Sex & Chicken Sandwiches
I can’t quite figure out this Chick-fil-A controversy thing. Maybe I missed something, but is all the hype and heat coming from Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy expressing his own personal opinion about marriage? On a radio broadcast and in an interview with Baptist Press?
Dan Cathy believes that marriage should preserve the historical, biblical definition: the legal union of a man and a woman. Some think he is wrong, and that’s fine. This is America, where all are entitled to our own opinions. This is America, where brave soldiers fought and died to protect our right to express our opinions. This is America, where we value differences of opinion.
Except, it seems, opinions like Dan’s.
Several are promoting a large-scale boycott of Chick-fil-A. Choosing where to spend your lunch money is also a form of expressing your own opinion. I’m not crazy about boycotts, but I defend the right of those who insist on eating inferior chicken sandwiches.
Jim Henson’s Muppet company is dissolving it’s partnership with Chick-fil-A. (We TOLD you there was something odd about Bert and Ernie’s sleeping arrangement!)
Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee is responding by promoting a Chick-fil-A appreciation day on Wednesday, August 1.
In an article at Slate.com Elliot Spitzer encourages boycotting Chick-fil-A because they have such wrong ideas about relationships. Spitzer makes references to treating others as second-class citizens, and marrying, and love, and … wait, WHAT? Yes, THAT Elliot Spitzer – who spent $80,000 on prostitutes WHILE he was the married governor of NY. Thanks, Elliot, for the lecture on relationships and respect.
What really grabbed my attention was Boston mayor Thomas Menino saying he will block all efforts for Chick-fil-A to open stores in his city. These are his words: “We’re an open city, we’re a city that’s at the forefront of inclusion.” Inclusion of what, exactly? All viewpoints except those that you – by force of government power – exclude? Chicago Alderman Joe Moreno has just announced his intent to similarly blockade America’s best chicken sandwich. How far will politicians take the policing of personal opinion? Will they now obstruct all efforts to start Christian churches or schools?
Back to Dan Cathy, and his personal opinion. There are those who – just to add some fuel to this fire – point out that Chick-fil-A donates money to organizations they deem “anti-gay.” Time.com pointed out that the company “donated more than $3 million to Christian groups that oppose homosexuality.” That’s redundant. ALL actual “Christian” groups support the New Testament view of marriage – a man married to a woman.
It is worth noting that waaaaay down at the bottom of the Time.com piece is this statement from Chick-fil-A:
“The Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect — regardless of their belief, race creed, sexual orientation or gender. Going forward our intent is to leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena.”
I don’t like boycotts. I don’t like for Christians to be known for what we’re against. We are FOR a wonderful Savior. And I don’t think any of us, holding any opinion, should want politicians to bully us into thinking like they tell us to think.
I must say I’ve put off commenting about this ordeal for some time now! But… I can no longer! I am a 33 yr. old man who was bound in homosexuality the majority of my life. I was saved and became a Christian when I was 29. It has been a long, rough road these past 4 years, but I know with all my being that the Blood of Jesus Christ has saved me and translated me into the Kingdom of God the moment I received salvation! It pains my heart, now that I know the truth, when I hear different celebrities, and/or organizations that support gay marriage and homosexuality! Those who are not Christians I understand, they know no better. Those that are Christian and society knows them as Christian are the ones that astound me the most! Claiming, “through their religion” they’ve come to the conclusion that we must love all and support all. It is celebrities/organizations such as these that are sending people to hell in a hand basket! It’s preposterous!!! The Bible is VERY clear about this lifestyle!!! There is NO: if, and, or but!!! It’s an abomination!!! People need to stop trying to be politically correct and start being Biblically correct!!! Yes, we walk in love. But no, we don’t support sin in peoples’ lives!!! I agree with the above on not liking a boycott. But in this day in age I do agree with the Word of God that says, “because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” I just ask Christians to wake up and take your rightful stand as a child of God! This entire homosexual movement reminds me so much of David and Goliath! These “gay rights” supporters are to the point of “daring” people to say something against them! So I encourage all Christians to stand as a “David” and shout out to this devil and world, “is there not a cause?”!!!!!!
For me it’s less about Cathy’s personal opinion and more about how the money is spent.
If a portion of the money earned from my value meal is going to be donated to organizations that actively fight against marriage equality, I think I’d rather not purchase a meal there.
Just my two(gay) cents.
Do people realize that Chick-fil-a has homosexual employees? If there is a boycott, then people could impact those salaries. Wouldn’t that be counter productive?
TO Just two cents…no one is requiring, requesting or regulating where you choose to eat or not eat. The earth will not stand still if you don’t go to Chick fil A. Your money; your perogative. So if you have the freedom to decide that without repercussion, why are you trying to limit the freedom of another individual of their choices? Cathy worked hard to start his own business and paid the price, so I think he has the right to choose how he spends it. So you don’t want to eat his sandwiches?….OK. You spend your money where you want to. If it’s not your money going to ChickfilA, then who are you to pass judgement on Dan Cathy where he spends his? Don’t preach tolerance when you are doing the opposite. If you can’t walk it, don’t talk about it.
Thank you, Joe. Thanks for commenting, for your candor, and for the stand you take for Jesus Christ.
Point taken. And I support your right to voice your opinion and spend your dollars in a way consistent with that opinion. What makes me really nervous is politicians using the force of their offices to bully others into silence or compromise.
Debbie, I’m not judging anyone nor am I trying to take away anyone’s freedom. I respect Cathy’s opinion and his right to say it. I take issue with where he donates his company’s money but NOT because I don’t think he should have the right to spend it however he chooses. I don’t agree with where it’s spent so I’m not going to add my money to his contribution, that’s all.
Kevin, I agree. But I could say the same for your opinion of ‘traditional’ marriage–attempting to influence politicians to change laws based on your own moral convictions.
I certainly respect your right to your opinion but I don’t think you should get to decide who anyone does or doesn’t marry(as long as they are both consenting adults.)
As far as Boston goes, I don’t think they can actually prevent CFA from building within it’s city limits but I haven’t gone a-googlin’ to find out. When I read the letter it seemed more of an opinion piece not a ‘you can’t build here’ statement but more of a ‘i wish you wouldn’t build here.’
If that’s the case I’m just as fine with the Mayor of Boston having his opinion as I am with Cathy’s opinion.