Commending a Brave Pastor

Written By: Travis Buhler  |  Posted: Wednesday, August 15th, 2012

                Pastor Kenneth Miller faces up to three years in prison and a possible lawsuit for helping a woman escape a Vermont court order.  According to Jason McLure of Reuters,

                "A Mennonite minister was found guilty on Tuesday of aiding a kidnapping by helping a woman flee to Nicaragua with her daughter to evade court orders giving visitation rights to her former lesbian partner."

                Matthew Hoffman of LifeSiteNews.com reports,

                "Ex-lesbian Lisa Miller fled the country after her efforts failed to keep former "civil union" partner Janet Jenkins from having access to her child, Isabella. Jenkins never adopted Isabella and has no biological relationship with the girl, who exhibited signs of emotional trauma following forced visits with Jenkins, according to experts who observed her."

                In an earlier article, Hoffman writes,

                "Miller refused further visits, angering the court. In late 2009, [Judge] Cohen ordered that custody of Isabella be turned over to Jenkins, while her natural mother would only be allowed visitation.  However, Miller had by that time disappeared with her child."

A Commendation

                Pastor Miller and those who assisted in this brave and righteous act are to be commended.  It was quite clear that there was no hope that the government officials would change their mind.  Rather than damage the soul of her daughter, Lisa sought the aid of Miller (no relation) to help her escape this country.  In Hoffman's article,

                "Miller's supporters explain that 'as a follower of Jesus, Ken could not ignore' Lisa Miller's plea for help to escape Jenkins."

Nullification

                It is sad that America has come to this.  Not only did the entire court systems of Vermont and Virginia seek to take a child from her mother and give it to a lesbian, but a jury of twelve Americans decided after only a few hours that the pastor who helped her is guilty of kidnapping.

                Lisa Miller's decision to flee is a perfect example of nullification.  When an authority oversteps it's bounds and violates the true authority of another (in this case, a mother's authority over her daughter), it is legitimate, if not a duty, for the true authority to do what she must do to stop the overreach.  In this case, she fled.

                This case is reminiscent of an earlier time when brave citizens disobeyed the laws and courts in order to obey a higher authority.  As Hoffman reports,

                "A Nicaraguan Mennonite who said he had seen Miller and her daughter on one occasion, told the AP that Mennonites and Quakers were helping Miller for the same reason they had helped runaway slaves escape to Canada during the years preceding the American Civil War."

The Danger of Civil Unions

                Many conservatives hide from the issue of gay "marriage" and civil unions.  Even recently chosen Vice-Presidential candidate Paul Ryan when asked about his views on homosexuality this week stated that he would rather focus on the economy than social issues.

                Many conservatives say they oppose gay marriage but would allow civil unions so that gay couples can enjoy some of the practical benefits of marriage.  Now we see the unintended (or perhaps the secretly intended) consequences of a made-up relationship.

                Jenkins, the former partner, is not the biological parent of Isabella; she never adopted Isabella; and was never "married" to Miller.  Yet the courts gave her partial and then full custody of Isabella; all based on their civil union granted by Vermont. 

                The custody and kidnapping cases should have never happened.  But because of America's increasing silence on the attack on marriage and the family, confusion has set in and a pastor and father faces prison time for a very real defense of marriage.

No Greater Love

                As Kenneth Miller said after his conviction, "We are of course disappointed but with the grace of God and by his help, we will bear the consequences."

                "Greater love hath no man than this," Jesus says, "that a man lay down his life for his friends."

                Miller may soon be in prison, but few Americans can enjoy the freedom that Miller feels in his heart.

                Travis Buhler is the Editor of the US Journal and the Eau Claire Journal.  Email: travis@eauclairejournal.com.