huckabee supported Davis in her position of disobeying the law and refusing to do her job. I guess if one of them were President they would be willing to violate their oath of office and the laws they swore to uphold.
Where are our serious public officials? That and leadership is what is missing in our political system today.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
