{"id":178770,"date":"2017-10-13T14:13:07","date_gmt":"2017-10-13T11:13:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/basilica.ro\/?p=178770\/"},"modified":"2017-10-13T15:46:26","modified_gmt":"2017-10-13T12:46:26","slug":"kentucky-county-clerk-kim-davis-supporting-traditional-marriage-on-romanian-tour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arhiva.basilica.ro\/en\/kentucky-county-clerk-kim-davis-supporting-traditional-marriage-on-romanian-tour\/","title":{"rendered":"Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis supporting traditional marriage on Romanian tour"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kim Davis, the Kentucky country clerk who refused to sign same-sex marriage licenses in the wake of the Supreme Court\u2019s Obergefell v. Hodges decision in 2015, was on a speaking tour in Romania, sharing her experiences in the battles surrounding same-sex marriage and freedom of religion in the U.S.<\/p>\n

The 9-day trip came as a petition signed by\u00a0more than 3 million Romanians, calling for marriage to be constitutionally defined as between one man and one woman, awaits final approval in the Senate, after which a public referendum can be held. The petition has already been unanimously approved by Romania\u2019s Constitutional Court.<\/p>\n

The petition of course enjoys the support of the Romanian Orthodox Church. In America, the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops\u00a0released a statement\u00a0following Obergefell v. Hodges stating their disagreement with the decision to legalize gay marriage nationwide, calling \u201cupon all Orthodox Christians in our nation to remain firm in their Orthodox faith, and to renew their deep reverence for and commitment to marriage as taught by the Church,\u201d and \u201cupon our nation\u2019s civic leaders to respect the law of Almighty God and uphold the deeply-rooted beliefs of millions of Americans.\u201d<\/p>\n

Davis, who spent 5 days in jail for her refusal to sign same-sex marriage licenses, was in Romania with Harry Mihet, vice president of legal affairs and chief litigation counsel of the Orlando-based Liberty Counsel, which represented Davis in 2015. Mihet is originally from Romania, according to the\u00a0Washington Examiner.<\/p>\n

Davis, who remains the Rowan Country clerk, was eventually given a religious accommodation that allows her to decline to sign same-sex marriage licenses.<\/p>\n

During Ms. Davis\u2019s visit, she attended events in six cities, met with civic and political leaders and gave interviews with journalists. She stated\u00a0that her opposition to same-sex marriage was based on a desire to protect \u201cthe natural family\u201d \u2014 and not on homophobia.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to give Romanians hope that they can stand strong and they can stand for something without being against a group of people or whatever,\u201d she said. \u201cYou can be for something and not be against something else.\u201d<\/p>\n

In both Kentucky and Romania, Ms. Davis described same-sex marriage as an attack on religious freedom.<\/p>\n