Chik-Fil-A chicken tastes good. Waffle fries taste good. Even their lemonade is good. The kids love the stuff. And to boot, the company just happens to be run by those who promote Biblical principles. So why are some Christians and non-Christians so upset these days with Dan Cathy, the CEO of the billion-dollar chicken company?
A couple of years ago, Cathy got in trouble with LGBT community by making a few public statements and tweets in favor of traditional marriage. This past week, in what appears to some Christians as a flip-flop, Cathy admitted in an interview with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that it was a mistake for him to have made public, political statements on legislation regarding marriage. Cathy said:
“Consumers want to do business with brands that they can interface with, that they can relate with,” Cathy said. “And it’s probably very wise from our standpoint to make sure that we present our brand in a compelling way that the consumer can relate to.”
In other words, it was costly for his business to alienate those who support non-traditional marriage. He went on to say, that while the political debate will continue, “the wiser thing for us to do is to stay focused on customer service.”
To that, I actually say, “Amen.” It is wiser for his business to stay out of politics and focus on treating ALL his customers with the respect that chicken and waffle fry buyers deserve. Does it mean he shouldn’t support traditional marriages anymore? No. In fact, he still does!
You see, Cathy hasn’t changed his stance. In the same interview, he said, “The truths and principles are captured and codified in God’s word and I’m just personally committed to that.” He added, naïvely, “I know others feel very different from that and I respect their opinion and I hope that they would be respectful of mine.”
Sorry, Dan; but the LGBT community and supporters won’t be respectful of your opinions. The sad truth is, that while many are crying “fairness,” “respect,” and “equality,” they have no intention of reciprocating…ever. As the webisphere at-large has already shown, there is no tolerance for any opinion other than complete acceptance and congratulatory glorification.
So let’s be clear. Cathy claims to be in support of what the Bible teaches about traditional marriage. Let’s check and see what “traditional marriage” is according to the Bible and why that is so offensive to some people. The Biblical teaching on marriage is simply this: “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24).
Does that seem offensive? Look closely. The ire is in what it doesn’t say. No other union is authorized or glorified. In fact, Jesus quotes this passage and makes this point exactly. Only one kind of marriage is intended in God’s eyes: one man, one woman, forever (Matthew 19:4-6).
Now with regard to all other unions, the Bible speaks plainly:
1) Old Testament
- Lev. 18:22, “You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination.”
- Lev. 20:13, “If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act;”
2) New Testament
- Christ used the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah as dramatic examples of God’s wrath (Matthew 10:15, Mark 6:11, Luke 10:12, and Luke 17:29). These cities were primarily remembered for homosexual activity.
- Romans 1:26-27: “For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.
- 1 Corinthians 6:9-11: “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
- 1 Timothy 1:9-11: “realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.”
So what is the Bible believer to do? Even if the believer is trying to be tolerant, loving, and full of grace and mercy, he cannot praise and celebrate a behavior that God has condemned. In fact, not only are those who practice such things condemned, but those who “give hearty approval” to such behavior are condemned as well (Romans 1:31)!
But tolerance and equality under the law are not the goals of the homosexual, transsexual, and transgender agenda. Rather, the ultimate goal is to force society to celebrate sexual choice as an enlightened achievement of our moral evolution.
So is Cathy wrong to leave the political scene and focus on customer service? No. I for one can’t wait to see how he makes awesome chicken even better. Do I support Cathy’s right to believe in traditional marriage and the Bible? Absolutely. Do I see a contradiction? Not at all.
In 1 Thessalonians 4, Paul reminds Christians to abstain from sexual immorality and to lead a quiet life, attend to their own business, and work with their hands so they will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in need (1 Thessalonians 4:3,11-12). I see Cathy trying to do exactly that with this move away from politics.
Personally, I say, let the man make his chicken in peace. But if you want to boycott him for believing in traditional marriage or for not believing enough, that is your right. But if you are a Christian, prepare yourself for far worse than this.
The day is coming when preaching the Bible will be considered a hate crime. How many will stand strong for the truth when they don’t just boycott chicken, but come to eat your whole lunch?
Every week I preach a simple message: go out and BE a sermon in your life. But being a Christian doesn’t require being political. We are told to be salt and light. We are told to make a change by the lives we live and the love we share. Our money says, “In God We Trust,” but our actions often say, “In Politics We Trust.”
It is the Christian’s responsibility to learn God’s Word, live God’s Word, and share God’s Word. Each of us will be judged for the manner in which we do that.
In the mean time, feel free to “Eat Mor Chikin” or not…your choice. Just be sure your heart is in the right place as you serve God and eat your meal.
