Bill Metzger, who was elected as a Republican justice of the peace in Dallas County, Texas, has posted about his decision to refuse gay weddings.
He wrote: âBecause of my faith in God as a devout Catholic I will be only be conducting traditional marriages.
The Catholic justice adds that âit is not true for someone to say they are required by law to conduct a non-traditional weddingâ, because the Texas Attorney General claims justices have the âreligious freedomâ to refuse.
Despite his âstrongly heldâ faith, the justice does not specify whether he is refusing to conduct all marriages that arenât in line with Catholic teaching â like weddings for divorced people and couples whoâve had pre-marital sex or if heâs simply claiming he has a âreligious freedomâ exemption from the gays.
He added: âIt is clear that any Justice of the Peace in Texas can refuse to perform a non-traditional wedding when that wedding can be performed by others.
âMy sincerely held religious belief keeps me from being forced to conduct anything but a traditional wedding as a Judge per our Attorney General.
Of course, the Texas Attorney General might think that, but the US Supreme Court probably have the more important opinion overall and the court has consistently maintained that same-sex marriage is a constitutional right.
Given how great everything went for Kentucky clerk Kim Davis when she pulled the same schtick, Metzgerâs decision has provoked a lot of anger.
One commenter wrote: âYou should resign your position as a judge if you cannot do the job you are paid handsomely to do.
âIf your faith means that much to you then you should not have a problem with finding work more appropriate to your mediaeval beliefs.â
A second wrote: âWhat you are doing is against the law and entirely unconstitutional. You need to look into why separation of church and state exist, as well.
âYou are clearly incapable of perform your duties as a judge and need to resign.â
Source: pinknews.co.uk