Random Politics & Religion #00

You are happy that a district court judge denies to toss out contributions from a Super PAC?

As possibly being bribes? As in direct opposition to the most specious reasoning in CU?

Oh **** yes.

The Vatican on Wednesday confirmed that controversial Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis met with Pope Francis last Thursday during his U.S. visit.

Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi said he would not deny that the meeting took place but declined further comment. The pope was in Washington for most of Thursday, flying to New York later in the day. Davis, the clerk of courts for Rowan County, and her husband, Joe Davis, met the pope at the Vatican Embassy in Washington, lawyer Mat Staver told USA TODAY.

Davis made national news after refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, claiming it would have conflicted with her Christian beliefs. She spent five nights in jail and was allowed to return to work when she agreed not to interfere with the issuance of licenses. Davis said in a news release that she was humbled by the meeting.

“I never thought I would meet the pope,” she said. “Who am I to have this rare opportunity? I am just a county clerk who loves Jesus and desires with all my heart to serve him. Pope Francis was kind, genuinely caring and very personable.”

Francis touched on the issue during a press conference as he flew back to Rome on Sunday, the Associated Press reported. He told reporters that he wasn’t familiar with details of the case but called conscientious objection a human right, even for government officials.

John Thavis, a former Catholic News Service reporter and author of The Vatican Prophecies, noted that the pope meets with many people during his foreign visits.

"If meeting Kim Davis was the pope's idea, then it has some significance and I think he's sending a message," Thavis said. "But if this was simply another of the meet-and-greet variety of encounters, arranged by someone else, then I think we shouldn't read too much into it."

Mike Huckabee, a former governor of Arkansas now seeking the GOP presidential nominee, tweeted that the pope appreciated that Davis "followed her conscience & convictions."

Huckabee also tweeted: "While the media elites were slobbering b/c @Pontifex commented on climate change, he held a quiet & powerful meeting w/ a humble KY clerk."


The Vatican reached out to Davis through other parties who contacted Staver, the lawyer said. Staver said he was there when a car picked up the Davises to take them to the embassy. The couple was at the embassy for two hours, but the actual visit with the pope lasted 15 minutes, Staver said.

"He held out his hands and he asked Kim to pray," Staver said. "He thanked her for her courage. He said these words, 'Stay strong,' and they embraced and hugged."

The pope spoke in English during the meeting, Staver said.

The pontiff also gave Davis two rosaries that he personally blessed, according to Staver. "Kim's mother and father are both lifelong Catholics so Kim will present those rosaries to them," he said.

Afterward, Davis was "overwhelmed," Staver said.

"She was amazed that she was able to meet with Pope Francis," the lawyer said. "She never imagined in her life that she would meet with the pope and that itself was just an experience that she will never forget."

The meeting "sends a worldwide message that the pope stands on the side of religious freedombigotry," Staver said.

Assuming it's true, that's a great way to undo the positive PR he accomplished over his trip. Not that the Church's explicit bigotry is a surprise to anyone, but siding with a person that many people view as a fundamentalist lunatic is pretty low.

There is no question about this.

Religious faith is not a excuse to commit crimes. Your insults are amusing tho.

Yes there is, there's nothing in her religion forbiding issuing marriage licenses.

Religious faith is not a excuse to commit crimes. Your insults are amusing tho.

Even though the money never goes to the candidate?

Remember, the senator in this case was soliciting for (your article said so) the Super PAC, they never received the money from the contributions, the Super PAC did. (It's amazing what a word can do to change one's viewpoint)

How is that bribery again?

Religious faith is not a excuse to commit crimes....

To fanatics it is.

You cannot tell her what her faith is.

As of the Supreme Court ruling though, she is definitely in the wrong line of work.

Back to just denying huh? I know its illegal for a public official to violate the law, hence why she was jailed. Conscientious objection does not apply at all, its just an excuse she tried to use and it failed because it has no relevance. She committed a crime, she was jailed, if her deputies had not agreed to issue licenses she could still be in jail. She has no right to violate the law.

Again, she committed no crime. She just refused to do something opposed to her faith. You know this. Vic knows this.

She defied a court order. Civil servants do not have the right to object on religious grounds. It's literally the same law that grants them religious freedom in the first place.

What law did she violate?

There ya go. She defied a court order where a judged ordered her to do something against her faith. Imprisonment for this is absurd and an accomodation should be made until she is replaced. I don't even agree with her but I guess this is the curse that I have of clear thinking a being level headed. I have to argue with people that make emotional, vengeful decisions.

Obergefell v. Hodges is the exact order that she was in violation of. Its a crime, there is no grey area. If she doesn't like it she can resign. Jail was the last resort, she was offered the opportunity to let her deputies issues the licenses but she refused to comply so off she went. That was the only accomodation she deserved. Also you playing the victim card is pathetic.