Boycotts or the Gospel?
I absolutely support Chick-fil-A and agree with publicly standing behind the “biblical definition of marriage.” We all have the American 1st amendment right, and biblical position as believers, to openly support any and all biblical definitions, business owners included. If only the full 67% of traditional marriage advocates in this country would be as bold in rightness (as opposed to bold in wrongness) to make such a company statement! General Mills, Nabisco Oreo, Starbuck’s and Target have made no beef about doing so with support for same-sex marriage.
Aside from all that, the ultimate privilege for any of us as Christians is to stand for the Gospel, keeping it front and center! Without the Gospel, it’s just another national argument which has no power to save. Without the Gospel, it will take the political swing to freedom of speech and religious expression, which is a good thing! We are blessed by God to have our constitutional freedoms! In the case of moral issues, however, the patriotic cry just doesn’t go far enough. It overshadows. Hiding the eternal weight of the matter, sin, separation from Holy Creator-God. ”For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). In fact, the moral issue itself also doesn’t go far enough. And, if not careful, the platform can become a breeding ground for ecumenism. We need the Gospel!
I absolutely believe it is wrong for pro-gay activists to boycott Chick-fil-A, on August 1st (2012). Projecting such plans based on the company’s professed attitude in favor of biblical marriage. Equally, I am against anyone’s organized agenda to boycott a company that has gay marriage supporters in leadership, like the National Organization for Marriage does, here and here. All businesses, regardless of personal views on marriage held by their CEO’s, have men and women employed who are working to provide for themselves and/or their families. Some of these families may even be those who share our common salvation. So, I am not going to stop buying Cheerios! That would just be silly. They’re healthy and our kids love them! It’s my hubby’s favorite go-to-pantry-snack at night. And we like to shop at Target. We just won’t be buying any pro-gay t-shirts. Maybe, though, we’ll stand around the rack and share Gospel tracts! Yeah!
Now, at this point, some readers may be getting their feathers all ruffled since I am not willing to heist the bank of the gay community. I have no intention to. I know it is disturbing and painful to think of this particular deception and sin multiplying like chickens in the hen house, right before our very eyes! Our American society honing in on the days of Noah and the ranks of Sodom and Gomorrah’s corruption. Rolling-in-chicken-feed corporations, and famous, Hollywood celebrities using their positions of influence to promote this sinful agenda is disturbing. I understand the concern. I share it! I just think we are called to a different approach.
Let’s stop with the “hit ‘em where it counts–smack dab in the wallet” American consumer kind of way of handling things. What does that really accomplish? Protesting, punishing with financial threats? What if a company does go under for getting boycotted? And people can barely feed their kids? Do you want that on your head?
Instead of the fruitless boycott approach, and keeping the Great Commission of Christ in mind, let’s share the Gospel of grace, repentance and faith in Christ alone for salvation, in love, with the attitude of Christ, the way a restored, forgiven sinner should.
One of the Least,
-Karla Tadler
Tags: Chick-fil-A, Dan Cathy, General Mills, Nabisco Oreo, National Organization for Marriage, Starbuck's, Target
