KYangel
Member
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2015
- Messages
- 104
- Reaction score
- 25
I have no opinion of Kim Davis personally, I'm sure she is a lovely and nice neighbor and a wonderful friend to many. I have no qualms with her prior marriages (I've been previously married and am now remarried) and who is or is not the father of her children. Frankly her marriages and paternity issues are none of my business. If her religion forgives her prior marriages , so be it - good for her! I hope God views my past marriage in the same light. Life's too short for me to worry about her or anyone's love life.
But I do have a few things to say based on fact. For one, Kim and I have some commonalities - we both live in KY and we have the same employer: the state of Kentucky Government. Therefore let me explain what KY state employees are subject to as a condition of employment. FIRST, when hired (or in her case, when elected), you receive a LOT of training. Some is specific to your job, other is general training. Upon employment you agree, and sign forms, that you agree to have limited rights available to you while acting in your official capacity representing your government. It is a condition of your employment that you must accept in order to have the position. Within the first weeks of employment you receive in-depth training about your limited religious freedoms while on government time.
You learn you're allowed to bring written personal religious books (bible) and read in breaks, but cannot discuss religious views/opinions with clients or coworkers. You can't publicly display (office wall/office door/ lobby/etc) any religious item (so no cross, Jesus poster, etc) as another person (client) may perceived your PERSONAL religious view as that of the governments (we don't want anyone in the community to think we have a specified selected religious favorite view, or any religious view for that matter). This is important as church and state are separate. I cannot "witness" my religion to anyone while at work (and I get to enjoy no coworker witnessing their religion to me at work). You can wear personal religious items such as religious necklace, head scarf, etc. but it's important that no other coworker or client ever feels that my religious views are being pushed on them or are the religious views of my state or my country. I am to NEVER allow my religious views and convictions to interfere with my job duties. I am an "at will" employee. That means I can resign at any time, not forced to continue employment, and if my religious views cannot be kept separate from my civic duties, I am free to resign.
When I am off the clock, all of my religious freedoms are restored. I can stand in walmart Parkin lot and try to save as many poor doomed souls as I see fit. I can attend church all long and as often (or not ever) as I want. I can voice my opinions of my religious beliefs until it's time to return to work, and I can have a billboard in my front yard if I want showing the God of my choice.
We also receive extensive training on cultural diversity, this explains that our world, country, state, and community is made up of a diverse group of people with numerous varying cultural, ethnic, and religious beliefs. It elaborately explains that although I may believe that only MY CHURCH and MY CONGREGATION is heading to heaven That it's important that I remember that there's over 2,000 other religions on earth and they may not share my beliefs. And that each person has a right to their own beliefs (or lack thereof). And again, we sign contracts that we are aware, trained, and will be mindful and respectful of the freedoms, rights, and liberties of others.
Annually, we are required under statutes to retake and sign off on all of these trainings and agreement to abide by these requirements. KIm Davis was employed for over 25 years as a Deputy clerk and now almost one year as the clerk, she has received these trainings each year and agreed to these terms. She is aware that that she has no right to allow her religious convictions to effect even a small area of her job. She is NOT ignorant to the religious freedoms of others, her limited religious freedoms while working for government, or that she cannot allow her opinions/views to intertwine with her duties.
In addition, since she is an elected official with oversight to an entire office of employees she receives additional training that's even more in-depth than the typical employee - she's trained on how to identify and handle workplace situations in government when one of her employees infringe upon the protected freedoms of others. She is held to a HIGHER STANDARD than other employees as she is management.
I have been employed by state government for approx 1/3 of the time of Kim Davis, and I am very well aware of my limited rights, responsibilities, and the rights of everyone else. I it would appear to me then that Kim Davis should know these policies so well there should be absolutely no confusion.
As for religious views on if marriage, past marriages, sex outside of marriage are concerned -- really they're not even a point that needs to be discussed. There us is a CIVIL law that allows a CIVIL marriage for all citizens. This does not effect anyone's religious marriage rights. If a person wants a religious marriage and a church will grant this, then that is a separate issue. It is NOT THIS ISSUE. The 14th amendment clarification ONLY states that government and its employees have to recognize marriage for all, it does not force religious institutions or their congregations to grant religious marriages to same sex couples. Nor does it require any "straight" person to marry a person of the same sex.
The civil union recognized by our government has NO EFFECT on any individual or religious institution. If people will think about this... Same sex couples were already having romantic feelings for each other and romantic and/or sexual relationships prior to this civic law clarification (just as they have for thousands of years). Legalizing same sex marriage isn't going to "turn you children gay". There's quite enough established data already present to support that if your child is attracted to the same sex, they were going to have the same tendency despite a law saying they can marry the person. People don't "choose" to be gay, and if they did it certainly isn't based on the provision that they can eventually marry same sex (they don't decide to be straight bc marriage is "off the table" to same sex couples).
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But I do have a few things to say based on fact. For one, Kim and I have some commonalities - we both live in KY and we have the same employer: the state of Kentucky Government. Therefore let me explain what KY state employees are subject to as a condition of employment. FIRST, when hired (or in her case, when elected), you receive a LOT of training. Some is specific to your job, other is general training. Upon employment you agree, and sign forms, that you agree to have limited rights available to you while acting in your official capacity representing your government. It is a condition of your employment that you must accept in order to have the position. Within the first weeks of employment you receive in-depth training about your limited religious freedoms while on government time.
You learn you're allowed to bring written personal religious books (bible) and read in breaks, but cannot discuss religious views/opinions with clients or coworkers. You can't publicly display (office wall/office door/ lobby/etc) any religious item (so no cross, Jesus poster, etc) as another person (client) may perceived your PERSONAL religious view as that of the governments (we don't want anyone in the community to think we have a specified selected religious favorite view, or any religious view for that matter). This is important as church and state are separate. I cannot "witness" my religion to anyone while at work (and I get to enjoy no coworker witnessing their religion to me at work). You can wear personal religious items such as religious necklace, head scarf, etc. but it's important that no other coworker or client ever feels that my religious views are being pushed on them or are the religious views of my state or my country. I am to NEVER allow my religious views and convictions to interfere with my job duties. I am an "at will" employee. That means I can resign at any time, not forced to continue employment, and if my religious views cannot be kept separate from my civic duties, I am free to resign.
When I am off the clock, all of my religious freedoms are restored. I can stand in walmart Parkin lot and try to save as many poor doomed souls as I see fit. I can attend church all long and as often (or not ever) as I want. I can voice my opinions of my religious beliefs until it's time to return to work, and I can have a billboard in my front yard if I want showing the God of my choice.
We also receive extensive training on cultural diversity, this explains that our world, country, state, and community is made up of a diverse group of people with numerous varying cultural, ethnic, and religious beliefs. It elaborately explains that although I may believe that only MY CHURCH and MY CONGREGATION is heading to heaven That it's important that I remember that there's over 2,000 other religions on earth and they may not share my beliefs. And that each person has a right to their own beliefs (or lack thereof). And again, we sign contracts that we are aware, trained, and will be mindful and respectful of the freedoms, rights, and liberties of others.
Annually, we are required under statutes to retake and sign off on all of these trainings and agreement to abide by these requirements. KIm Davis was employed for over 25 years as a Deputy clerk and now almost one year as the clerk, she has received these trainings each year and agreed to these terms. She is aware that that she has no right to allow her religious convictions to effect even a small area of her job. She is NOT ignorant to the religious freedoms of others, her limited religious freedoms while working for government, or that she cannot allow her opinions/views to intertwine with her duties.
In addition, since she is an elected official with oversight to an entire office of employees she receives additional training that's even more in-depth than the typical employee - she's trained on how to identify and handle workplace situations in government when one of her employees infringe upon the protected freedoms of others. She is held to a HIGHER STANDARD than other employees as she is management.
I have been employed by state government for approx 1/3 of the time of Kim Davis, and I am very well aware of my limited rights, responsibilities, and the rights of everyone else. I it would appear to me then that Kim Davis should know these policies so well there should be absolutely no confusion.
As for religious views on if marriage, past marriages, sex outside of marriage are concerned -- really they're not even a point that needs to be discussed. There us is a CIVIL law that allows a CIVIL marriage for all citizens. This does not effect anyone's religious marriage rights. If a person wants a religious marriage and a church will grant this, then that is a separate issue. It is NOT THIS ISSUE. The 14th amendment clarification ONLY states that government and its employees have to recognize marriage for all, it does not force religious institutions or their congregations to grant religious marriages to same sex couples. Nor does it require any "straight" person to marry a person of the same sex.
The civil union recognized by our government has NO EFFECT on any individual or religious institution. If people will think about this... Same sex couples were already having romantic feelings for each other and romantic and/or sexual relationships prior to this civic law clarification (just as they have for thousands of years). Legalizing same sex marriage isn't going to "turn you children gay". There's quite enough established data already present to support that if your child is attracted to the same sex, they were going to have the same tendency despite a law saying they can marry the person. People don't "choose" to be gay, and if they did it certainly isn't based on the provision that they can eventually marry same sex (they don't decide to be straight bc marriage is "off the table" to same sex couples).
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
