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Westboro Baptist protests Kim Davis in Rowan

Mike Wynn
@MikeWynn_CJ

MOREHEAD, Ky. - The Westboro Baptist Church, a Kansas group known for its caustic anti-gay rhetoric, took aim at Kim Davis on Monday, accusing the county clerk of hypocrisy and adultery.

Four Westboro members picketed on a street corner near the Rowan County Courthouse, waving signs that denounced “fag marriage” and playing popular songs that were altered with inflammatory lyrics. It was one of several pickets the group has staged in Kentucky since Sunday, including three outside Louisville churches.

“This woman wants to say that her sin isn’t as grievous as the same-sex marriage sin,” said one member, Shirley Phelps-Roper. “It’s all sin. It’s all awful. But her sin enabled that sin. When you look up, and all the Christians have given over the moral high ground, what voice do they have left?”

Davis, an Apostolic Christian, has garnered worldwide attention for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples on religious grounds. But she has also acknowledged that her past included three divorces before she found religion.

Phelps-Roper said Monday that divorce and remarriage is equivalent to living in adultery and that Davis’ first marriage is her only legitimate union. If Davis has truly come to Christ, she would divorce her current husband and put her marriages in the past, Phelps-Roper said.

In the meantime, she argued that Davis is obligated to follow the law and issue licenses because “God hates oath breakers just like he hates adultery and he hates same-sex marriage.” Phelps-Roper said Davis should instead protest same-sex marriage on her own time.

Westboro protesters picket Louisville churches

Westboro members picketed at the courthouse for about 30 minutes before moving on to another demonstration at Morehead State University. Davis remained inside.

Over the summer, LGBT activists and religious groups clashed for months on the courthouse lawn, but protests dwindled once one of Davis’ deputy clerks began issuing an altered version of the marriage forms to same-sex couples.

The American Civil Liberties Union has since questioned the validity of the licenses, and a federal judge is asking Gov. Steve Beshear to weigh in on the matter. The ACLU argues that the altered forms, which remove all mention of Davis or her office, create a two-tier system that sets same-sex couples apart.

Mary Hargis, an organizer with the Rowan County Rights Coalition, said Monday that the group might resume protests if the matter is not resolved soon.

“We want an end to it, but it needs to be a lawful end,” she said. “The court system needs to get in gear.”

She said it was upsetting for Westboro to be in town, but added that the rights coalition planned to counter their demonstration at MSU by giving out Hershey kisses and rainbow-colored Skittles. She said the coalition wanted to show locals that Westboro need not be feared.

“I know they all have their agenda and what they feel is part of their protest, but it’s always really strange when you find one Christian group protesting another Christian group over basically the same issue,” she said.

However, Rev. Randy Smith, a local evangelist and supporter of Davis, drew a clear distinction between Westboro and other religious protesters, calling Westboro a hate group that does not represent Christian beliefs. He said the community has suffered enough and that Westboro only makes it harder to preach a Christian message to others.

“There is no love in what they are doing, and they certainly don’t represent the God of the Bible and don’t represent Christians,” he said. “They are truly a disgrace to all of us that try to live a life that would reflect the glory of God’s son.”

Reporter Mike Wynn can be reached at (502) 875-5136 or mwynn@courier-journal.com.