This comment in a June radio interview has ignited a firestorm of controversy and calls for action. Those in support of gay marriage are calling for boycotts and conservatives are calling for people to buy Chick-fil-a en masse on Wednesday to show support.
It's Feedback Friday...
What is your reaction to the comments made by Chick-fil-a's CEO?
Will you still eat there?
Will you be boycotting?
Does it change your opinion of the company?
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete(I just deleted my first reply because an entire phrase disappeared when I hit "enter"!)
ReplyDeleteI think the CEO of Chick Fil A has every right to express his opinions whether or not they agree with mine. I am not surprised by his views already indicated by the fact that his stores have never been open on Sundays and I respect that. I happen to like their chicken sandwich - a lot! - and that has nothing to do with whether he and I have the same beliefs. I choose to believe that love is much more powerful than hate and try to live that out in my life. I would much rather be boycotting foreign made items that are imported into our country every day made by women and children working for pennies and living in abject poverty.
I agree with Susan...to a degree. Last time I ate there--there are none close by--I knew of his remarks, was disappointed they'd been made news, but felt it was no big deal. The "big deal" is what it's now become, with customers lining up to "show their support." When eating there is made into a political statement, then I want nothing to do with it. (Which might be difficult next time we drive into Austin if there weren't another place nearby the hub likes equally well. Cuz he totally agrees with Susan.)
ReplyDeleteThe "Chick-fil-A" drama seems a bit petty to me. I think that for those people in this country who are having a difficult time buying groceries and paying their bills, they don't give a darn about what some CEO has to say. Every group seems to want to claim this controversy for whatever the "cause of the moment is," whether they are for Christian rights, traditional marriage rights, gay rights, or chicken rights! As for myself, I am a Christian who happens to have a few family members who are gay. I want my gay relatives to have the same happiness in their lives that I have in mine. The CEO stated that he supported the traditional, Biblical definition of marriage--his company is not asking customers to show their "Sexual Preference Identification Card," before agreeing to allow them to buy a crispy chicken sandwich! My problem with this issue is when certain groups or the government say that they are going to boycott a company or refuse a company a chance to expand in their state because of the owner's beliefs. I'm pretty sure the lawyers would be out in full force if certain organizations decided to stage a national boycott on gay establishments or refuse permits to gay business owners. But to attempt to be such a destructive force in these terrible economic times is the ultimate extreme in bullying. You may think that you're striking out at just one man, but you are toying with his employees, his vendors, his customers, and if you live in that state, maybe even with your OWN taxes. Annoy him enough and he will leave your state and take the taxes that he pays to your state with him. But that's alright, isn't it? Because then YOU can make up the difference and pay more. The CEO said he supported traditional marriage. That's all. That's hardly the act of a criminal.
ReplyDeleteIt's completely ridiculous that we live in a society where supporters of the gay and lesbian community are allowed to speak their minds but not for Christians. There was no hate in anything he said; he was asked a simple question and gave a simple, honest answer. The only hate that has been expressed is in everyone's reactions--hypocrisy at its finest. Why are people acting so surprised that he believes in traditional family values? He has never hidden the fact that Chickfila is a Christian-based company; they are even closed on Sundays! It's wonderful that people have been showing their support for this business in the midst of such a media circus. If supporters of same-sex marriage can take a stand then so can we. That's the beauty of this country we live in.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many more important issues this country should be concerned with right now. Bottom line--if you don't want to eat their food then just don't, but stop making it a big deal that there are other people who do.
Amen!
DeleteHate the sin - love the sinner.
We are a country that is supposed to be able to freely express what we ALL believe - why, oh why do people not get that?
Kim and Patti ...THANK YOU! I feel like i have been talking to deaf ears for a long time. Why do people...non Christians...say I HATE because i don't follow their beliefs? YES HATE THE SIN......LOVE AND PRAY FOR THE SINNER!
DeleteI do for my gay and non believing (even wicket) friends and acquaintances . How else would they learn the love of Christ?
I am loving reading all these comments, I feel like sometimes the GALC sit in wait to pounce on something to make there point, I totally agree with Kim
ReplyDeleteBTW I hope you can come by and link up to my first blog hop! You can win a $25 Amazon Gift Card http://www.missinformationblog.com/2012/08/its-best-of-your-best-blog-hop-and-win.html
1. The owner is in his 90’s and there just aren’t a whole lot of senior citizens marching in gay right parades (although that paints a funny image in my head). I don’t think anyone was shocked he supports traditional marriage, but they just wanted to turn it into a political circus.
ReplyDelete2. I will still eat there b/c I love the lemonade and they always say “My pleasure”.
3. I am sick of people calling this a free speech issue-it’s not. In this country you are free to say whatever you want, but not free from how people will respond to it.
4. While others have said PLENTY-here’s the only statement Cick-fil-A has made on the issue (from their fb page on July 19th):
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. We will continue this tradition in the over 1,600 Restaurants run by independent Owner/Operators. Going forward, our intent is to leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena.
Chick-fil-A is a family-owned and family-led company serving the communities in which it operates. From the day Truett Cathy started the company, he began applying biblically-based principles to managing his business. For example, we believe that closing on Sundays, operating debt-free and devoting a percentage of our profits back to our communities are what make us a stronger company and Chick-fil-A family.
Our mission is simple: to serve great food, provide genuine hospitality and have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A.
5. The world would be a better place if everyone lived their life debt free, generously donating 10% to causes they believe in, and devoting a day a week to family and worship.
6. Please don’t let anyone interview the owner of Hobby Lobby.
Agreed. And I had to LOL at the Hobby Lobby comment...I had the same thought!
DeleteOh geeze, now I have to read up about Hobby Lobby!
DeleteI don't know anything about him/her, but they are also closed on Sundays and play church hymns in the store, so I think it is pretty unlikely that you will find him/her marching for gay rights either.
DeleteBoycott: A Personal Note. I understand that Chick-Fil-A is a "christian" company and, just like you or I, can donate to anybody they damn well please.
ReplyDeleteI go out of my way to eat at Chick Fil A and to shop at Hobby Lobby because they are Christian companies.....Just like I'm sure the opposition goes out of their way to shop at stores that suport their values..thats what makes America great we have the freedom to say what we feel.......any group that tries to take that right away form the other will lose that right for themselves!
ReplyDeleteWe won't be eating there, not that we eat there a lot anyway.
ReplyDeleteI think what bothers me most, is the fact that in this day and age, we still have to fight for people to have basic human rights.
Who cares about who loves who? Who cares about who marries who? If you are not hurting me or my family, why do I care?
I think people forget that to be a Christian is to "love your neighbor as yourself" and "Do unto others as you would have them do to you."
"I think what bothers me most, is the fact that in this day and age, we still have to fight for people to have basic human rights."
DeleteAre we still talking about the same thing? I don't see anyone saying that people in the gay community should be denied basic human rights. Are they denied food? Shelter? Clothing? Let's not exaggerate.
The CEO of Chick-fil-A certainly said no such thing. He simply said that he supports traditional marriage. Did he say that gay people were undeserving of happiness, or of any of the other "wants" that the rest of us wish for? No. Would you like for someone to put words in your mouth? Or worse, to have someone tell others what you ACTUALLY MEANT to say? That of course, would imply that you knew better than the person speaking.
It's true that there are the few stories of total nut-jobs who have to ruin the good deeds/intentions of others, in the name of religion. But for the most part, these "Chritians," as you refer to them, ARE loving their neighbor. Take note that they went to Chick-fil-A peacefully to support a business that they like---they didn't wave horrible signs or scream obscenities about the gay community.
When I say human rights, I include marriage as a human right as per this definition.
Delete"The basic rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled, often held to include the right to life and liberty, freedom of thought and expression, and equality before the law."
As for shelter? What about the estimated 30% of the 2 million children that are homeless because their parents kicked them out due to being gay?
The CEO said he supports "the biblical definition of the family unit". Which is funny, there is no clear definition. Moses law assumed all Israelites to marry as many women that they could afford. Jesus warned against marriage, saying that family life was a distracting waste of time. The apostle Paul agreed and said that celibacy was the way of Jesus' followers. Paul only recommends marriage if you can't stay celibate. The New Testament does sanction marriage but only to test the fitness of male church leaders. They were told to love their wives and servants. Wives, children and servants were told to obey the men in charge, no matter what. Oh yeah, this is a culture where sexual access of masters to their slaves was the norm. There is never a mention of marriage as practiced in the US. Everything is totally contradictory.
People can't use the bible to justify their intolerance. There is no straightforward set of teachings about marriage, desire, or God's take on the human body.
That all being said. I refuse to spend my money at Chik-fil-a now that I know it will go to funding groups that oppose gay marriage.
Oh good! Lessons from another "expert" on the Bible! I'm going to Chick-fil-A today, where I will buy myself a lovely sandwich, and tell the cashier that I'm having it in honor of my good friend, Jennifer!
DeleteLynn, I hope you enjoyed your sandwich!!
DeleteI think it's out of control. I agree that anyone should be able to marry whomever they want. This guy has the right to think what he wants. He didn't say anything bad about anyone, just how he feels. We don't have any chic-fil-a's around here, but I wouldn't have a problem eating there.
ReplyDeleteWhat would this country be without Freedom of Speech - he said what he believes and so be it. If you believe differently, so be it. People need to stop being so judgemental in today's day and age - there are plenty of people in today's society that are hetrosexual and shouldn't be married in the biblical sense - but they still are! Aren't there more important things? Look at the wonderful business it has brought in - couldn't even get near ours on Thursday - I don't think the boycotting is working! Instead of worrying about whether you should eat a chicken sandwich b/c the owner does not have your same beliefs - wouldn't you really want to take on the oil executives that are making us pay almost $4/gal for gas - Priorities or Pettiness people?
ReplyDeleteJennifer....The Bible talks multiple times about homosexuality being a sin, in both the old and new testament. Love your neighbor as yourself is an issue here. Gay rights supporters are bashing, degrading and criticising a person based on their beliefs and right to free speech.
ReplyDeleteI think what really bugs me about this whole debate is that the "world" seems to think that free speech and beliefs are a great thing until they disagree with them. And then it is automatically hate. Hate is a completely different issue, ad not even a factor in this whole controversy. True christians can love all people and still hate the what the Bible says is sin in someones life. And yet when a christian stands up for their beliefs they are often call bigots....tell me where the free speech is in the. Why are our rights as christians not respected by people who we disagree with?
Jessica,
DeleteReally great points. I think the gay community is doing themselves a real dis-service when they jump on every "imaginary bandwagon" that comes along--always screaming "Hate!" It's the same with those people who think every disagreement is race-based. I don't think people care "who is doing what" in their own lives. Even people who disagree with same-sex marriage have better things to do with their time that spend 2 minutes on the subject. I was amused to see that supporters of Chick-fil-A stood in line politely, and without incident. However, some of the gay protesters were really quite disgusting, not only with their behavior (and no, I don't mean their kissing. I mean their groping and gyrating each other in public,) and with their protest signs. One sign called Jesus a C---t. Nice, huh? Tolerant, huh? Oh, but wait. If a gay person said it, then I have to accept that, right? Because the waver of that sign is allowed to his opinion, but MY OPINION is the intolerant one? Many Gay Rights groups were not supportive of these tactics. It certainly doesn't help your cause if you're going to play to people's stereotypes.
Jessica, I agree that he does have a right to say and believe what he wants. I don't hate the man for saying his beliefs. I don't have a problem with that.
ReplyDeleteI consider myself a christian and I have read the Bible. Leviticus does mention that man shall not lay with a man like you lay with a woman the punishment for it is death. It also states that women that are pregnant and not married shall be stoned to death. It also states that women need to be separated from everyone when she is menstruating because she is unclean. Don't forget about how men shouldn't cut their hair or shave their beard. Oh, look up Leviticus 21:16-23.
The truth is that the Bible can be used to justify or delegitimize almost anything. It bothers me that people pick and choose what they want. Gays are an abomination? So is that poly bend suit your husband wore to work.
As for the protesters that were out of hand, I agree. None of that was needed. Foul words on signs or inappropriate behavior is uncalled for regardless of what you are doing. It doesn't get you anywhere.
The funny thing about all this, my gay friends couldn't care less about this situation. I was more upset than they were. :)
I'm still not going to eat there, just because they give money to certain groups that I don't care for. They do give to a bunch of children's organizations too.
Lynn, I'm sorry my "expert" bible knowledge bothered you. Don't forget about MY right for free speech. By the way, since we're good friends, you can call me Jen!
Romans 1:24-27 speaks specifically about homosexuality being unnatural.
ReplyDeleteBecause we live post ressurection we no longer follow Levitical law. So your arguement is not relevant. That is not picking and choosing which parts of the Bible I choose to follow based on what I like.
Jessica, Romans does in fact say:
ReplyDelete24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,
25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever! Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural,
27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in their own persons the due penalty for their error. (RSV)
Nowhere in that text is the word homosexuality, homosexual, or gay. Those words don't appear until 1946.
you can just read the words, but context is everything.
24- About lust. Pure and simple. One of the 7 Deadly Sins.
25- In here, there is a lie and idolatry. i.e. worshiping another god.
26-So now this situtation of Lust, Lies, Idolarty and Dishonorable Passions.
27-Read the first part, Men GAVE UP natural relations with women. How can you give up something you never did before? heterosexual individuals filled with lust and engaging in homosexual sex, which is against their nature.
Basically Paul is referring pagan practice of sacred sexual orgies.
Peter J. Gomes, preacher to Harvard University, further clarifies in his book The Good Book, “It is not clear that Saint Paul distinguished, as we must, between homosexual persons and heterosexual persons who behave like homosexuals, but what is clear is that what is ‘unnatural’ is the one behaving after the manner of the other”.
But, that all being said. You were taught the Bible by the words, not looking at it as a historical piece. If you read it with both, it truly is a wonderful read.
Jennifer, the difference between us is that I don't see the Bible as a "read." For me it is life, it is truth, not just a great piece of literature.
ReplyDeleteI think that anyone at anytime can twist the words of God to say what they want them to say. It can be given a name that justifies an interpretation that is inaccurate...but that doesn't make it the truth.
I think you can argue all day long that new testament scripture doesn't call homosexuality a sin, but can you find one place in the entire Bible where God approves of it? Sin is sin.
Jessica, I think you misunderstood my meaning of "great read". The Bible is the word of God as written by man. I read it. I am a follower of Christ. I am a Bible Loving Christian. It helps me with struggles, it makes me whole.
ReplyDeleteYou gave me a challenge to find one place in the entire Bible where God approves of homosexuality. I admit I can't. There is no where in the Bible that states that people of the same sex can or can't have a loving adult relationship.
In the Bible there is only 6 verses about man sleeping with men and there are thousands of verses about other things. If it was such a sin, why aren't there entire books about it in the Bible? Why isn't in the 10 Commandments? They are the only thing which is actually written down on stone by God. Man wrote the rest. Paul said their words were inspired by God.
The authors of the Bible do not speak about homosexual orientation as we know it today. They neither condemn it or approve it. They are not authorities of human sexuality. They ARE authorities in faith.
There is ta passage, Matthew 19:12, Jesus speaks of eunuchs who were born as such, eunuchs who were made so by others, and eunuchs who choose to live as such for the kingdom of heaven. This passage has been said as having to do with homosexual orientation. Even Clement of Alexandria, a Christian theologian who lived around 150 AD to 215 AD stated that this passage meant that some men, from birth, are naturally averse to women and should not marry. That is the closest the Bible gets to mentioning homosexuality.
The last thing I want to say is the Gospels make it very clear that Jesus refused to believe in cultural prejudice. He ALWAYS took up the cause for the oppressed and defended them against the narrow minded religious leaders.
I suggest to everyone that they should read the Bible. Don't just read the words, but learn how to interpret them. Learn how man lived in the time of the Bible. The cultures and attitudes are completely different from today. Don't bring in your knowledge of the world as you know it now. If you do, I think you'll find the Bible even more amazing.
Jennifer,
ReplyDelete2 Timothy 3:16, All scripture is God-breathed and is usedful for teaching, rebuking and correcting and training in reghteousness.
Man may have written the Bible but they did it by inspiration from God....They are not teaching their own beliefs but what God provoked them to write.
Think of Sodom and Gomorrah....if their behavior was so detestable and wicked that God destroyed the entire city why would God change his mind and approve of the things that they were doing? "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) The answer, He wouldn't change, God disapproved of homosexual behavior then and still does. The Bible does not use the word homosexualtiy but that doesn't mean it does not speak about it.
We are born with sin, and everyone sins and has certain tendencies and desires. Just because we are born a certain way does not mean that it is ok. I was born a very stubborn and selfish person, with a very short temper. I do not justify that in anyway. Those personality traits of mine were sin, and I have to work vey hard not to be ruled by my human nature.
Jesus did defend the oppressed, but not sin. As christians we can truly love people, all people without approving of their sin. I have no hatred, or desire to oppress anyone. But I do not have to tolerate or approve of a sinful lifestyle. And I do believe that there is concrete evidence in the Bible that homosexuality is sin.
Jessica,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you brought up Sodom and Gomorrah.
So the story, in Genesis, starts with Abraham and Lot splitting up because they both were too wealthy and the land they were on could not support all their herds, family members and workers. Abraham went to Canaan while Lot set up his tent near the city of Sodom. Unfortunately, the people of Sodom were evil and sinners.
On the behalf of the Lord, 2 angels are sent to Sodom to see if the city is as bad as He had been told. As the angels enter the city, Lot meets them and tells them they can find shelter and food at his house. They decline but Lot persists.
After Lots guests are fed, there is a knock on the door.
Here is Genesis 19:4-5
----But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house. And they called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them.”
Notice it says "all the people to the last man". If this is about homosexuality, does that mean the entire town was gay? If so, why was Lot's daughters pledged to marry men from the town? Not only that, but is one heck of a gay city! San Fransisco's gay population is only 5% of the 800,000 people that live there.
Lot goes on to offer his virgin daughters to the mob of angry men. Now, why in the world would Lot offer gay men a virgin WOMEN to have sex with? It doesn't make sense.
When the offer is declined, they also threaten to do worse to Lot than to the foreigner who they knew came to judge them. The men of Sodom then try to break down the door to get to the visitors. At this point, the angels turn to Lot and tell him to get his family out of Sodom, because the Lord is going to strike down the city.
The fact that the men threatened Lot and tried to break in his house proves they were obviously violent and were trying to get to two unwilling people. Sex and violence with unwilling people is rape, not homosexuality. It is rape. Rape is all about power, not sex.
There is another story in the Bible. Judges 19:13-27. It is a parallel story set in Gibeah in Benjamin.
Instead of 2 daughters offered to the angry mob of Benjamites, only 1 daughter and a concubine or offered. This time the mob took the concubine and raped her and abused her through the night and then let her go at dawn. Later the tribe of Benjamin were nearly wiped out because of this.
In this account, the wicked men were appeased by the offering of the female concubine. So they are not gay, but after power or rape.
The tribe and the city of Sodom and Gomorrah were NOT destroyed because of homosexuality.
Why WAS Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed, and what were the sins that were so vile that God destroyed them? What was the great outcry God was referring to in Genesis 18? The Bible tells us exactly why these cities were destroyed in Ezekiel 16:48-50.
---As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, your sister Sodom and her daughters never did what you and your daughters have done. "'Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.
No homosexuality. The "detestable things before me" refers to the religious Pagan rituals that were popular in that time.
More in another post.
Here's another.
ReplyDeleteMatthew 11:20-24
--Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. "Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you."
Hmmmmm? No homosexuality here either. Jesus just talks about the unrepentant cities that refused to believe in him or his miracles.
I see no concrete evidence of homosexuality. Although I do understand what you are saying. You are confusing sex with relationships. To say having a homosexual relationship is all about sex is comparable to saying that a heterosexual relationship is all about sex.
Is your commitment to your husband all about sex? Mine isn't. We decided that we wanted to go through life together and never part. I feel you are incorrect to assume that a gay relationships are all about sex.
Another point I want to make is that if you put the defining point being sex for homosexuality or heterosexual, you would be assuming that everyone is sexually active. I have two very boy-crazy little girls ages 4 and 6. Since they like boys I consider them heterosexual. Does that mean that they are sexually active? No. They don't even know what sex is.
I feel like your enitre purpose is just to argue. I am not confusing sex with relationships. I am well aware that relationship does not equal sex. My relationship with my husband is not based on sex at all, but it is a part of our marriage. So if the Bible does specifically speak about sex between 2 men or 2 women, which it does in many places, then wouldn't approving of gay marriage be approving of something the Bible clearly states as sin? Part of a marital relationship is about sex, so to approve of gay marriage is to approve of gay sex. That is approval of sin. I would no more approve of that sin than I would murder, or rape or stealing.
ReplyDeleteJessica,
DeleteI agree with you. Jennifer's only reason for checking this post is so that she can argue with you and spew whatever information she looked up on Wikipedia. To continue to argue with her is pointless. You have made your beliefs perfectly clear, and considering that no one else is arguing with you, leads me to believe that many others feel as you do. It is also clear that Jennifer will not change her views and neither will you. If I were you, no matter how much she may try to antagonize you, I would ignore her. Don't give her the satisfaction of trying to constantly "one up you." It's clear to all of us that that is what she's trying to do....like a 5 year old. I'd almost bet money that she won't be able to control herself and will feel the need to answer to THIS post. Just to have the last word.....In my case, she can have it. Like my Grandmother always said, "Just because they're yelling the loudest doesn't make them right!"
Shelby,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the spoken support....although I know you are not supporting me but God, and true christian beliefs. I agree that she is only arguing for the sake of arguing. And I don't believe that anything that she says is actually her own words but she is just repeating what others have said before her. I like your Grandmother!
First off, if you go back to my original post, you will find my opinion of the topic of Chick-fil-a for Feature Friday. I was then criticized for it. I felt like I had to defend my choice. Every post I wrote someone else came and questioned my beliefs.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry if you thought I was arguing with you. I was trying to tell you how the Bible was taught to me, by my minister and college professors in theology. But how DARE you question my faith. You insinuated that I do not have "True Christian Beliefs". Who are you to judge me for my beliefs?
One more thing, Wikipedia is not a reputable place to get information, anyone can change an entry at anytime. My information is from the Bible as it was taught to me.
I am not judging you for your beliefs, but I do believe that they represent christian beliefs that are compromised to conform to society. I am sorry to have offended.
ReplyDeleteI believe that you have been taught some of the things that you have stated. I think the truest way to know if you can really trust the teaching of ministers or professers in theology if it follows perfectly in step with scripture.
If you really believe the Bible, and the true unwavering character of God I think that you would have to agree that homosexualtiy is sin. You can always find ways to argue against something that you want to believe, but finding supporter doesn't make you right.