Chick-fil-A (CFA), a frequent target of liberal ire, is once more on the receiving end of the charge of homophobia because its charitable arm, the Chick-fil-A Foundation has recently donated to three Christian ministries, including the Salvation Army, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), and a Georgia boys’ home, all of whose youth programs the CFA Foundation was interested in supporting.
Everyone knows who the Salvation Army is and the good they have done for the poor and needy around the world for over 150 years.
And as for the FCA, well it holds a special place in my heart. I decided to follow Jesus as my Lord and Savior at an FCA camp during a critical period in my own life, so I know the value of their ministry to young athletes.
Those ministries all faithfully serve the Gospel. That alone justifies the support they receive from the CFA Foundation. There was a time in the not-so-distant past when that type of philanthropy would be celebrated, not condemned. But that’s not how some of the nation’s elites view things today.
The source of the latest political assault on the nation’s favorite fast food chain is none other than the City Council of San Antonio, which has decided to ban CFA from its lineup of airport food vendors.
Why?
According to Councilman Roberto Trevino, “San Antonio is a city full of compassion, and we do not have room in our public facilities for a business with a legacy of anti-LGBTQ behavior. Everyone has a place here, and everyone should feel welcome when they walk through our airport.”
I view the possibility of someone taking offense at the mere presence a chicken sandwich vendor somewhere in an airport as somewhat humorous. That’s why I described it as “faux outrage.” But—and this is the real story behind the story—for the people who are threatened by the Bible’s views on marriage and sexuality, there are simply never enough opportunities to transfer their anger at God to an easier target, like a business whose owner believes what the Bible says.
Our political institutions used to be places where people of differing views debated, compromised, legislated, and at the end of the day went out for dinner together. Our schools and universities used to welcome the clash of ideas, and banned almost no type of speech. Our only disagreements about fast food stemmed from debates over which lunch joint had the best French fries.
The cultural upheaval we’re witnessing, and in which we are more and more unwilling participants, has drained much of the lifeblood and good will out of the nation. We’re afraid to look each other in the eye, let alone have a frank discussion about cultural issues. No one wants to be called a “hater,” and few of those labeled that way these days deserve to be.
But it’s not too late to reverse course. Could we all agree, for example, to stop using the word “hate” in every other sentence of our public discourse?
The Bible says that “death and life are in the power of the tongue.”(Proverbs 18:21 ESV)
Let’s start speaking life and see how the people around us, and the people they touch, are transformed.
Now, who wants to meet me at Chick-fil-A for the # 1 sandwich, some waffle fries and sweet tea? Don’t forget the sauces, please.
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