Chick-fil-A's defense of true marriage stirs controversy

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
7/22/2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Gay marriage supporters denounce fast food company as 'hate mongers'

Fast food chain Chick-fil-A takes pride in espousing Christian values, closing all of its 1,600 restaurants every Sunday. The chain also handed out fliers in protest of the controversial Bible epic "The Last Temptation of Christ" in 1988. Now, Chick-fil-A's President Dan Cathy's recent comments on defending true marriage have stirred controversy - on online communities and elsewhere.

Chick-fil-A's stance on same-sex marriage has garnered criticism -- and support.

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LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - "Guilty as charged," Cathy said when asked by the Baptist Press about his company's support of the traditional -- as opposed to gay marriage.

"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," Cathy said.

Response to Cathy's comments has been vituperative online. The comments have made Chick-fil-A the top Google trend as the company's Facebook and Twitter pages were burning up with arguments.

"Hate mongers! Never again! Not another $ from me," "Goodbye Chick-fil-a! your food was delicious, but I can no longer eat nuggets filled with hate!" has been the general tone of the comments.

"I am truly ashamed of the recent admittance from [Mr.] Cathy about your bigoted company practices. I hate the fact that my money was used for this. I will never support your company (and) will make sure anyone I know does not either," Mikell Kirbis wrote on Facebook.

"While I'm not a Christian I know that hate is not in God's plan nor (is) ignorantly picking sections of the Bible to brandish. Good bye and I hope either you change your ways or close down."

Support for Chick-fil-A's defense of true marraige policy has brought enthusiastice response as well. .

"Just wanted to say I'm proud that you stand firm in your beliefs. You knew the risks, and still took the plunge. May God bless this company with abundance. Never back down!" a Facebook post from David Jones read.

"Thank you for standing up for what you believe. The truth is not hate. It's just the truth," Sharon R Boyd wrote.

"I love the values that this restaurant stands for and will support it every dang chance I get! Pay no attention to the morons spewing hate!" read another.

� 2012, Catholic Online. Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.

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Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: Chick-fil-A, gay marriage, online comments

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1 - 10 of 26 Comments

Catholic Store
9 months ago
We support Chick-Fil-A in it's statements about gay unions.

Leviticus 20:13:

"If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them shall be put to death for their abominable deed; they have forfeited their lives."

Now, through Jesus the God-man, a person can find forgiveness just like any other sin, so hate the sin and not the sinner. We do not hate gay people, we hate the sin of the act. The Triune God is clearly against gay unions.

I wonder why the founder of Chick-fil-a has not pressed charges against those other businesses for boycotting him for his religious beliefs. Clearly the EEOC says it is illegal to discriminate service based on religion:

http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/religion.cfm

Religious Discrimination & Harassment:

It is illegal to harass a person because of his or her religion.

Harassment can include, for example, offensive remarks about a person’s religious beliefs or practices. Although the law doesn’t prohibit simple teasing, offhand comments, or isolated incidents that aren’t very serious, harassment is illegal when it is so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment or when it results in an adverse employment decision (such as the victim being fired or demoted).

The harasser can be the victim's supervisor, a supervisor in another area, a co-worker, or someone who is not an employee of the employer, such as a client or customer.

I guess he is just turning the other cheek for their sake and his, so that judgement does not get passed on him in the final days for his sins?

Greg Thompson, CEO of https://www.texascatholicsuperstore.com
Judy Claar
9 months ago
Michael McInnish: Cute! I wish...And then again, "If wishes were horses..." And at the same time I am so sad. It is totally unfair for Chick-Fil-A to be targeted in a negative way just because they practice Christianity. Bigotry against them? Hatred? Don't people have better things to do with their lives? Their time?
Christians can make their stand and then get back to work and Love. The others, who spew venom, let them do it on one another, if they have to. Where is the Peace? Talk about Wars. How can we not have wars in the world if we are having wars at home? Each one must seek their own sanctuary, and have peace and love in their heart, and freely give it away, or we will never have it. Our children will not know it. "Sacred Heart Of Jesus, Have Mercy On Us".
Kirk Perry
9 months ago
PRAISE GOD FOR HIS STANCE.
Brian D.
9 months ago
Sure appears that those on the left who always cry that Christians are judgemental and close-minded appear to be guilty of the same charges. To liberals being open minded means only agreeing with their viewpoint.
And Michael McInnish- well stated; I like the #1 combo!
Joe
9 months ago
Liberal leaning folks often try to avoid rational argument and debate by name calling and pointing the finger at the supposed "fears" of the opponent while claiming the moral high ground of tolerance and compassion. 'The church is a bigoted hate-monger against women, medicine, progressives, homosexuals, etc.' It's an old ad hominem tactic, and the "compassion" displayed by such persons is tolerance exercised without authentic prudence or understanding of church teaching on chastity. Disagreeing on moral grounds isn't the same as fearing something. Christians can show compassion to the sinner while disagreeing about the behavior of the sinner and also show concern as to how certain social phenomena affect the common good. Too bad Chic-Fil-A, a company with integrity, got caught in the crossfire of today's cultural battles which amount to vitriolic, emotional quarrels instead of reasoned discernment and civil debate.
John
9 months ago
The laws of the United States are derived from Common Law. The laws of the Church are derived from traditions from ages past and the BIBLE. Should we rechange the words of scripture or civil law for those.for those who disagree with them? I think not. Ok, go ahead and nail me for things that have been changes; we don't stone adulters, burn people at stake, etc, just to name a few. Governments and religions have evolved over time, but somethings are DOGMA and cannot be changed. 10 Commandments for example which we base our laws upon. I believe the Church tells us that we must our best to live the HOLY life. Control our appetites, sexual, being one of them. If we all wrote our own individual rules we would be in one heck of a mess. ANARCHY. Re: Homosexual behavior, fornacation because it "feels good."
l. Lev. 18-22. "you shall nor lie down with a male as one lies with a female, it is an abominations.
2. Lev. 20-13. " If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a women, both of them have committed a destestable act, they shall surely be put to death. There bloodguiltness is upon them.
3. Cor 6-9-10. ....unrighteous shall not inheret the Kingdom of God. Do not be deceived, neither FORNICATORS (Non homsexuals) nor DOLATER'S (non homosexuals), nor effinate, nor homosexuals, nor theives, nor swindlers shall inherit the kingdom of heaven.
4. Rom. 1 26-28. For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions, for their women exchanged the NATURAL (my caps) function for the unnatural and in the same way also the men abandoned of the women and burned in their desire toward another. Men with men commiting indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penality of their error, and just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer God gave them over to the depraved mind to do those things which are not proper.
NOTE: Homosexuality is clearly condemned, so is adultery, abuse, stealing etc. It goes against the created order of God who created Adam and Eve, man and women to inherit and fill the world with God's loving intent.In the end, and when all things are said, our GOOD AND LOVING GOD ,THE FATHER, JESUS THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT IN UNITY OF BLESSED TRINITY......WILL RATIFY THE CHOICES WE HAVE MADE IN OUR LIVES. WE WERE GIVER THE GIFT OF FREE WILL, TO FOLLOW OR NOT TO FOLLOW.
I love the gift of free will, ortherwise we would have been made puppets and not human kind. Praise be to Jesus the Christ, Light of the World, Redemer of Mankind, and Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
Catholic's, take up the cross, wear the banner of Christ over your hearts. Attend Mass, DRESSED UP TO MEET JESUS IN THE EUCHARIST, and wear your faith on your sleeve. We are the church, let the world know it.

Looking forward to a good meal at Chic-fil-A's
Daniel
9 months ago
I love how my most recent submissions have not been posted. May God have mercy on you now, tomorrow and at death. You cannot be honest with yourselves when I myself am honest and have said nothing against the Church, the Faith, or God. I gave you one last chance to be fair, but now you must answer for your poor decisions.
Michael McInnish
9 months ago
Once again, the left demonstrate their inability to discuss and argue a topic based on it's points. As usual, they revert to name calling and labeling their opponents as SIXHIRB. If you are disagree with anything that the left holds sacred you are one of these: SEXIST, INTOLERANT, XENOPHOBIC, HOMOPHOBIC, iSLAMAPHOBIC, RACIST or BIGOTED. Now I have another reason to go to a Chick-fil-A.
DLL
9 months ago
It is not hateful to object to gay marriage. Gay marriage is not and can not be Christian Marriage. Gay marriage is some proposed sort of a marriage,that has not been accepted yet and is striving to be accepted. The gay life style itself is striving to be accepted as normal. Truth be said,it never was considered as normal. Many will always feel that gay life styles are wrong. Gay rights seem to mean the right of gays to force feed their lifestyle onto the rest of our society. No one likes that including this fast food chain and they have a right to object to being called hateful because they don't condone or agree with a gay lifestyle,or their striving to achieve a marriage right for themselves. Closing on Sunday is a right of this food chain,especially for Christian reasons. If someone is opposed to any of this,or their point of view,do not eat there as to boycott the establishment is their right. Standing up for Christian values is a right and the responsibility of every Christian. It is not hateful to gays or anyone else that do not agree with Christians. Religious freedom is the right to object to what threatens a Christian establishment because it is what Christians consider define by doctrine to be a sin.
Bill Sr,
9 months ago
As usual the world and some who have commented here have dragged out the nuke words of anti-Christian society, their golden rule for free speech. Judgment can be perfectly used to make choices in behavior for anyone except Christians. Then it becomes doctrinal heresy to JUDGE any behavior. LOL

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