I thought we might do it. I thought UrbanFaith could avoid reporting on the latest media-fueled outrage storm. But then the public relations director of Chick-fil-A died of a heart attack amidst the frenzy, the Muppets were pulled from a deal with the company, and mayors in major cities began saying they would deny building permits over Chick-fil-A COO Dan Cathy’s outspoken opposition to same-sex marriage.
In case you haven’t heard, Cathy, a Southern Baptist, was quoted in a Baptist Press article as saying the family-owned restaurant chain supports traditional marriage. Here’s the quote that sparked the firestorm:
“Some have opposed the company’s support of the traditional family. ‘Well, guilty as charged,’ said Cathy when asked about the company’s position. ‘We are very much supportive of the family — the biblical definition of the family unit. … We are very much committed to that,’ Cathy emphasized. ‘We intend to stay the course,’ he said. ‘We know that it might not be popular with everyone, but thank the Lord, we live in a country where we can share our values and operate on biblical principles.’”
As the media criticism site Get Religion noted, Cathy’s views are old news, but the “offending” quote said nothing directly about same-sex marriage. However, as is often the case, there is a history behind the reaction to it. Cathy previously told a radio audience that “we’re 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,” according to The Washington Post. Those are fighting words in a nation as divided as ours is over same-sex marriage. But are they words a corporate executive should have uttered in public?
CHICKEN FIGHT: Dan Cathy, Chick-fil-A’s embattled COO. (Photo: Stanley Leary/Newscom)
At Bloomberg Businessweek, Diane Brady compared Cathy’s judgment with that of Bill Marriott, who is chairman of the Marriott hotel chain and a Mormon. Marriott personally opposes same-sex marriage, but “has long been reluctant to impose that view on the company his father founded.” So, although his church was involved in the fight against same-sex marriage in California, neither he nor the Marriott corporation donated money to the cause. “Instead, he stepped into the drama by publicly reinforcing his company’s commitment to gay rights through domestic partners benefits and services aimed at gay couples,” Brady reported.
Conversely, she said Cathy “crossed the line in letting his faith become less about inspiration than alienation” by openly condemning the beliefs held by a lot of potential customers. “Hearing polarizing rhetoric from the pulpit is one thing. Hearing it from a man whose business rings up $4 billion in sales each year is another,” said Brady. “As an individual, Cathy has every right to express his point of view. As president, he has a responsibility to talk about how those views affect the policies of Chick-fil-A. …The controversy at Chick-fil-A is less about the beliefs in its C-suite than the judgment therein.”
Perhaps this explains why some franchise owners are now “distancing themselves” from Cathy’s statements, according to The Los Angeles Times. But, politicians-turned-pundits Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum are publicly supporting Cathy by calling for a “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day” on Wednesday, August 1, and former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin also spoke up in support of Cathy, a fact that CNN reported to a musical backdrop of Pink’s “Stupid Girls” song. And round and round it goes.
But Chick-fil-A has garnered support from some surprising sources, like a gay internet celebriity, a James Beard award winning food writer, and the American Civil Liberties Union. “The government can regulate discrimination in employment or against customers, but what the government cannot do is to punish someone for their words,” Adam Schwartz, senior attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, reportedly told Fox News.
Of course, there have also been passionate pleas for restraint. At Christianity Today, Caryn Rivadeneira got fired up after someone used the occasion to out Christian author Jonathan Merritt as gay. So she bought herself a chicken sandwich and admonished readers to: “Remember the Chick-fil-A when we’re ready to jump on bandwagon-y boycotts or seek to silence or shut down those who offend us or whose beliefs run counter to ours. Remember the Chick-fil-A before refusing to shop stores that say ‘Happy Holidays’ instead of ‘Merry Christmas.’ Remember the Chick-fil-A before asking the Gay Pride Parade to reroute so it doesn’t disrupt church services. Remember the Chick-fil-A before you demand books be removed from high school syllabi. Remember the Chick-fil-A before ‘outing’ another person for whatever through gossip or rumor or prayer request. Remember Chick-fil-A whether or not you agree with Dan Cathy.”
Likewise, author Rachel Held Evans, who supports same-sex marriage, urged Chick-fil-A boycotters to “remember that not all Christians who speak out against gay marriage are bigots or homophobes, and calling them those names is as unjust as it is unkind.”
Somehow amidst all the fury, the internet barely noticed that Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and his wife MacKenzie announced that they are donating $2.5 million in support of Washington’s same-sex marriage law, which won’t go into effect unless it survives a referendum vote in November. “Amazon.com Inc. publicly supported the law earlier this year, along with other prominent Pacific Northwest businesses, including Microsoft Corp., Starbucks Corp. and Nike Inc.,” the Associated Press reported. Will Chick-fil-A supporters boycott these corporations in retaliation?
Before they do, perhaps they should remember the Disney boycotts from yesteryear. In 2005, after eight years of eschewing all things Mickey, the Southern Baptist Convention officially voted to end that endeavor. What were they protesting? US News reported that the boycotts were sparked by Disney’s involvement with the 1994 movie Priest, which was about a clergyman’s struggle over his closeted homosexuality.
“Activists for gay and lesbian causes welcomed the vote as a possible opening to what they hope will be a new dialogue with the SBC and other Christian-based opponents of gay and lesbian rights,” the article said. That was seven years ago.
What do you think?
Should Christian business leaders speak out on divisive political issues or stick to their corporate missions?
Dan Cathy speaks about gays “inviting God’s judgement”. Yet who was it that was stuck down, as if by God? Don Perry’s sudden death should make it abundantly clear to those that believe God demonstrates his judgement by stiking down those who offend him: you are on the wrong side of God’s will, where it comes to attitudes expressed by many Christians towards gays.
I suppose if you died right now that would mean God is against your post? Give me a break…
“Should Christian business leaders speak out on divisive political issues or stick to their corporate missions?”
They should do what they want and be willing to live with the consequences. However, I do think it’s silly to call anything but a Christian “Christian”. What if someone opened a gay chicken joint? What would constitute it as being gay? That it supports gay marriage? That it only hires gay cashiers? Or that it only cooks gay chickens? I’m sure it’s a moot point but it’s silly and misleading to call anything else by a name we can only call a person by.
But I better leave it at that… It comes to mind that I’ve been writing this whole time without knowing whether or not my computer is gay. Wouldn’t want to type away on a gay Mac…
Wow, it’s really shocking to me that this site is actually asking the question whether Christian business leaders should speak out on divisive political issues…” What’s happening here?
Yes, Christians of all professions should speak out against using profits to deny Americans civil rights. Yes, Christians of all professions are called to live out the ethics of the Gospel in ways that reveals God’s desire for justice. Anything less is complicit with the status quo which seeks continued comfort for the privileged rather than change that reflect the radical Gospel of love.
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/comingoutchristian/2012/07/its-not-just-a-difference-of-opinion
It does not matter what someone thinks. Your opinion does not matter. What matters is God’s Word. If you call yourself a Christian, educate yourself on what God’s Word says about homosexuality. Old Testament AND New Testament. God clearly states homosexuality is an abomination to the Lord. God does not say one thing and mean another. He would never call someone to do something that is a contradiction to His Word. If you are a Christian, be the light and salt to the world. God’s word does acknowledge homosexuality. In the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, the men of the town went to Lot’s home – demanding that Lot surrender to them the two male visitors in his home. Lot refused and tried to reason with them. He even offered his virgin daughters – begging the townsmen to not do something so evil. God struck the men blind. Lot, his family, and the two visitors in his home escaped. God destroyed the two towns. God is not mocked.
Christine, you may well be a good reporter. But you missed it big time on this one. The quote from Day Cathy that has offended so many is one he gave on a radio interview: “We’re 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 that thinks we have the audacity to redefine what marriage is all about.” Unfortunately you went with the misinformation the religious right is propogating, the less offensive comment you printed above. At least, speak the truth.
his a ridiculous issue to be debating, it seems to me that every couple of years or so, theres that one person that says something stupid and everyone harps all over it. as a gay man in america i see and hear and interact with people that don’t see things the way i do and thats ok to me.. you dont have to like me or agree with me in whatever, however you will respect me. I have no problem giving and accepting views on subjects or topics.. Those people who throw around “The Word of GOD” , by all means toss away till your hearts content, in most cases whether it be Same-Sex Marriage, or Gays in the military or anything else that has to do with homosexuality as a positive or a negative, doesn’t matter what does matter is the law governing SEPERATION OF CHURCH AND STATE. Its put there for a reson, so somehow certain groups of people can deliberate whether or not a certain decision to be made will effect whether or not our country will run smoothly.. but when those people forget the big picture and only focus on their personal belief and how it will effect THEM..Thats when you have a problem, and thats when the rest of america suffers because theyre not worried about the big picture, they only focus on the fact that THEY dont like it. ..what needs to happen is Don’t worry about what I do, worry about what you do. If you have a Billion dollar company, why are you gonna worry about who is buying your product, if you don’t agree with what they agree with again what does it matter as long as theyre buying your product. Now personally coming to the end of my rant, I dont eat at Chik-fil-a, because…. I dont like it..and thats called what ladies and gentleman?…a PERSONAL ISSUE..I dont expect it to become a national offense…If you dont like something why let it ruin your day go somewhere/do something else. if it doesn’t directly affect you in how you live your daily life..Then what does it matter.
Ian, first of all I appreciate that what you said was said respectfully. Although I disagree with much of it, I think a huge problem nowadays is a lot of us don’t know how to civilly disagree. I do think this issue is somewhat silly as well, as you do. I eat Chic-fil-a because I like it. If it gets any more complicated than that, its too complicated for me. There’s a small chain where I live that has openly gay owners and they make a really good Reuben sandwich. I don’t buy their Reuben because I agree with their sexuality or their politics, but because they make a good Reuben.
Where I disagree with you though is where you say this is just a personal issue. It amazes me that after thousands of years of wisdom we’re all the sudden, for no qualified reason, willing to say everyone was wrong about sexuality for all that time, and, simply because we’ve been born more recently, we happen to be right. No one knows what an entire world will look like after gay marriage is accepted as a norm. There were always fences which prevented it. My question is, along with others, why were those fences there in the first place? I assume societies in the past have also tried to normalize homosexuality and I assume most of them eventually condemned it because it didn’t work out well.
I say this because all I have is my one little vote. Each of us, all of us, are given the opportunity to cast that vote in deciding what is best for the society we live in. All of us are shaped by a collection of other people’s thoughts, religious or irreligious. So your statement about Separation of Church and State, in my opinion, is erroneous. First of all, as I understand it, Separation of Church and State was never meant to mean that Church people can’t vote according to their consciences about issues they find to be important. It wouldn’t make sense being that most of the early Americans were Church people. Secondly, if you wanted to be hardcore about Separation of Church and State, you could also apply the concept to any ideology or body of ideologues. So then we would have a Separation of Democracy and State, Separation of Republicanism and State, Separation of Atheism and State, Separation of Buhddism and State, etc, etc, etc. The State has always allowed for us to be shaped by what we read, what we learn from others, and what we observe ourselves. It wouldn’t make sense if it didn’t.
But though we disagree, I hope we can all continue to have this dialogue without hatred (it will last till the end of time, undoubtedly). Blessings to you and yours…
Jay
I don’t know you, and you don’t know me. I only know right now what I see. I solute you for
being courageous and wise. I encourage you, stay this path.
Jay, I would like to thank you for your response to my posting and I undoubtley respect, and consider your point. It gives me an insight to another view of an undeniably endless issue, I too hope that a healthy dialogue is possible whether in ‘blog’ form or in a seemingly higher forum thank you again! Go well, and be well. -Ian
I learned something from you two. I think, that if you learn how to talk to each other first, we would then have discovered the path to what has still been missing.
This is the most shallow take on this event that I have read. Dan Cathy made a comment, in a most diplomatic way, in an obscure religious publication. He was asked a question in an interview and answered it. Negative political mining which was trying to pass for political research by gay activists brought this to the forefront. In no way was Cathy trying to merge his beliefs with his business.
Furthermore, Chick-Fil-A is a PRIVATE company. They do not answer to public shareholders. The man can say whatever he wants. It literally IS HIS COMPANY. I am sorry I don’t live near a franchise, but maybe I will donate to their Winshape organization.
I find your post very interesting, however, I have to note that the main area for controversy stemmed from the fact that Cathy donated millions to anti-gay “hate groups” (several have actually been classified as hate groups). This is the main reason most people are boycotting Chick-fil-a. Not because he publicly spoke out against gay marriage. He has every right to do so. What is repulsive, however, is his support of these hate groups and THAT is why I will never eat Chick-fil-a again.