Georgia Police Officer Resigns After Being Investigated for Affirming Biblical View of Marriage in Social Media Post

Jacob Kersey, a 19-year-old police officer in Port Wentworth, Georgia, was placed on administrative leave on January 4 and investigated by his supervisors for posting the following comment on his Facebook page:

The three statements contained in the post are Christianity 101 truths, based on the clear teachings of the Bible on marriage (Genesis 2:24), God’s creation of mankind as “male and female” (Genesis 1:27 ), and the connection between Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:31-32).

But the job ultimately cost Officer Kersey his job. How did it happen?

Kersey’s supervisors at the police department received an anonymous “tip” about his Jan. 2 post and confronted him about it.

How did he respond when questioned by commanders about the job?

In an email to the Daily Citizen, Kersey explained, “I was in complete disbelief, but I knew immediately that I had to stand for the Word of God. I believe it was the Holy Spirit that enabled me to ‘ to make a Christ-glorifying, God-honoring decision in the moment, even if I didn’t understand what it would mean for my career.”

Kersey, who has also hosted his own podcast for the past six years, is an eloquent and fearless Christian.

On January 13, Kersey received an official letter clearing him of any wrongdoing, but nonetheless warning him about posting content that others might find offensive.

“However, in our investigation, the posts, podcasts and so on were probably found and considered offensive [sic] to protected classes and may raise reasonable concerns about your objectivity in the performance of your job duties when a member, or perceived member, of the LGBTQ+ community is involved.”

But hold on. Would anyone question the “objectivity” of a police officer who wrote a favorable social media post about “gay pride”? Of course not.

And even more ominously, the letter warned him against saying anything in public that someone might object to:

“As we have previously discussed, please be reminded that if any post on any of your social media platforms, or any other statement or action, does not allow you to perform, and to be seen as competent [sic] to perform your job in a fair and equitable manner, you may be terminated.”

“It’s such a dangerous precedent,” Kersey told Fox Digital, “that if you’re off duty on your own time, that you can say anything — even something religious, even something at church — if somebody somewhere get offended, you can be fired for it.”

Rather than go back to work with the department’s warnings hanging over him, Kersey resigned. He felt that he was facing an inevitable termination and worse:

“I didn’t feel confident that if I went out there and enforced the law, that my command staff would have my back,” he said. “It’s just too dangerous of a job to do that. And I didn’t think it was wise to go back to work under those circumstances.”

Kersey said his boss likened his social media post to using the “N-word,” which is exactly what Justice Samuel Alito warned against in his dissent in the 2015 Supreme Court case that created same-sex “marriage”:

“The decision will also have other important consequences.

“It will be used to vilify Americans who are unwilling to agree to the new orthodoxy.

“In the course of its opinion, the majority compares traditional marriage laws to laws that denied equal treatment to African Americans and women. […] The implications of this analogy will be exploited by those determined to stamp out every trace of dissent.

“Perhaps the majority, recognizing how its reasoning can be used, tries to reassure those who oppose same-sex marriage by the end of its opinion that their conscience rights will be protected. […] We will soon see if this is true. I suppose those who cling to old beliefs will be able to whisper their thoughts in their homes, but if they repeat those views in public they will risk being labeled as bigots and as such by governments, employers and schools to be treated. ” (emphasis added).

What did he learn from his experience that he would pass on to other Christians?

“I would encourage every Christian to pray without ceasing (1 Thess 5:16-18),” Kersey told us. “We must absolutely ensure that our heart is right with God and that we have the right motives. Prayer is essential to ensure that our motives are pure.

“If we are simply fighting for legislation or political victory, then we are motivated by the wrong reasons. We must be motivated by a love for the souls of mankind, God’s design for His creation, and the comprehensive rule of King Jesus over all.”

And trials will come our way if we take a stand for Christ, according to Kersey.

“We have to ask ourselves what are we willing to give for Christ? Most of us in America will not be asked to face physical death for our faith. But we may be called to face the death of our dreams, our reputations, our opportunities, our careers.

“Stand firm, brothers and sisters, and speak the truth in love, for that is what love requires.”

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