This story seems to be making the rounds today, and it's got me a bit tweaked.
Chick-Fil-A is well known as a company that is run on Christian values, and those Christian values are those of its founder, Dan Cathy. Some of the Christian practices of the company are being closed on Sundays in respect to the Lord's Day, prayer before every workshift, and now, a defense of the biblical prohibition against homosexuality. Dan Cathy issued a statement against same-sex marriage and prayed for “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.” The Jim Henson company does not have those same values; Jim Henson's daughter and CEO of the company, Lisa Henson, actively supports same-sex marriage and is a supporter of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance against Defamation. Whether Chick-Fil-A or the Henson Corporation acted first in severing their corporate ties with one another, I don't know. Some say that Chick-Fil-A pulled the muppet toys from its stores, and the Henson Corporation said it was severing its ties with Chick-Fil-A.
Chick-Fil-A was planning on expansion into the city of Boston, and further expanding in Chicago. Now, the mayors of both cities have come out against Chick-Fil-A, effectively killing expansion into those two cities. Boston's mayor, in a letter dated July 20, said, "It would be an insult to [same-sex couples] and to our city's long history of expanding freedom to have a Chick-Fil-A [on Boston's Freedom Trail.]" Chicago's Mayor said in a statement to the press, "Chick-Fil-A values are not Chicago values. They disrespect our fellow neighbors and residents."
There has been a firestorm on Facebook regarding the incident. Here's my viewpoint.
Dan Cathy has every right to say what he wants regarding same-sex marriage. Lisa Henson has every right to say what she wants regarding same-sex marriage. They are two people who have the right to run their businesses the way they desire and decide with whom they will and won't do business.
The governments of Chicago and Boston DO NOT have that same right. The first amendment to the Constitution of the United States specifically defends the right to freedoms of speech and religion. Therefore, for the governmental authorities to refuse a company's presence in their cities because of religious beliefs, religious practices, or statements based upon religion is a direct defiance of the first amendment.
It seems that social "progressives" have no problem with freedom, unless it's somebody who thinks differently than they. It seems that they feel free to distort facts and attack people for beliefs contrary to their own social agenda, but the wrath of society should rain down on anybody who says anything against liberal actions or practices.
Christians are instructed by God to recognize their own failings and sinful nature. Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
We are instructed to love one another, whether friend or enemy. Mark 12:31 "Love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 5:44 "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." The entire parable of the Good Samaritan is a story of how we should care for those around us and help them in their difficulties, no matter their background. (Luke 10:25-37) Only when those with whom we come into contact completely deny the truth of our words and God are we to walk away from them, and yet, we are to continue to pray for them. Luke 9:5 "If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 1 John 5:16 "If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life."
There are prohibitions against homosexual behavior in Leviticus, as some critics of Christians are wont to point out, along with many other ritualistic laws and behaviors. However, Jesus abolished the Levitical code. God's Word does, however, restate the prohibition against homosexual behavior in the New Covenant. Even though we are now free to plant different crops next to one another, we still must abstain from homosexual behavior. Romans 1:27 "Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion."
So, although Homosexual acts are prohibited by God, we are required to pray for the souls of those who commit that sin, and for all of our souls as well, since we all sin. We are not, however, required to endorse the behavior, nor are we required to deny the sinfulness of that behavior. We are to tell the truth in love. Ephesians 4:15 "Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ." So, I'm sorry that it offends the GLAAD gang, but homosexual acts are a sin, and shouldn't be endorsed as moral behavior. God established marriage as a union between man and woman, and any other combination is immoral and sinful. Our nation claims to represent the people; our people speak consistently and overwhelmingly at the ballot box to reaffirm the definition of marriage as one man and one woman. Only the judges of the federal and state courts have seen fit to override the "will of the people" by redefining laws to suit their own distortions of the law. "Civil Rights" are defined in the constitution. Those civil rights are the rights of people to be equally protected by law based upon race, religion and gender. No other rights are written there, and to include sexual preference as a "class" to be protected is a perversion of the Constitution.
Shame on you, mayors of Boston and Chicago, for failing to see that (a) you are betraying our country by imposing your social agenda by trampling the rights of a company to lawfully do business and its owner to lawfully speak his beliefs, and (b) to deny the truth that is spoken, and thereby redefine perversion as morality. Bravo to you, Dan Cathy, for defending God in our rebellious world. And although I heartily disagree with you, Lisa Henson, I support your decisions to do whatever you want with your business and your pen.
As for me, besides this blog, I'm making sure to get a meal at Chick-Fil-A on August 1, which has been proposed by Rick Santorum and Mike Huckabee as a day to have a meal at Chick-Fil-A to show support for Dan Cathy and his company. Plus, it will give that cow on the billboards one more day of freedom from the butcher.
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