I've been pondering the Kim Davis news situation the past few days and I have to admit I'm not sure what the best answer is. I am a firm believer in upholding the law, but the Bible says if the law goes against God's law, we are to disobey it. So what's right?
It reminds me of the time we lived in a condo association for over ten years. If you were related to, or a good friend of a board member, you could pretty much do as you pleased. The documents did not allow tile floors on the second floor, in spite of how well they were sound proofed. The buildings weren't really designed to hold all that weight. I know when we tiled our first floor unit-which was legal-the unit creaked and groaned all night. At a party I was attending, some of the owners of upstairs units were discussing the possibility of tiling their floors. When I said it was against regs, there were several people there who were very angry that I would suggest such a thing. However, another attendee quietly said they had asked permission and were denied. Why? It would be my guess that they lived over a board member and they weren't on good terms. Another family tiled their place and a new board forced them to remove it because it was against regs. One got away with it, one was forced to correct it, and one was denied the privilege. Hypocrisy.
Periodically, I would speak up at a board meeting and ask that either regs be upheld or removed.. Didn't matter which, just do one or the other. I had no clout and was ignored.
I say all that to say it's the same with our laws. I'm frustrated that the President has violated many, many laws with impunity. Our borders have people pouring in day after day, bringing drugs, arms, and people. We have sanctuary cities that allow criminals to stay in this country in spite of the fact they broken more than just the law of how they entered our borders. The Bible says if you've broken one law, you've broken them all.
Congress has done much the same thing and are planning to do more. The Supreme Court, the supposed final say upholding the law of the land has violated the laws themselves, overriding what is supposed to be the right of the states. Hypocrisy.
Getting angry and spewing invective and vitriol adds to the chaos rather than solving anything. I've been accused of being Sarah Palin's little sister, although I'm probably old enough to be her mother, or aunt at the very least. All because I said something that caused someone else to take offense. Do some people no longer have the right to disagree? If so, who decided which people would be oppressed because they have a differing opinion? Sarah Palin does seem to be a lightening rod and because I often draw the wrath of those who disagree with me, she and I may be related somewhere along the line after all. However, I have no desire to be a lightening rod. I would prefer to have a reasonable dialogue, each discussing our point of view respectfully. If I think that's going to happen, I'm neither hypocritical or confused. I'm dreaming.
After I said something on Facebook last Saturday about Kim Davis, I'm sure I'm going to draw fire from some of the 30 or so posts I've been dreading looking at. Later, I watched "McClintock." Now, what in the world does an old John Wayne movie have to do with anything?
Just this. John Wayne was a staunch conservative politically. He was a law abiding man. He was also a huge help to the military during Viet Nam. We had a neighbor who said that other movie stars would travel to Nam, but refuse to get out of the safety of the plane any where close to the fighting. Not John Wayne. He made sure he got in harm's way and have a drink with the men fighting for their country.
His personality was so big, he overshadowed all the characters of his movies. Don't get me wrong. I love watching John Wayne to this day. I have a strong feeling he was just the same in real life as reel life. And, I admired him for it. Each of his movies had him going against the status quo and you went right along with him. He was doing the right thing in his law-breaking. And, that's where the hypocrisy comes in. If John Wayne was right in defying the law, why aren't those who defy the law today? Perhaps it has to do with why the law is being defied. He always stood up for the oppressed. I'm sure those who defy the law today believe they're being oppressed. Are they? Confusing. And is it hypocritical to think it's OK for some people to break the law, but not others? I'll have to think about this some more. And be extremely careful about what I say on my Facebook posts.
Going back to Kim Davis, I have to say I don't have any answers. Thank God I'm a little nobody in a backwater town. It doesn't matter what I think. I'm not putting myself down. I'm also a child of God and that makes me a princess. What others think of me is of no consequence. What I think of myself is either giving glory to God or insulting Him. I choose to glorify Him by being thankful He's made me His child-a princess in His sight.
If I had been Kim Davis, I would have resigned. That would have enabled her to uphold her religious convictions without imposing her beliefs on anyone else. I've done it before and I'd do it again. The last time I resigned, my former boss and her husband begged me to apply for unemployment. Reluctantly, I did so. The woman who called me about my claim happened to have two jobs. She was also the pastor of a black church. I so admire black women. They are such hard workers. Anyway, she asked me why I didn't wait to be fired if I thought that was the plan of the board. That way, there'd be no question about my claim. "Because it would weaken my testimony," was my response. I wanted the board to face the fact they'd done wrong and I could not stand by and watch their behavior. No job is worth more than being obedient to the Lord. The woman who called made me promise I would refile when I got the rejection letter in the mail, assuring me I would receive unemployment, in spite of the fact I had resigned. I couldn't do it. I knew the rules going in. I wrote her a letter of apology, thanking her profusely for her support, but I'm a rule follower. If I can't follow the rules, I resign. I believe that's what God had me do.
That's not to say Kim Davis is wrong in her stand. That's where the confusing part comes in. She is doing what she believes God is calling her to do and sometimes, the very thing we think is wrong, God uses to turn into good. Perhaps that's what is going on now. Whether it's hypocritical, confusing, right or wrong, it's a good thing it's all in God's hands. He knows the answers. I sure don't. (And, neither does anyone else who's sticking their two cents in.)
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