Invoking God's authority, a Kentucky county clerk defied the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday and stood by her refusal to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis has refused to issue marriage licenses to any couples - gay or straight - since the court in June ruled that same-sex couples had the right to marry under the U.S. Constitution.

On Monday, the same court rejected Davis' request for an emergency order allowing her to deny marriage licenses to gay couples while she appeals a federal judge's order requiring her to issue them.

Amid calls for her resignation, death threats and an order that she appear in federal court on Thursday, Davis clung to her religious beliefs.

"I have no animosity toward anyone and harbor no ill will," she said in a statement. "To me this has never been a gay or lesbian issue. It is about marriage and God's word. It is a matter of religious liberty."

"It is not a light issue for me. It is a heaven or hell decision. For me it is a decision of obedience," she said.

Outside the building in Morehead, Kentucky, that houses the clerk's office, large crowds supporting both sides on the issue gathered and chanted slogans.

Those favoring same-sex marriage chanted, "What do we want? Equality," said Chris Hartman, director of the Louisville-based Fairness Campaign.

Source: reuters.com