“Please state your name for the record,” Wade says.
“Clive Lincoln.”
“What do you do for a living?”
“I’m the pastor of the Eternal Glory Evangelical Church of God.”
“Do you have a family, Pastor?”
“Yes,” Pastor Clive says. “I have a wonderful wife, and God’s seen fit to bless us with four beautiful daughters.”
Three of them I know—they’re fresh-scrubbed preteens who wear matching dresses and sing with Pastor Clive on Sundays. The other one sits in the back during services and doesn’t say a word. Rumor has it she hasn’t accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. I can’t imagine what a personal embarrassment that must be for someone like Pastor Clive.
I guess we all have our crosses to bear.
“Do you know the plaintiff in this matter?”
“I do. Max joined our congregation about six months ago.”
“Are you familiar with Reid and Liddy Baxter as well?” Wade asks.
“I’ve known Reid for fifteen years. He’s a business whiz, frankly—he’s managed the church’s finances for over a decade. We may have been the only nonprofit that made money during the recession.” Pastor Clive rolls his eyes upward. “Then again, we just might have had Someone looking out for us in the stock market.”
“How long have you been the pastor of this church?”
“Twenty-one glorious years.”
“Pastor, what does your church teach about homosexuality?”
“Objection,” Angela Moretti says. “I don’t see how this testimony furthers his understanding of the plaintiff’s character.”
“Overruled.”
“We believe in the word of God,” Pastor Clive says. “We interpret the Bible literally, and there are multiple passages that state marriage is meant to be between a man and a woman, for the purpose of procreation—and many others that directly condemn homosexuality.”
“Can you elaborate?”
“Objection!” Angela Moretti stands. “The Bible isn’t relevant in a court of law.”
“Oh, really?” Wade says. He gestures to the King James Bible the clerk keeps on his desk for swearing in.
Angela Moretti ignores him. “Your Honor, Mr. Lincoln’s interpretation of Bible verses is a direct melding of religion and justice—which violates the very principles of our legal system.”
“On the contrary, Your Honor, this is entirely relevant to the best interests of the pre-born children, and the sort of home in which they wind up.”
“I’ll allow the testimony,” Judge O’Neill says.
A man in the back of the gallery who’s wearing a shirt that saysCLOSETS ARE FOR CLOTHESstands up. “Go fuck yourself, Judge!”
O’Neill glances up. “Motion denied,” he says drily. “Sheriff, please remove this man from my courtroom.” He turns toward Pastor Clive. “As I was saying, you may proceed. But I’ll limit you to choosing a single verse as an example. Ms. Moretti is right about one thing: this is a trial, not a Sunday School session.”
Pastor Clive calmly opens his Bible and reads aloud.“Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable. And if a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.I know those are two verses, but they’re practically on the same page.”
“How would you and your congregation interpret those passages?” Wade asks.
“I don’t think it’s just me and my congregation,” Pastor Clive says. “It’s spelled out to anyone who reads it—homosexuality is an abomination. A sin.”
“For Pete’s sake,” Angela Moretti says, “I object. For the hundredth time.”
