Chick-Fil-A, Gay Marriage & Tolerance in America

Townhall.com ^ | August 2, 2012 | Demetrius Minor

[Kaslin]

Much has been said lately regarding the comments made by Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy in regards to gay marriage. In a recent interview, for example, Cathy expressed his personal support for traditional marriage and was suddenly caught in a firestorm of controversy. Chick-Fil-A, a Christian-based company that closes every Sunday so employees and customers alike can attend religious services of their choice, should not surprise many when they take a stand on the side of traditional marriage. Cathy invoked his thoughts regarding marriage with the following: “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 know that it might not popular with everyone, but thank the Lord, we live in a country where we can share our values and operate on biblical principles.”

Cathy and Chick-Fil-A was instantly targeted by far left liberals on this controversial issue. "How backward and ignorant ... how sad," CNN reader Joe Brown said. "No more Chick-fil-A for me. I am not in the stone-casting business as a Christian." "There is no place for this type of hate in our great City of Brotherly and Sisterly Affection," said James Kenney, City Councilman in Philadelphia. Thomas Menino, the Democratic mayor of Boston, expressed his frustration with Chick-Fil-A’s position. "I don't want an individual who will continue to advocate against people's rights. That's who I am and that's what Boston's all about," he said.

For what it’s worth, I am a big fan of Chick-Fil-A. Life just doesn’t quite feel right without a good chicken sandwich, waffle fries dipped in barbeque sauce, and a large sweet tea that never fails to quench my thirst.

Sadly, many liberals are missing a vital point here. Being against gay marriage does not insinuate that one is anti-gay. For the record, I am personally against same-sex marriage. It does not coincide with my belief that God made man for the woman and woman for the man. I view marriage as a holy and sacred union between God, man and woman. This is my moral conviction and I will always abide by this belief. That being said, I am not against homosexuals. In consistence with my faith in God, I believe in showing love towards everybody without discrimination.

However, in today’s society, standing on principle is being misconstrued as being intolerant. The liberal logic of the left is the belief that your religious convictions are outdated, irrelevant and are an expression of cynicism and hatred. It is the secular and mainstream perception in this socio-cultural paradigm shift in society that is recommending Christians turn a blind eye and deaf ear to their God-given principles in order to accommodate what is deemed socially acceptable.

I strongly salute Chick-Fil-A and many other faith-driven individuals who stand for traditional marriage and also withhold discrimination from those who think differently from them. The last time I checked, I don’t recall Chick-Fil-A expressing their desire for gays not to eat at their locations or to seek employment with them. The assault on their religious belief is beyond asinine and absurd.

The moment we become tolerant for the sake of being culturally relevant and forsake our moral principles, we lose not only our influence, but our God-given identity. I refuse to be a token of tolerance if I must betray my principles for temporary satisfaction or popularity.

Ironically, many of the folks that preach tolerance neglect to practice that very principle. The following is an excerpt from a statement that was posted on my Facebook page from a liberal named Khayree Billingslea who decided to share with me his perception of me:

“You are a sickening presence in my newsfeed. When I reflect on the strange permutations of mankind that manifest themselves in the world and have the audacity to speak, I am confronted with thoughts of you as the most glaring example of that.”

What is my response to Khayree’s insulting and provocative remark? I think I’ll respond with a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr: “ I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to care.”

Tolerance is the ability to love and to remain grounded in one’s convictions and beliefs. This has been and will continue to be my stance.

[ilovesarah2012]

Seems a lot more hate is coming from homosexuals and their enablers than from Christians.

[RobbyS]

Not only do theyassert that the Gospel is outdated. The said that even the natural law faith of the Founding Father’s is outdated. Even the facts of biology seem not to bother them. The confused folk who think they are men trapped in a woman’s body or vice-Versa, and who think by have their bodies mutilated can change their very nature. Never mind that if a transexual type were blown into pieces by a bomb, would be identified as a man OR a woman by any examination of their DNA.

[Jim Scott]

Well stated observation on the twisted logic of liberals. Their attempt to brand religious convictions as ‘hate’ is repulsive and one hopes, will be rejected by most Americans as the antithesis of the principles that were behind the constitution’s First Amendment.

[ByteMercenary]

While I expect the leftists to misquote Dan Cathy because it suits their agenda, I really wish the supporters of CFA would get the most important quote right.

Dan Cathy said he was supportive of traditional marriage. He did NOT say he was against non-traditional unions. There is a difference. He did NOT mention the LGBT=Q community at all nor did he indicate that CFA would discriminate in any way.

What was stated is important just as what was not stated.

[Yosemitest]

God's rules don't change.
We are punished for not obeying his laws.

Those who support homosexuals are against our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ.
These anti Christ people only bring destruction on us ALL.
I have NO sympathy for homosexuals!

Homosexuality is a "Mark" of disobedience.

It was given by our Heavenly Father to test us
to see ... if we will OBEY our Heavenly Father,
and abide by His commandments, statues, and ordinances.

Someone once asked

"Why are they [homosexuals] all so angry?"

The answer is in the definition of "REPROBATE".

rep·ro·bate \ˈre-prə-ˌbāt\ a. [L. reprobatus, reprobo, to disallow; re and probo, to prove.]

1. Not enduring proof or trial; not of standard purity or fineness; disallowed; rejected.

Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the Lord hath rejected them. Jer. 6.

2. Abandoned in sin; lost to virtue or grace.

They profess that they know God,
but in works deny him, being abominable and disobedient, and to every good work reprobate. Titus 1.

3. Abandoned to error, or in apostasy. 2Tim. 3.

And the reason"why" is given in the Bible.

God has a cure for homosexuals.

But will we OBEY our Heavenly Father?

[Kaslin]

I have never heard it different reported. Only that supports traditional marriage

[kathsua]

Homosexuals hate those who don’t take orders from them.

[Little Ray]

I'm still trying to figure when and how sexual deviance went from being a mental illness to a “protected class.”
I can under a race getting protection, but a behavior?

[Little Ray]

I'm still trying to figure when and how sexual deviance went from being a mental illness to a “protected class.”
I can understand "race" getting protection, but a behavior?

[DMG2FUN]

I am tired of the word tolerance. Perverted homosexuals have no tolerance for people that do not agree with them. Just like any other racist hate group. Their so called push for equality is a lie. It does nothing to better lives of Americans. It is aimed only at helping perverted homosexuals.

[Yosemitest]

Excuse me, but your statement

"I can understand "race" getting protection, but a behavior?"

should be ... "but a DEADLY behavior?"

[Little Ray]

Actually, I was feeling... tolerant.

I was going write “... a behavior statistically shown to be unhealthy and self-destructive.”

But behaviors, destructive or otherwise, should not have the civil rights protection of gender or race.

[MrB]

As I’ve said for years, a leftist agenda exposed is a leftist agenda defeated.

People are finally seeing from this issue (Cathy made NO mention of gay marriage, just support for God’s definition) that the left is actually anti-Christian.

Natural revulsion that decent people have then leads them to reject leftism.

[Yosemitest]

It's not only "self-destructive”.
It's a chosen behavior that KILLS others!