Thursday, 26 July 2012
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Christian Owned Businesses and Politics: Eat Mor Chikin Edition
By The Closet Calvinist
As you’ve probably heard by now, the popular Chicken franchise, Chick-fil-A is in a bit of hot water lately. It seems they, being a Christian owned business that is known for not being open on the Lord’s Day, hold a biblical view on homosexuality and gay marriage. Why anyone is shocked to see that a company that doesn’t open on Sundays because of their Christian beliefs holds to a biblical view of marriage is beyond m
They are being boycotted by many who support what they call “marriage equality.” I won’t touch on the gay marriage issue in this post, other than to make it clear that I agree with the bible that homosexuality is a sin.
What is interesting, however, is to think about the roles of businesses and their owner’s political views being a matter of public concern. Not that this is a new phenomenon. In the past, I don’t think it would be all that common for a large business to take a formal stance on political issues that didn’t relate to their business. Clearly a business would have a stance on taxes, minimum wage laws, union privileges, etc. But, on gay marriage?
Personally, aside from perceived human right’s violations I haven’t been all that concerned with the politics of corporations that I buy from. And, as readers will likely remember, I have even spoken out against Christians boycotting businesses for their stance on this issue (and again here). I’ve also spoken about the consequences of denominations taking official stands on things not related to them.
My thought is that businesses, where possible, should take the stance Elvis took when he said ”I’m just an entertainer, I don’t want to be known for my politics. I’m just gonna sing.” And, any politics that are outside of the the interests of the business function should be done as individuals, rather than giving the business an official stance.
Chick-fil-A has spoken out though, or at least that is my understanding at this point, I could be wrong. And, because of it they are facing backlash.
I’m glad to see that their stance is bible based, though I don’t think the business needs an official stance. If there was one near me, I would certainly give their food a try.
What are your thoughts on the matter? Does the official anti-gay marriage view of Chick-fil-A matter to you? Does knowing a business has an agreeable, or disagreeable, political view that isn’t related to their doing business change how you look at the business and the likelihood of you shopping there?
And, mostly importantly, is Chick-fil-A any good? And why aren’t they in my area!
UPDATE: I have since seen reports that Chick-fil-A merely answered that they support biblical marriage and their ownership is Christian, and that they didn’t seek to make a political statement. Seems the liberals were looking to make trouble for them.
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- From: ClosetCalvinist
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Comments (92)
I will have to remember the Elvis quote, it is a viewpoint I think most companies should adopt. It is best not to try to offend your customers.
My understanding of the issue is that chic-fil-a gives donations to organizations that advocate against gay marriage. The interview was simply a catalyst. I don't think most would have a problem with an organization stating their opinion, but when an organization starts advocating, they are going to offend those they advocate against and their supporters, regardless of the issue.
It seems to me that this is simple. Under the SCOTUS ruling in the citizens united case. SCOTUS ruled, that a corporation has the right of free speech. Contrary to public thought, they did not rule that Corporations were human, or anything else. They simply said that the right of free speech, extends to Corporations. If Corporations want to alienate a sector of people that could be customers, that is between the officers and board of directors for the corporation. It may not be a smart idea, but just like a corporation has the right of free speech, they have the right to be stupid too. As I am not a shareholder, or a member of the Board of Directors, I have no skin in the game. I can admire them for sticking to what they believe, but outside of that, they have the right to say anything they want, stupid or not.
We do not have a chik fil a in my area, but I have been to some in the south, and the chicken is not bad. But they did something when I was in the south, that I admire, and for that reason I am a customer. Not because of a political statement, but because they did not press charges, against some certain teens from a children's home I was working at, that decided to go "cow tipping"
i think that if a business decides to make their political stances public information, they shouldn't whine about a backlash. when possible, i pay close attention to businesses' opinions. as someone who supports marriage equality, i don't want a single penny i have to go to ANYONE who supports inequality.
The idea of gay marriage is an assault on human rights and is so radically ridiculous that every single man, woman and child in the United States needs to scream out against it from the roof tops.
The fundamental horror of this idea takes it way beyond the politics of ordinary commerce.
Everyone, Christian and non-Christian alike, is duty-bound as a civilized human being to take a stand against the civilization crushing idea of gay marriage.
I think businesses would do better if they just kept to their work and shut their yaps. Closing on Sundays, okay, fine, I'm sure all the employees are grateful for that. I know they are because a lot of my friends from high school worked at Chick-Fil-A because they knew it was a great place to work and they would always be guaranteed at least one day off each week. The food is good there, too. What does the government allowing officially recognized gay marriage have anything to do with a chicken sandwich? While I support Chick-Fil-A's stance, they still shouldn't have said anything. If I ever go back to the USA, I'll make a special point to stop by and get a grilled chicken breast sandwich and one of their legendary milkshakes.
@PrisonerxOfxLove@xanga - blah, blah, blah. Didn't read your mindless crap. Get a life, loser.
@PrisonerxOfxLove@xanga - Actually, the fundamental horror of the impending massacre in Syria, the never-ending drought in the Midwest, the drying-up of fresh water reservoirs around the world and the possibility that irrevocable climate change may doom life as we know it on this earth is so dumbfounding that every single man, woman and child should be shrieking about it from the rooftops...
But... no, no, you're right. Gay marriage is much more horrifying.
@ProudToBeAChristianFruitcake@xanga - I don't think anybody is arguing that having a stance against gay marriage should be ILLEGAL. Certainly the restaurant's board of directors have the right to free speech like all the rest of us. All of the restaurant chain's customers agree that Chik-fil-a should have the protected right to disagree with gay marriage.... and that the customers should have the protected right to boycott the chain because of the anti-gay marriage stance.
For example, adultery is not illegal in the US. A guy can cheat on his wife as much as he wants and he will not go to jail. Still, that doesn't mean I want that guy to be my friend or come to my house. I have just as much right to refuse him hospitality as he does to not respect his marriage vows.
Interesting story about Chik-fil-a not pressing charges against the kids who went cow-tipping (presumably with livestock owned by the restaurant...). No restaurant chain is wholly good or evil I guess
@phoebester@xanga - You are speaking of things that have happened since the beginning of time. There is no remedy for drought or war.
But America, the Land of Liberty is unique in human history. It was designed and built from a nameable set of principles and values.Ideas like gay marriage are so ridiculous that as people come to see them as truth, the real Truth of human rights and liberty will disappear.
Liberty is the result of virtue.
Tyranny the result of hubris and the resulting folly.
@phoebester@xanga - yes, but if mayors of cities, say that you can't come in here, unless you agree with us politically and socially, then the corporation, is having it's freedom of speech limited.
As for the cow tipping, I was in a southern state, working out of a children's home for abused kids. The older teenage boys, had begged and pleaded to be allowed to stay out late and go to the fireworks on the 4th of July. They were finally given permission, and told that if they misbehaved, they would be sent home immediately and future trips out would be limited. It was not 30 mins after showing up to the empty field where the fireworks were being held, that they saw the cow mascot for Chik Fil A, and decided to go cow tipping and knock him over. Both the mascot, and the manager on duty for the food stand that was there, did not press charges, but the teens were sent home anyway. Just with no police record.
Really??? This is what we are worried about???
Honestly there are most important things that could use our attention. Like abolishing the sex trade. Like advocating for a better foster system where the children are the focus not the birthparents. Like closing down the child labor camps.. Curing Diabetes and Aids... I could go on!
But this is what we focus our energy on? CHICKEN?? Really???
its no wonder our world is in such a sad state... God must be sitting up there shaking His head.
@LadyGwenivere@xanga - Which of all the maladies you listed in your comment are you working on yourself?
How many child labor camps have you closed?
Or which laboratory do you work in that endeavors to cure diabetes or AIDS?
The idea of gay marriage is a frontal assault on human liberty. Taking a stand against it is a great and important cause.
@PrisonerxOfxLove@xanga - Im sorry but fighting against gay people just seems like wasted energy to me. There are more important things we should be doing with our time.
And FYI and I am very active as a fostermum. Its not much, but its what God has put on my heart to do.
"a frontal assault on human liberty" is a little dramatic.
@LadyGwenivere@xanga - I didn't day fight against gay people. You did.
I'm talking about the ideas upon which liberty are based.Gay marriage is an assault on human rights.
And such assaults must be fought against in the arena of ideas.
It is unfair to demonize this company for their viewpoints, particularly when there are so many other corporations who more truly deserve blame.
Where are the boycotts and outrage against businesses who sell out American jobs overseas? The oil companies which torture union leaders in the Nigerian delta? Or the shoe companies that rely on child labor to provide a cheap and shoddy product?
Chick Fil A's owners merely stated their opinion. There are other businesses with far worse practices that need public attention.
@LadyGwenivere@xanga - So true!
@PrisonerxOfxLove@xanga - So basically what you are saying is that LadyGwenivere is wrong to be concerned about huge problems facing the world today because she hasn't cured AIDS yet. While we're on the subject of pointless personal attacks, have you?
I encourage you to go tell anyone being trafficked, losing their childhood to forced labor, or eking out an existence in an abusive foster home that preventing two people of the same gender from getting married is as important as ending their suffering. Listen to what they have to say. It might be an enlightening experience for you.
@autumn_cannibal76@xanga - Liberals express their concern for the plight of humanity with other people's time and money.
That way they can stay home and pontificate on places like Revelife.@PrisonerxOfxLove@xanga -
The idea of gay
marriage is an assault on human rights... civilized human
being to take a stand against the civilization crushing idea of gay
marriage.
Sorry, I think you're mistaken. Banning gay marriage is an assault on human rights, you must mean, right? Oh, no? In that case, your arguments don't even make an ounce of sense. How does two people of the same sex getting married affect anyone else at all? Especially their human rights? It has absolutely no relevance on how anyone else lives their lives or is treated. And you know what? Civilization is still just fine even though Mary and Susie are now living happily ever after.
Homosexuality is found in hundreds of animals, homophobia is not. What's unnatural now?
@PrisonerxOfxLove@xanga - saying things like "Gay marriage is an assault on human rights." is fighting against them!!
@autumn_cannibal76@xanga - thank you! =)
@thatkyliegirlx@xanga - My argument against gay marriage is based on natural law. Here is a quote from famed Roman statesman, Marcus Tullius Cicero (106BC - 43BC).
True law is right reason, consonant with nature spread through all people. It is wrong to pass laws obviating this law.All nations at all times will be bound by this one eternal and unchangeable law and the one god will be the common master and general of all the people. He is the author, expounder and mover of this law and the person who does not obey it is in exile from himself.
Gay marriage is an assault on human rights because it is an assault on human nature. Gay marriage says that gender is unimportant.
Nothing could be further from the truth. If gender disappeared all life on Earth would be set back a billion years.
If homosexuality disappeared no one would notice. That's because it is a disorder.
Any law sanctioning disorder is a law that violates human nature and consequently means to steal way liberty obliterate human rights and create tyranny.
@LadyGwenivere@xanga - Expressing ideas is only a fight against gays because they are truly intolerant.
In the Land of Liberty, expressing ideas is the way of peace and civility.@PrisonerxOfxLove@xanga - expressing ideas is one thing. being blatantly hostile is another. you are the second.
@PrisonerxOfxLove@xanga - God made gay people, and lots of them. To drive home the point that He wants them around, God created a lot of gay animals too. Natural? How much more natural can you get?Now go pray to God for help understanding the world He created... it's better (and easier) than telling those dolphins and such that what they're doing is "wrong".
@PrisonerxOfxLove@xanga -
Yeah, a quote from some guy no one cares about from forever ago isn't going to prove anything. If we followed what people in the long ago past said, where would the world be? The white man would rule the world that would still be considered flat, we'd have no technological advances, still have slavery, and wouldn't have any kind of health care or sanitary purposes.
The world changes, and our understanding of it gets better as time goes on. Years ago, this would have been an argument about black people, and before that it would be womans rights. How silly would that look nowadays? Everyone would get torn to peices of Chik-Fil-A was supporting the KKK. In a few years, however long it takes, people will be over this homophobia trend and we'll all look back at this and be shocked that people thought it was an acceptable way to think.
And in fact, gender doesn't matter. It doesn't define who you are, it's irrelevant really. If we had no gender, nothing huge would change. We wouldn't have gender specific bathrooms or departments in stores, but there is no possible way it would
set life back a billion years.Would you like to back that up? It would only advance human life and make this world a better place with less judgement, bias, bigotry, etc. Gender only exists so that people can be shoved into boxes and have assumptions laid out on them.
@breakingthepath@xanga - We are taught by Aristotle that the nature of a thing is exemplified by the healthiest, most complete specimen of that type of thing.
The nature of man is male and female. It is through gender, male and female that healthy, complete sexuality is expressed in every animal and plant that exists on Earth.
Therefore heterosexuality exemplifies human nature. and the call for homosexual marriage denies human nature since it denies gender.
So it is self evident that gay marriage is an assault on human rights since they are a function of human nature.
Nobody wants to get rid of homosexual people. It is that those of us who believe in liberty, human rights and justice believe that acknowledging human nature is essential to authentic human rights.
We must therefore lay down the gauntlet and speak out strongly against gay marriage and its assault on human rights.
@breakingthepath@xanga -
That's what the church, North America, and the white man is good at, though! Forcing their beliefs on everyone else. We came and invaded your land, raped and pillaged everyone... now you have to live our way, or we'll force you to live on a reserve. We don't like what you believe in, so we'll send missionaries to change that. Let's take over your entire fucking country like we own the place because we don't like how you run yourselves.
I'm surprised no one's out there in boats and in the forests and pet stores pushing all the gay animals apart yet because it's "wrong".