GAY MARRIAGE-COUNTY CLERKS
Kentucky clerk: Let people buy marriage licenses online
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) β A Kentucky clerk of court wants the state to issue marriage licenses online so he doesn’t have to.
Casey County Clerk Casey Davis says same-sex marriages violate his religious beliefs. He stopped issuing marriage licenses following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that legalized gay marriage.
On Monday, Davis urged Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear to call a special session of the state legislature. Davis says lawmakers should pass a law allowing people to buy marriage licenses online, similar to the process of obtaining a hunting or fishing license.
Davis said, “I took an oath to do this job to the best of my ability ‘so help me God,’ and my ability cannot go beyond what my conscience allows.”
A spokesman for Beshear says the governor would have to evaluate Davis’ proposal.
Sound:
233-a-11-(Casey Davis, county clerk of Casey County, Ky., with reporters)-“it to God”-Casey Davis, county clerk of Casey County, Kentucky, says he isn’t violating his oath of office by refusing to issue marriage licenses. (6 Jul 2015)
< 232-a-13-(Casey Davis, county clerk of Casey County, Ky., with reporters)-“same-sex marriage license”-Casey Davis, county clerk of Casey County, Kentucky, says his religious beliefs won’t allow him to license same-sex couples. ((longer version of cut used in wrap)) (6 Jul 2015) < 234-a-07-(Casey Davis, county clerk of Casey County, Ky., with reporters)-“being violated here”-Casey Davis, county clerk of Casey County, Kentucky, says he shouldn’t be forced to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. (6 Jul 2015) < 231-w-34-(Steve Coleman, AP religion editor, with Casey Davis, county clerk of Casey County, Ky.)–A Kentucky clerk of court wants the state to issue marriage licenses online so he doesn’t have to. AP Religion Editor Steve Coleman reports. (6 Jul 2015) < GAY MARRIAGE-TEXAS Gay couple quickly granted marriage license after lawsuit DALLAS (AP) β A gay couple has received a marriage license after filing a federal lawsuit against a North Texas county clerk who had cited her religious opposition to gay marriage in denying the license. Jim Cato and Joe Stapleton filed the lawsuit Monday against Hood County Clerk Katie Lang, saying they were repeatedly turned away when trying to obtain a license last week. The couple was quickly granted a license later in the morning in Granbury, the county seat. The city is southwest of Fort Worth. The couple’s attorney released a statement saying they haven’t withdrawn the lawsuit and are seeking an agreement from Lang that her office will issue licenses to same-sex couples without delay. They’re also seeking attorney fees. Lang posted a statement on the Hood County clerk’s website saying others in her office would issue the licenses, but that “the religious doctrines to which I adhere compel me to personally refrain from issuing same-sex marriage licenses.” POPE-SOUTH AMERICA Hundreds of thousands gather for papal Mass in South America GUAYAQUIL, Ecuador (AP) β Pope Francis has told hundreds of thousands of people at his first outdoor Mass in Ecuador that today’s families need miracles. In his homily, Francis praised families as the bedrock of society where miracles are performed daily out of love, although he said women and the elderly sometimes wind up feeling abandoned and unloved. Francis has asked the church’s bishops to study ways to provide better pastoral care to gays, the divorced and nontraditional families. At Monday’s outdoor Mass in Guayaquil, Francis asked the faithful to pray for solutions so that, in his words: “Christ can take even what might seem to us impure, scandalous or threatening, and turn it … into a miracle.” The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, clarified that Francis was talking about helping people move from “a situation of sin to one of grace.” Sound: 213-r-09-(Pope Francis, at outdoor Mass)–Pope Francis, in Spanish, says: “The family constitutes the greatest social resource that other institutions cannot substitute.” (6 Jul 2015) < 214-r-18-(Choir singing, at outdoor Mass)–Sound of choir singing at papal Mass in Guayaquil, Ecuador. (6 Jul 2015) < 212-r-11-(Pope Francis, at outdoor Mass)–Pope Francis, in Spanish, says: “The family is the first school for children. It’s the base of reference that’s indispensable for youth. It’s the best nursing home for the elderly.” (6 Jul 2015) < 204-c-06-(Nicole Winfield, AP correspondent)-“Mass in Ecuador”-AP correspondent Nicole Winfield reports that Pope Francis has preached about the family in the first major event on his South American trip. (6 Jul 2015) < 203-v-36-(Steve Coleman, AP religion editor)–Pope Francis has told hundreds of thousands of people at an outdoor Mass in Ecuador that today’s families need miracles. AP Religion Editor Steve Coleman reports. (6 Jul 2015) < 205-c-13-(Nicole Winfield, AP correspondent)-“the church today”-AP correspondent Nicole Winfield reports that Pope Francis spoke about ministering to families at his first outdoor Mass in Ecuador. (6 Jul 2015) < 213-r-09-(Pope Francis, at outdoor Mass)–Pope Francis, in Spanish, says: “The family constitutes the greatest social resource that other institutions cannot substitute.” (6 Jul 2015) < 214-r-18-(Choir singing, at outdoor Mass)–Sound of choir singing at papal Mass in Guayaquil, Ecuador. (6 Jul 2015) < 204-c-06-(Nicole Winfield, AP correspondent)-“Mass in Ecuador”-AP correspondent Nicole Winfield reports that Pope Francis has preached about the family in the first major event on his South American trip. (6 Jul 2015) < 203-v-36-(Steve Coleman, AP religion editor)–Pope Francis has told hundreds of thousands of people at an outdoor Mass in Ecuador that today’s families need miracles. AP Religion Editor Steve Coleman reports. (6 Jul 2015) < KENYA-GAY RIGHTS Low turnout marks anti-gay demonstration in Kenya NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) β A demonstration against homosexuality in Kenya has fizzled after attracting only a handful of protesters. Monday’s demonstration by about 35 people was called by the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya in advance of this month’s visit of President Barack Obama. The group is calling on Obama not to advocate for gay rights during his visit to Africa July 24-28. Alliance leader Bishop Mark Kariuki said homosexuality is immoral and that Obama should “respect the faith of Kenyans.” On Sunday, Kenya’s Deputy President William Ruto said same-sex couples should leave the country. Gay sex is a crime in Kenya punishable by up to 14 years in prison. OBAMA-ISLAMIC STATE-MUSLIMS Touting progress, Obama says Islamic State is losing ground WASHINGTON (AP) β President Barack Obama says the Islamic State’s efforts to inspire and win recruits can only be defeated with Muslim help. Flanked by top military commanders at the Pentagon Monday, Obama said, “It’s going to be up to Muslim communities, including scholars and clerics, to keep rejecting warped interpretations of Islam, and to protect their sons and daughters from recruitment.” The president portrayed the U.S.-led coalition as gaining ground in a long fight against the Islamic State, which he described as a nimble and opportunistic enemy. But Obama stressed that the U.S. is not at war with Islam. Instead, he said, “We’re fighting terrorists who distort Islam and whose victims are mostly Muslims.” The president said patriotic Muslim Americans are “partners in keeping our country safe.” Sound: 222-a-07-(President Barack Obama, speaking to reporters after meeting with commanders and advisers)-“are mostly Muslims”-President Barack Obama says the U.S. isn’t engaged in a religious war. (6 Jul 2015) < 223-a-11-(President Barack Obama, speaking to reporters after meeting with commanders and advisers)-“our country safe”-President Barack Obama says the U.S. campaign against the Islamic State won’t treat American Muslims as suspects. (6 Jul 2015) < 221-a-09-(President Barack Obama, speaking to reporters after meeting with commanders and advisers)-“daughters from recruitment”-President Barack Obama says Muslim help is needed to defeat the Islamic State. (6 Jul 2015) < BOKO HARAM Day of extremist violence across Nigeria kills more than 60 JOS, Nigeria (AP) β Another round of extremist violence against both Muslims and Christians in Nigeria has left more than 60 people dead, including worshippers in a mosque who came to hear a cleric known for preaching peaceful coexistence of all faiths. Militants from Boko Haram were blamed for the suicide bombings Sunday night at a crowded mosque and a Muslim restaurant in the central city of Jos; there was a suicide bombing earlier at an evangelical church in the northeastern city of Potiskum and attacks in several northeastern villages where dozens of churches and about 300 homes were torched. President Muhammadu Buhari condemned the attacks on places of worship and said the government will defend Nigerians’ right to worship freely. It was the latest spasm of violence by Boko Haram extremists who have killed about 300 people in the past week β apparently after an order by the self-proclaimed Islamic State group for more mayhem during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Earlier this year, Boko Haram became an affiliate of the Islamic State group. IMMIGRANT SANCTUARY-ARREST Immigrant blames judicial error for old deportation PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) β The attorney for an immigrant who took refuge at an Oregon church to avoid deportation says he should be allowed to stay in the U.S. because of a judicial error. Francisco Aguirre Velasquez was deported to his native El Salvador in 2000 after a drug conviction. He was charged in November with unlawfully re-entering the U.S. On Monday, his attorney, Ellen Pitcher, said a judge at the deportation hearing 15 years ago incorrectly told Aguirre he would be detained indefinitely if his deportation was suspended based on claims of torture in his home country. Not wanting to sit indefinitely in jail, Aguirre agreed to be removed. The federal government says Aguirre’s drug convictions made him ineligible for any form of immigration relief, making the judge’s error irrelevant. BUTTE CHURCHES CLOSE 2 Butte churches closing after a combined 250 years BUTTE, Mont. (AP) β Two Methodist churches in Butte, Montana, that have been open for more than 100 years are closing their doors for good. The Montana Standard reports that Trinity United Methodist Church and Mountain View United Methodist Church held their final services Sunday after a combined 254 years of serving church-goers. Pastor Ron Martin-Dent says the closures were inevitable due to a lack of resources to support the buildings and the pastor’s salary, as well as a dwindling congregation. Both Trinity and Mountain View churchgoers are mostly retired and older adults, many of whom grew up in the church. Pastor Kama Hamilton-Morton says older churches have to figure out how to serve a new community, as young families look to more modern churches. DISPLACED DEMON DEITY Satanic Temple sees Arkansas as possible monument location LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) β A group called the Satanic Temple may propose that a Satanic statue be placed outside the Arkansas Statehouse after its first choice of the Oklahoma Capitol grounds was scuttled by a state Supreme Court ruling barring all religious monuments. Leaders of the Satanic Temple say Arkansas’ approval of a Ten Commandments display gives them a right to erect their statue. Oklahoma’s Supreme Court last week ordered the Ten Commandments display outside the Capitol building in Oklahoma City taken down because the state constitution bars the government from doing anything to benefit a religion. The Satanic Temple says Arkansas is an alternative site for the 8 Β½-foot-tall Baphomet statue, depicting Satan as a goat-headed figure. Arkansas legislators have passed a bill similar to one establishing Oklahoma’s Ten Commandments monument.
