Kentucky Minister Disputes Dismissal from Volunteer Position
- Updated Aug 04, 2015
The state of Kentucky has recently become enmeshed in a controversy of religious and sexual freedom because of its requirement to have ministers who volunteer at youth prisons sign a contract asserting that homosexuality is not sinful.
David Wells, a minister who did volunteer counseling work at a Kentucky youth prison was recently dismissed from his position because he refused to sign the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) policy which, according to Breaking Christian News, officially states that DJJ staff and volunteers, "shall not imply or tell LGBTQI juveniles that they are abnormal, deviant, sinful or that they can or should change their sexual orientation or gender identity."
Mr. Wells was reportedly dismissed by nothing more than a brusque letter from prison Superintendent Gene Wade, stating that "I must terminate your involvement as a religious volunteer serving the youth in this facility per DJJ Policy 112, Section IV, Paragraph H, (8),” according to Charisma News.
Liberty Counsel is defending Mr. Wells against the prison policy and has stated that the policy is “unconstitutional.”
According to Mat Staver, Liberty Counsel chairman, "To remove the Bible from a pastor's hands is like removing a scalpel from a surgeon's hands. Without it, they cannot provide healing."
Publication date: August 4, 2015
