Eat more chicken

Chick-fil-A, a national company known for its family values, is under attack by gay marriage supporters. See Baptist Press story.

Company president Dan Cathy makes it very clear that his company “will treat every person with honor, dignity and respect — regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender.”

He also makes it clear that his company holds to the biblical view of marriage between a man and a woman. Cathy makes no apology for that and he should not have to. He has the right to his opinion and view, just as those who hold the opposite view have.

Yet, opponents are calling for a boycott of Chick-fil-A because it dares to stand for God’s truth and values when other national companies are bowing down to pressure by the gay rights activists.

I applaud Dan Cathy and Chick-fil-A for their stance. We need more Christian business leaders who are willing to endure the pressure and criticism in order to stand for what is right. As Christians, it is not possible to boycott every company we disagree with, but we can support those who hold our values and beliefs. Let’s all plan to “eat more chicken.”

A right way to do things

Churches and their leaders, particularly the pastor, have a hard job in today’s society.

Ministers must be on the front lines, leading the fight against the immorality and wickednss we see in our country today. They often have to go against the prevailing view of society today that believes “anything goes.” To speak against sins such as immorality and abortion labels you as a “right-wing fundamentalst.”

That’s not true. Speaking up for morality and values is what all of us need to do as Christians. But there is a right way and a wrong way to do so.

The classic example today of a church doing it the “wrong way” is Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan. This church does speak up for God and morality, but they do it in a spirit of hate and condemnation. Churches do not need to condemn and judge. That’s God’s task. We just lead people to Him and allow the Holy Spirit to do the rest.

Westboro Baptist Church is known for their protests and their hatred of homosexuals. Their website is titled “God Hates Fags.”

Westboro is coming to the Middle Tennessee area on Sunday, July 15, to protest some local churches. We need to pray for those under attack by the church and we need to pray for the leadership and members of Westboro Baptist Church. Their spirit of hated is contrary to how we are to act as Christians. Though Baptist, they are NOT a Southern Baptist congregation. But their actions give not only Baptists, but all Christians, a “bad name.”

As Christians we need to take a stand for God. But I believe He would want us to do so based on love, not hate.