Franklin Graham Slams Donald Trump on Kim Davis Remarks: 'Forefathers Gave Us Freedom of Religion at a Great Cost'
After GOP Presidential candidate Donald Trump said that Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis should follow "the law of the land," and issue same-sex marriage licenses, evangelical preacher Franklin Graham has argued that what is made into law isn't always right.
"He should know that just because something is made into a law, doesn't make it right. His Scottish Presbyterian ancestors may have been among those who had their heads cut off because they refused to recognize the King of England as head of the church," Graham said in a Facebook message on Monday, referring to Trump.
"They believed that Jesus Christ was the head of the church, not the King of England; and they stood for — and died for —those sincerely held religious beliefs. Our forefathers gave us freedom of religion at a great cost, and that was meant for us to be able to live out our faith in our daily lives, at home and at work," Graham added.
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The comments are in response to an interview Trump did with MSNBC's "Morning Joe" co-hosts where he said that he sees "both sides of the picture" when it comes to Davis' case.
The billionaire businessman said that it needs to be recognized that same-sex marriage is "the law of the land," and said that Davis' arrest created a "sticky situation." He suggested that the clerk should have at least allowed her deputies to issue the licenses, which she has refused to do.
"I hate to see her being put in jail. I understand what they're doing. It would be certainly nice if she didn't do it, but other people in her office do it. But from what I understand, she won't allow other people in her office to do it," Trump said.
Davis has appealed U.S. District Judge David Bunning's decision to send her to jail for refusing to issue marriage licenses. The clerk has said that she is acting under "God's authority" in defying the Supreme Court's ruling in June to legalize gay marriage across the U.S.
"God's moral law conflicts with my job duties," Davis told Bunning before her arrest. "You can't be separated from something that's in your heart and your soul."
The judge has said that Davis will be released from prison once she agrees to follow the law and allows the licenses to be issued.
"The court cannot condone the willful disobedience of its lawfully issued order," Bunning said at the hearing. "If you give people the opportunity to choose which orders they follow, that's what potentially causes problems."
Graham has characterized the case as a battle for "religious freedom."
"This ripple effect is exactly what we feared would result from the Supreme Court's disastrous ruling in June. As Americans, our constitution guarantees religious freedom which means we should be able to live out our faith in our daily lives," Graham argued in another Facebook post last week.
"As Kim fights this battle, she is really fighting for religious freedom for all of us," he added.
