Pope Francis’ private meeting with controversial Christian figure Kim Davis was embraced by conservatives, Catholics and evangelical Christians across the country as an inter-faith outreach moment of support. But now, under media pressure, the Vatican began distancing Pope Francis from Davis.
Davis is a Kentucky county clerk who was jailed for refusing to issue same-sex marriage licenses, which became a focal point in the freedom of religion debate in the U.S. She was personally greeted by the pope in Washington, DC on Sep. 24th.
“The pope did not enter into the details of the situation of Mrs. Davis and his meeting with her should not be considered a form of support of her position in all of its particular and complex aspects,” a Vatican spokesman said.
Davis, an Apostolic Christian, spent five days in jail for defying federal court orders to issue same-sex marriage licenses after the Supreme Court legalized gay marriage nationwide.
A judge ultimately freed Davis on the condition she not interfere with her deputies issuing the licenses. Davis has since been freed and has returned to work.
Davis said earlier this week that she and her husband met briefly with the pope at the Vatican’s nunciature in Washington and that he encouraged her to “stay strong.”
“Just knowing that the pope is on track with what we’re doing and agreeing, you know, it kind of validates everything,” she told ABC.
Davis’ lawyer, Mat Staver, told the Associated Press that the Vatican initiated the meeting as an affirmation of Davis’ right to be conscientious objector.
“We wouldn’t expect the pope to weigh in on the particulars of any case,” Staver said Friday.
He said Vatican personnel called on Sept. 14, the day Davis returned to work, saying the pope wanted to meet her. He said Vatican security picked up her and her husband from their hotel and told her to change her hairdo so she wouldn’t be recognized since the Vatican wanted the meeting kept secret.
Staver disputed a Vatican spokesman’s claims that the pope only met Davis in a receiving line. He said the couple was in a separate room with Francis and Vatican personnel.
News of the meeting sent shockwaves through the U.S. church, with Davis’ supporters saying it showed the pope backed her cause.
As he left the country, Francis told reporters who inquired that he did not know specific cases in detail, but he defended conscientious objection as a human right.
“It is a right. And if a person does not allow others to be a conscientious objector, he denies a right,” Francis said.
The Associated Press contributed to this story
Weather the pope dissagree or not she is following the truth that Jesus wrote in the bible you cannot change GOD word whoever want to support same sex marriage they have the freedom to do so thats why this world is comming to an end now and so much diseases in the world she stuck by what GOD said and I am proud to call her my sister in CHRIST JESUS
This Pope acts like a Liberal Democrat. He says one thing and does something different. Pope= How about those little boy’s your Priest RAPED ?
Saying one thing and doing another, hmm.. maybe that is why Obama likes him so much, they’re kind of alike that way.
Yes waknow what the word of God says. God didn’t ask for help. Only thing she needs to do is go work and do her job. God will take care of all of us. Maybe she needs to go in her private place. and talk to God. He as also said judge not one another. We know God is our final judge. So if she would further in that scripture, she will know she is out of line.
She’s out of line . . . really? You mean like the east indians who wear a turban instead of a mountie hat because it’s part of their religion, or the sheik’s who wear their swords/knives in public & to work because it’s part of their religion/beliefs? Why are they allowed to display their faith in public and at work and not the Christian person? Where is the equality and tolerance there? Wake up, your words and others who think like you do are clearly making an attack on God’s word and misconstruing it. Yes God is the ultimate judge but His children have also been given instruction to “reprove” not judge but “reprove” those who go against God’s word and that is biblical. Perhaps you, yourself should take your own advice & seek God in private.
“Obey man’s laws as God’s law” ( see Romans 13:1-7).She should quit her job but won’t for the nice salary
Pam;
That’s exactly what she was doing, obeying God’s law!…..Maybe it’s you who should quit !
I am a born again Christian and one thing that we have in this country is freedom of religion. You cannot force anyone to live like you believe. If you are elected to serve all the citizens of your state, you cannot pick and choose who you serve. That is called respect of person and discrimination. After being elected for a job whom job changes to include something that conflicts with your believe then you need to step down. I do not believe that she was sent to jail because of her believe in Christ. She was sent to jail because she refused to do her job. The Bible says to obey all the laws of the land. If she can not she needs to step down and this will be the end of her so call persecution.
I too am a Bible-believing Christian. One thing that is clear in God’s Word (which is Christ Himself per John 1:1) is that while we are to obey man’s law, it is to be so only to the point where it counters God’s law. The Bible is very clear on God’s perspective on deviant sexuality. All the apostles except John were martyred. And even he was boiled in oil & ultimately banished. And then there are the many who were fed to lions. Why? Because they chose God’s Word over man’s. The political tyrants of their day declared the practice & belief in Christianity as forbidden, and that was the law of the land. Ms. Davis should never have been put in a situation where she would have to choose between what the Bible refers to as lawlessness, & taking a stand for righteousness. Our country is becoming increasing anti-God. You and I may be forced to take a similar stand some day–man’s law, or God’s.
Pam, thanks for your insight and at one point I was going to rebel against paying income tax when Rom. 13 was brought to my attention. Obey God and His word. That being said, has the SCOTUS made this law legal even when it
skirted around Congress, much like the POTUS does with his phone and left handed pen? Congress(House and Senate) is there to make laws and are approved or vetoed by the president. 2/3 majority to over-ride a veto. I ask you,is the president a king now and the supreme Court his magistrates? Not in the USA. Kim is looking to the higher
law of God as her counsel. We should too…if you are going to spout scripture, in context as the whole Book please.
Christians need to organize and restore their state’s Militia before it’s too late. FB me for info.
This Frankenpope is nothing but a heretic who’s main function is to mock and ultimately destroy traditional Christianity. He is already on record for kissing the Koran, praying with jews and referring to them as “elder brothers in the Faith”, commanding the faithful in Europe to open their hearts (and borders) to the current Third World invasion, and stating that homosexuals have “special gifts” to offer.
A heretic cannot even be a Catholic, let alone Pope.
If the quote listed in the story is all that came from the Vatican, I’m not sure the pope is back pedaling. The Vatican may be clarifying what was said rather than trying to deny what was said. Sometimes things have a way of changing the more they are told. Setting the record straight on what was said and the intentions of the pope isn’t necessarily back pedaling. Although I’m not Catholic, I’m willing to give him he benefit of the doubt on this one based on what I know.
No flip -flop at all
She and her lawyer simply lied about what happened
And the Pope was not amused by the lie
Right, and you were there to witness the lie?