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Justice Kennedy: Christians with convictions resigned under Hitler and they should today too
LifeSiteNews ^ | 10/29/15 | Father Mark Hodges

Posted on 10/29/2015 10:34:54 AM PDT by wagglebee

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, October 29, 2015 (LifeSiteNews) – U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy told a Harvard Law School audience that government employees with religious convictions about marriage should resign.

The Ronald Reagan appointee said on Wednesday that if a public official has a moral objection to homosexuality, he must either follow the law or quit public service.

The judge's comment came in answer to a question a student asked about government officials who disagree with the Supreme Court's decisions on gay marriage, or abortion, and if those citizens have the constitutional right to act according to their sincerely held moral beliefs.

Kennedy replied that no, they do not have the right to refuse to comply with the law. 

Curiously, Kennedy cited as buttressing his point the fact that few judges resigned under the Third Reich. "How many judges, do you think, resigned in the Third Reich?" Kennedy asked, to the response of silence in the great hall. He answered his own question by raising three fingers.

At one point, his words made quitting sound noble: "Great respect, it seems to me, has to be given to people who resign rather than do something they view as morally wrong, in order to make a point."

The justice admitted that Christians who must "enforce a law that they believe is morally corrupt" face "difficult moral questions." "However," he said, "the rule of law is that, as a public official, in performing your legal duties, you are bound to enforce the law."

Responses from Christian leaders noted the irony of saying that for public employees, the moral thing to do is follow immorality. Kennedy made no mention of religious convictions as actual, universal truths.

Liberty Counsel Chairman Mat Staver commented to LifeSiteNews, "Unjust laws should be resisted." "The history of the United States includes non-compliance, even by presidents, to immoral laws."

Staver told LifeSiteNews, "Religious freedom and conscience should be protected."  In fact, Staver said, morality requires the reverse of what Kennedy advocated. "Justices or judges who disregard the Constitution and impose their own will should resign."

Gay activists were quick to applaud. The online journal The New Civil Rights Movement reported that Justice Kennedy "left no wiggle room for the 'religious accommodation' the renegade Kentucky clerks are demanding for themselves."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events; US: Massachusetts
KEYWORDS: anthonykennedy; cambridge; christians; culturewars; cwii; fascism; gaykkk; homosexualagenda; libertarians; massachusetts; matstaver; medicalmarijuana; moralabsolutes; nazism; samesexmarriage; scotus; totalitarianism; usconstitution
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To: Godzilla

One would then think that Lincoln should have resigned in the face of the dred Scott decision. He just doesn’t want people to resist unjust and unlawful Supreme Court decisions.

Resigned from what? in 1857, when the Dred Scott decision was rendered, Lincoln was a lawyer...


121 posted on 10/30/2015 8:24:30 AM PDT by IrishBrigade
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To: IrishBrigade

It was maintained as “law” throughtout his presidency - an there was that civil war thing. . . .


122 posted on 10/30/2015 9:07:02 AM PDT by Godzilla (3/7/77)
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To: wagglebee

If Kennedy has ever read Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation based on an employee’s religion, it certainly doesn’t seem to have made the slightest impression on him.


123 posted on 10/30/2015 9:16:13 AM PDT by Diamond (He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people,)
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To: wagglebee

Kennedy is dead wrong. He was one of Ronald Reagan’s biggest mistakes. It’s tragic that we’re stuck with such a loser on SCOTUS.


124 posted on 10/30/2015 12:55:06 PM PDT by No Dems 2016
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To: No Dems 2016
Recall that he was Reagan's third choice and Reagan wasn't willing to take any chances. Kennedy was safe bet and that meant he wasn't going to be a conservative.

In 1992 Kennedy was ready to vote with Rehnquist, Scalia, Thomas and White to overturn Roe, but changed his mind at the last minute.

125 posted on 10/30/2015 1:01:45 PM PDT by wagglebee ("A political party cannot be all things to all people." -- Ronald Reagan, 3/1/75)
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To: wagglebee

Gott im Himmel.


126 posted on 10/31/2015 4:01:03 AM PDT by combat_boots (The Lion of Judah cometh. Hallelujah. Gloria Patri, Filio et Spiritui Sancto!)
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To: wagglebee
I will say this...

Christians have a right to refuse military service as no Christian should be forced to uphold and defend a Constitution that supports things like abortion and gay marriage or homosexuality.

Now put that in your pipe and smoke it Justice Kennedy.

127 posted on 10/31/2015 5:46:36 AM PDT by ColdSteelTalon (Light is fading to shadow, and casting its shroud over all we have known...)
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To: Slyfox

Great point.


128 posted on 10/31/2015 5:48:01 AM PDT by ColdSteelTalon (Light is fading to shadow, and casting its shroud over all we have known...)
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To: wagglebee
And what does Kennedy think of polygamy and pedophilia?
129 posted on 10/31/2015 5:55:14 AM PDT by Vision (I have sworn to God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man - Jefferson)
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To: bboop

Yes.

And Christians under Hitler would absolutely be morally justified in executing Hitler’s henchmen judges.


130 posted on 10/31/2015 5:56:37 AM PDT by jjotto ("Ya could look it up!")
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To: Vigilanteman
Reprobate Kennedy already had a reputation for being an activists concerning social issues as well as some instances of ideological "fantasies" in the expansion of the Federal leviathan before being nominated by Reagan.

Reagan trusted his advisers and rushed this nomination too fast after the Bork “assassination”. Reagan forgot his own advice about trusting/verifying it seems.

131 posted on 10/31/2015 6:15:45 AM PDT by rollo tomasi (Working hard to pay for deadbeats and corrupt politicians.)
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To: wagglebee

Congress needs to enact a Final Solution to the Supreme Court question.


132 posted on 10/31/2015 8:30:53 AM PDT by GenXteacher (You have chosen dishonor to avoid war; you shall have war also.)
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To: Dr. Sivana

Well, it stopped Hitler cold in his tracks!

You remember. He was so embarrassed by it that he resigned and went to Salzburg to resume his paperhanging career.


133 posted on 10/31/2015 9:27:28 PM PDT by xzins (HAVE YOU DONATED TO THE FREEPATHON? https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: Above My Pay Grade; wagglebee; Charles Henrickson
9 posted on 10/29/2015, 12:38:32 PM by Above My Pay Grade: “So how did the Christians resigning in Nazi Germany work out for Germany and Europe?”

This comment by Justice Kennedy is beyond belief.

Perhaps one of our Missouri Synod Lutheran Freepers, Rev. Charles Henrickson, would like to weigh in on what Germans who were true Christians and who opposed the “German Christian” Nazi movement, did to oppose Hitler?

134 posted on 11/16/2015 11:45:21 AM PST by darrellmaurina
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To: darrellmaurina

Atheists should resign.

Left wing socialist judges should resign.

Homosexuals on the bench should resign.

odd how kennedy only sees those opposed to his kooky views should resign.


135 posted on 11/16/2015 11:47:07 AM PST by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: darrellmaurina; Above My Pay Grade; Charles Henrickson
Perhaps one of our Missouri Synod Lutheran Freepers, Rev. Charles Henrickson, would like to weigh in on what Germans who were true Christians and who opposed the “German Christian” Nazi movement, did to oppose Hitler?

The best known would be Lutheran theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer who was executed for his role in the July 20th plot to assassinate Hitler. Lesser known, but pivotal in exposing the Nazi euthanasia program was Catholic Bishop (later Cardinal) von Galen.


136 posted on 11/16/2015 11:58:09 AM PST by wagglebee ("A political party cannot be all things to all people." -- Ronald Reagan, 3/1/75)
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