Chick-Fil-A & the GLBT, MMM 1-31-2011

Chick-fil-A attacked by GLBT

Monday Morning Message, January 31, 2011

The fast food franchise that most people know as the place that is always closed on Sundays has recently been the target of criticism by leaders of the gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, and transgender (GLBT) organizations.  The problem stems from an offer by a local Chick-Fil-A franchisee who offered to provide lunches to attendees to a meeting of the Pennsylvania Family Institute.The connection seems farfetched of course, but in today’s world, businesses can expect to be attacked for the strangest reasons.  This action has prompted a website to gather over 25,000 signatures against Chick-Fil-A asking signers to help them stop this company from “… supporting groups perceived as anti-gay…” and to avoid eating their food.

I find this position to be the perfect example of taking an isolated incident to make false impressions and twist facts for political expediency.  When trying to engage in dialogue about the issues of the gay community, Christians often get bashed for their position about sin.  We are allowed to share that we believe “For all have sinned” applies to us, but we are marginalized when we indicate that also applies to all people regardless of sexual orientation.  In a recent article from the NY Times, I saw the term that some people use in describing Chick-Fil-A as “Jesus chicken” and of course, why not use all of this to support the derogatory accusations of bigotry?

 The short sighted people who feel this way have forgotten about the real sincerity of the leadership of this great company.  The founder, S. Truett Cathy, is closed on Sunday so ALL of the employees of the company can be with their families.   I do like the food at Chick-Fil-A (especially their old fashioned ice cream) but I haven’t gone out of my way to eat there in the past.   The more I read about things like this, the more I will try to stop at every Chick-Fil-A I see to buy something!  The second generation of the Cathy family is still running things in the spirit of their founder:

“… to glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us.”

You might have already known or guessed this, but this company is still privately held by members of the Cathy Family.  They passed up going public and foregoing hundreds of millions of dollars by staying private but if they ever do offer their stock to investors, it would be my kind of company!  Their witness is that they will not be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto all who believe.  What is God asking you to do in the marketplace that may draw criticism but is important to be a witness to others?

Philippians 1:27 (RSV) “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the Gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the Gospel.”