One of the six North Carolina
magistrates who have quit rather than marry gay and lesbian couples
has said that to do so would have meant risking his soul.
In
explaining why he left his job, Bill Stevenson of Gaston County
said that he prayed for wisdom on his decision.
“I prayed about it; I asked for
wisdom,” he told the Christian Examiner. “I think our
hearts have been led away by the cares of the world, our desires, and
ultimately, our intense arrogance – our hubris – against the
Lord.”
“We've rejected the prime authority
of the scriptures, something our nation's Founding Fathers, such as
John Adams, knew better than to do. … In both the Old and New
Testaments, homosexuality is something the Lord does not approve of,
and since He doesn't, I could not put the sanction of the state on a
relationship that runs afoul of scripture.”
Speaking to the Christian Post,
he added: “I hate to wax it so biblical but it says, 'What good is
it for a man to gain the whole world but lose his own soul?' So
that's the stakes I put on this.”
The other five magistrates who have
stepped down over the issue are: John Kallam Jr. (Rockingham County),
Gilbert Breedlove (Swain County), Tommy Holland (Graham County),
Gayle Myrick (Union County) and Jeff Powell (Jackson County).
(Related: Hundreds
rally for magistrate who quit rather than marry gay couples.)