'I Hate to Wax So Biblical, But…': The Reason at Least Six North Carolina Magistrates Have Abruptly Resigned

Magistrates in North Carolina continue to resign their posts in the wake of gay marriage legalization in the state, with at least six judges citing their faith in their decisions to step down.

As TheBlaze previously reported, Rockingham County magistrate John Kallam Jr. will officially leave his role October 31, with at least five of his fellow officials joining him.

Those individuals are as follows: Swain County magistrate Gilbert Breedlove, Gaston County magistrate Bill Stevenson, Graham County magistrate Tommy Holland, Union County magistrate Gayle Myrick and Jackson County magistrate Jeff Powell, according to the Christian Post.

Getty Images

These officials have made it clear that they believe that marrying same-sex couples — a requirement following the legalization of gay matrimonies on October 10 — would be a violation of their faith.

"It was something I had to do out of conscience. I felt like to perform same sex unions would be in violation of the Lord's commands so I couldn't do that," Stevenson told WCNC-TV. "I hate to wax so biblical, but it says what good is it for a man to gain the whole world but lost his own soul, so that's the stakes I put on this."

Others struck a similar tone, with Myrick telling the Christian Examiner that she believes marriage should be restricted to one man and one woman. Rather than violate her faith, she, too, decided that removing herself would be best.

"For me to do what the state said I had to do, under penalty of law, I would have to go against my convictions, and I was not willing to do that," Myrick said. "I want to honor what the word says."

Photo credit: Shutterstock

Kallam noted that gay marriage legalization profoundly changed the role he had originally accepted, claiming that it wasn’t his understanding when he took the oath of office that he would be forced to marry gays and lesbians, as the Associated Press reported.