As the controversy swirls over a Kentucky county clerk who refuses to issue same-sex marriage licenses, a judge sends her to jail for refusing to obey a court order.

Since when can a court jail someone who won’t violate their religious beliefs?

Bill of Rights (art. 3) says there’s to be no law prohibiting free exercise of religion.

The court may have the right to order the county clerk removed from office, but in our opinion, it cannot force someone to act against their religious beliefs.

And we don’t exonerate the clerk – when the law changed, she should have stood on principle and resigned from the office, knowing she couldn’t fulfill her duties.

The proper action for that court would have been to remove her from public office.