Kim Davis, the elected clerk of Rowan
County, Kentucky, said Tuesday that she is facing a “heaven or
hell” decision on whether to issue marriage licenses to gay and
lesbian couples.
Davis on Tuesday turned away at least
four gay couples despite having exhausted all possible legal options.
(Related: KY
clerk faces contempt hearing for refusing to issue marriage licenses
to gay couples.)
In a statement issued through her
lawyers, Davis reiterated that she was not about to resign her post.
“Some people have said I should
resign, but I have done my job well,” she said. “This year we
are on track to generate a surplus for the county of 1.5 million
dollars.”
Davis said that she “surrendered”
her life to Jesus Christ four years ago, fulfilling the dying wish of
her godly mother-in-law, and insisted that not issuing the marriage
licenses has “never been a gay or lesbian issue.”
“I never imagined a day like this
would come, where I would be asked to violate a central teaching of
Scripture and of Jesus Himself regarding marriage,” Davis said.
“To issue a marriage license which conflicts with God’s
definition of marriage, with my name affixed to the certificate,
would violate my conscience. It is not a light issue for me. It is
a Heaven or Hell decision. For me it is a decision of obedience. I
have no animosity toward anyone and harbor no ill will. To me this
has never been a gay or lesbian issue. It is about marriage and
God’s Word. It is a matter of religious liberty, which is
protected under the First Amendment, the Kentucky Constitution, and
in the Kentucky Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Our history is
filled with accommodations for people’s religious freedom and
conscience. I want to continue to perform my duties, but I also am
requesting what our Founders envisioned – that conscience and
religious freedom would be protected. That is all I am asking. I
never sought to be in this position, and I would much rather not have
been placed in this position. I have received death threats from
people who do not know me. I harbor nothing against them. I was
elected by the people to serve as the County Clerk. I intend to
continue to serve the people of Rowan County, but I cannot violate my
conscience.”