Thoughts on Chick-Fil-A Day

So last Wednesday (8/1/2012) I picked up some lunch for Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day, which was an event called for by Mike Huckabee, former Governor of Arkansas. The event was in response to criticisms launched at Chick-Fil-A President Dan Cathy, for statements recently made on the subject of family values and marriage.

In a Baptist Press interview, Cathy made the remark, “We are very much supportive of the family—the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that. We operate as a family business…our restaurants are typically led by families; some are single. We want to do anything we possibly can to strengthen families. We are very much committed to that.” Then on the Ken Coleman Show, Cathy said, “I think we are inviting God's judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at Him and say 'we know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage' and I pray God's mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we have the audacity to define what marriage is about.”

Cathy’s statements sparked much criticism from lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) advocates, albeit, the Chick-Fil-A President made said nothing directly to about that particular group. The Charlotte Observer even reported “Politicians in Chicago and Boston said the company is not welcome to open there, and the mayor of Washington, D.C., said he won’t support the expansion of a company that serves ‘hate chicken.’ ” This is also nothing new, in February Northeastern University nixed plans for a campus based franchise after students objected to the company’s so-called “anti-gay support.” New York University freshman Hillary Dworkoski launched a protest against the fast food chain for supporting groups with “anti-gay” motives, which include Focus on the Family, Exodus International, and the Family Research Council. I can say that these are days when it is very difficult to walk the straight and narrow path. The Christian is really up against two kinds of fundamentalism, both of which go contrary to the ethics of Christ.

There is a fundamentalism on the right, which castigates homosexuals with every kind of vile offensive words imaginable, as in the case of Fred Phelps with Westboro Baptist Church. There may even be those who in the name of God would commit violent acts against homosexuals. None of their actions can be considered consistent with a Christian worldview at all. God have mercy upon them.

There is also a fundamentalism on the left, which in the name of “tolerance” and “diversity,” attempts to impose their own liberal values upon others. This is neither tolerant nor an expression of diversity. Certainly, some can agree to disagree with Mr. Cathy’s views. I get that. But it is simply intolerant to try to impose one’s own pro-LGBT values upon Chick-Fil-A in general and Mr. Cathy in particular via the power of public demonstration and even abusing civic powers to put a stranglehold on the company’s ability to expand as a business franchise. Chick-fil-A does not deny employment or services to anyone in the LGBT community. In what way are groups Chick-Fil-A supports such as Focus on the Family, Exodus International, and the Family Research being “anti-gay”?

To both of these extremes, I believe the Christian must walk a thin line. Christ’s followers can befriend homosexuals, and get to know them as people. They can love the sinner, albeit they must hate the sin. The Christian cannot be ambiguous, affirming, or accommodating to homosexuality, it is a sinful behavior. (This problem is addressed in Joe Dallas, “When Vague is in Vogue: A New but Not Improved Approach to Homosexuality is Growing Among Evangelicals,” Christian Research Journal, 35, 2 [2012]: 28-33.). Christ ate with the tax gatherers and sinners, calling them to repentance (Mark 2:14-17). Paul contended that homosexuality was not according to a person’s nature; rather, it was a sinful behavior, which went against the natural function of the body (Rom. 1:24-27). Nevertheless, he believed sinners could enter into a right relationship with God by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:21-31; Eph. 2:8-9). The followers of the Way were to be in the world but not of the world (John 17:13-21).

~ WGN