MOREHEAD, Ky. — Nearly two months after the Supreme Court declared a constitutional right to same-sex marriage, a county clerk’s office here — in defiance of a federal court order — turned away two gay couples seeking marriage licenses on Thursday, taking a stand that has infuriated gay rights advocates but buoyed Christian conservatives who insist their religious freedoms are being violated.

Kim Davis, the clerk in Rowan County, who says her Christian faith bars her from authorizing same-sex marriages, has refused to issue any licenses, either to same-sex or heterosexual couples. Her actions come in the wake of the historic ruling in June in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges, despite a direct order from Gov. Steven L. Beshear, that she do so.

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On Wednesday, Judge David L. Bunning of the United States District Court of Eastern Kentucky, ruling in a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of four couples — two same-sex and two heterosexual — ordered Ms. Davis to resume issuing licenses. But lawyers for Ms. Davis immediately appealed, and Thursday morning, Ms. Davis did not show up at work.

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“People are cruel, and this is wrong,” said David Ermold, 41, who with his partner, David Moore, 39, went to the clerk’s office here, where they were told that no licenses would be issued today. Roberta Early, a deputy clerk, said the matter was “still under litigation, and nothing has changed, and we still can’t issue them.”

Mr. Ermold and Mr. Moore, who have lived in Morehead for 11 years, said they had felt humiliated by their experience and by the suggestion by Ms. Davis’ staff that they could go to another Kentucky county to get a marriage license. “Telling people to go to another county is like saying, ‘We don’t want your kind of people here,’ ” Mr. Moore said.

Advocates for gay rights say Ms. Davis, a member of an Apostolic Christian church who says she attends “whenever the doors are open,” is an outlier. The vast majority of public officials are carrying out the decision — even if they disagree with it — and gays and lesbians across America are marrying largely with ease. But Morehead, a tiny city of about 6,900 people in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, is one of several pockets of resistance.

In Texas, officials on Monday agreed to list same-sex spouses on birth and death certificates after a federal judge threatened to hold the state’s attorney general in contempt of court. In Mississippi, four couples filed suit Wednesday to overturn the state’s ban on same-sex adoptions, the last such law in the nation.

In Alabama, probate judges in 13 of 67 counties are, like Ms. Davis, declining to issue marriage licenses to anyone. One, Judge Nick Williams of Washington County, has urged the state justices to issue a “landmark ruling” to defy the Supreme Court. And State Senator Greg Albritton is calling for the state to get out of the marriage license business entirely.

“We’re going to have litigation in Alabama, I am certain of it,” Mr. Albritton said, “over whether probate judges have a choice to accept or decline to issue the license and conduct the ceremony.”

In Kentucky, the A.C.L.U. suit is the nation’s first legal test, post-Obergefell, of how far a public official can go in resisting the decision. Ms. Davis is one of two county clerks — the state has 120 — who have defied Governor Beshear’s directive. Ms. Davis is also suing the governor, claiming that he violated her religious freedom. Her lawyer, Roger Gannam, says he will seek a stay of Judge Bunning’s ruling.

Experts had predicted Judge Bunning’s decision.

“Her case will go nowhere,” said Katherine Franke, an expert on sexuality law, as well as religious exemptions, at Columbia Law School, earlier this week, adding that previous cases in which public officials have sought not to perform their duties on religious grounds have ended much the same way. “She doesn’t get to pick and choose which of her duties she will perform.”

But Christian conservatives are watching closely.

“This case could be a marker of how the religious freedom aspects of same-sex marriage are going to be worked out,” said Mr. Gannam, who represents Ms. Davis on behalf of Liberty Counsel, a nonprofit organization in Florida that specializes in religious exceptions cases. “Many in Christian circles believe we are only now beginning the culture wars over marriage.”

Those culture wars are playing out with vigor in Morehead and its surrounding county, Rowan, where some churches sent congregants by the busload to rally for Ms. Davis when she appeared in court. “We feel very proud of her,” said the Rev. Harley Sexton Jr. of Sharkey Freewill Baptist Church, “that she has taken a religious stand against the state.”

But Morehead is also home to Morehead State University, which gives the city a liberal streak. At a downtown coffee shop and bookstore, where organic soaps and locally made jewelry share display space with books, even patrons uncomfortable with same-sex marriage say Ms. Davis must follow the new law of the land.

“Most people believe she has the right to feel the way she does,” said Robin Mirus, a mortgage loan officer, “but when anybody in public office takes a pledge, they are obligated to do the job that they said they were going to do.”

In his ruling, Judge Bunning agreed.

“Davis remains free to practice her Apostolic Christian beliefs,” the judge wrote. “She may continue to attend church twice a week, participate in Bible study and minister to female inmates at the Rowan County jail. She is even free to believe that marriage is a union between one man and one woman, as many Americans do. However, her religious convictions cannot excuse her from performing the duties that she took an oath to perform as Rowan County clerk.”

Ms. Davis spent 27 years as the Rowan County deputy clerk, serving under her mother, before winning election in her own right in 2014. She declined to be interviewed, but her court testimony makes it clear that she saw the conflict coming.

As the Supreme Court was considering the Obergefell case, she testified, she emailed state lawmakers, pleading with them “to get a bill on the floor to help protect clerks who had a moral issue.” Her decision to quit issuing licenses to all couples rather than single out same-sex couples was one, she said, “that I had prayed and fasted over weekly.”

Other clerks had similar qualms, said Chris Jobe, president of the Kentucky County Clerks Association. After the Obergefell ruling, 60 clerks in Kentucky agreed to sign a petition to the governor saying they objected on religious grounds. But most, fearing they would lose their jobs, decided in the end to issue licenses.

“I’m a Christian and I firmly believe marriage is between a man and a woman,” Mr. Jobe said. “But I have a family and kids. It’s been a very stressful time.”

April Miller, 54, a professor of special education at the university, said she and her partner, Karen Roberts, “were ecstatic” when the Supreme Court verdict came. The two have been together, first as friends and then as partners, for nearly two decades, and have raised Ms. Roberts’ 21-year-old daughter, who has intellectual disabilities. Then they heard that Ms. Davis was not issuing marriage licenses.

“I looked at Karen and I was like, ‘What do you mean? She can’t do this,’ ” Ms. Miller said. “I really thought when somebody started pushing it, she would fold.”

A few days later, the two left their home at the edge of the Daniel Boone National Forest, hopped into their yellow Volkswagen Beetle and drove the long winding road down to the county courthouse, expecting to get a marriage license but were refused.

The next day, Kevin Holloway and Jody Fernandez were refused as well. After years of referring to Ms. Fernandez as “my wife,” Mr. Holloway, said he had hoped to “make it official.” But like Ms. Miller and Ms. Roberts, they left the courthouse here empty-handed.

“I don’t want to have a gay wedding — I want to have one with Jody — but I don’t care if other people do,” said Mr. Holloway, who, along with the others, is a plaintiff in the A.C.L.U. suit.

“Our Pledge of Allegiance says, ‘With liberty and justice for all.’ She doesn’t get to decide who ‘all’ is,” Mr. Holloway said, referring to the clerk.

Reaction in the community has been mixed. A Rowan County Rights Coalition has sprung up to support the plaintiffs; its members turn up at the courthouse waving rainbow flags. But Mr. Holloway, who owns a shop that reupholsters seating, said some people had told him to drop the suit “if you know what’s good for your business.” Ms. Roberts said she got a cool reception at her hair salon, while Ms. Miller said her secretary had told her she was “praying for my soul.”

Both couples remain optimistic, and both are planning weddings. Ms. Miller and Ms. Roberts have already bought matching diamond bands.

John Mura contributed reporting from Morehead, Ky.

 Co'tor Shas wrote:
Source

Kim Davis, the clerk in Rowan County, who says her Christian faith bars her from authorizing same-sex marriages, has refused to issue any licenses, either to same-sex or heterosexual couples.

 kronk wrote:

 Co'tor Shas wrote:
Source

Kim Davis, the clerk in Rowan County, who says her Christian faith bars her from authorizing same-sex marriages, has refused to issue any licenses, either to same-sex or heterosexual couples.

Then quit. Do your job or quit.

 kronk wrote:

 Co'tor Shas wrote:
Source

Kim Davis, the clerk in Rowan County, who says her Christian faith bars her from authorizing same-sex marriages, has refused to issue any licenses, either to same-sex or heterosexual couples.

Then quit. Do your job or quit.

 DarkTraveler777 wrote:

 kronk wrote:

Then quit. Do your job or quit.

Agreed. I don't understand how the issue can be any more complex than that.

 Smacks wrote:
Forcing someone to choose between their job and their faith is often considered discrimination.

 Smacks wrote:

 DarkTraveler777 wrote:

 kronk wrote:

Then quit. Do your job or quit.

Agreed. I don't understand how the issue can be any more complex than that.

I actually disagree. Even though I agree she is being an asshat. Forcing someone to choose between their job and their faith is often considered discrimination. For example, Sikhs and Muslims are often exempt from beard and hat regulations which would conflict with their faith. I don't think it would be fair to just disregard their beliefs by saying "If you don't want to shave, don't do the job".

However, I don't think religion can be used as a catch-all "do whatever the hell you want", especially when that means discriminating against others.

I think she has a case, I don't think it's a very good case. It would be much stronger if she could propose a satisfactory solution that would allow her to do her job, which is better than just "no one can get married anymore". Hopefully, it will be decided that she is not being discriminated against, at which point, I think it would be fair to say "do the job, or get out".

 Ahtman wrote:
So what is it called when you refuse to do your job, that you voluntarily entered, based entirely on religious beliefs?

 DarkTraveler777 wrote:
If one conflicts with the other it is on the adherent to figure out which wins, their faith or their occupation.

 Smacks wrote:

 DarkTraveler777 wrote:
If one conflicts with the other it is on the adherent to figure out which wins, their faith or their occupation.

The employer also has a responsibility to respect and not discriminate against people based on their religion, where that is reasonable. I personally agree that her demands are unreasonable and that she should be out on her ass.

Remember, this isn't my argument it is hers. I don't want to try and defend her stupid position. I was just trying to explain why it is a little more complicated than just "do it or get out", since you claimed you didn't understand.

 Frazzled wrote:

 kronk wrote:

 Co'tor Shas wrote:
Source

Kim Davis, the clerk in Rowan County, who says her Christian faith bars her from authorizing same-sex marriages, has refused to issue any licenses, either to same-sex or heterosexual couples.

Then quit. Do your job or quit.

No no no. This person is a saint. Just think of all the lives she's saving by not permitting marriages for anyone. I think a Nobel prize is in order.

 CptJake wrote:
Often firing a public employee is a very troublesome process.

 Polonius wrote:

 CptJake wrote:
Often firing a public employee is a very troublesome process.

Violating a court order is usually pretty good grounds.

She's also an elected official, not a bargaining unit employee.

 Smacks wrote:
Forcing someone to choose between their job and their faith is often considered discrimination. For example, Sikhs and Muslims are often exempt from beard and hat regulations which would conflict with their faith. I don't think it would be fair to just disregard their beliefs by saying "If you don't want to shave, don't do the job".

 CptJake wrote:

 Polonius wrote:

 CptJake wrote:
Often firing a public employee is a very troublesome process.

Violating a court order is usually pretty good grounds.

She's also an elected official, not a bargaining unit employee.

So if her constituents are pissed at her behavior they should run a recall election, or ensure she is put out of office at the next general election.

On the other hand, if her constituents are happy with her actions and she gets reelected...

Wonder if they can impeach in that county?

 Howard A Treesong wrote:
All this hand-wringing about the 'conflict with my morals so I can't possibly do my job' is a real stretch given what they're being asked to do. You're in a local government office with the expectation of issuing licenses to people you know nothing about, yet some bleat about it like they're being expected to work in a concentration camp and bury the bodies.

 djones520 wrote:
Quit the job. When you are a government employee, you don't have the right to fall back on your beliefs as a guide. It's that damn simple.

Now, at the same time, the recent court ruling that a private bakery can be forced to bake cakes for homosexual weddings, even if they don't want to, is completely bogus in my eyes.

 CptJake wrote:
I suspect even if jailed for contempt she would still hold the position though (meaning the county cannot fill it) until another election is held.