For those unfamiliar with the Chick-fil-A conflict that’s come up over the past month that has likely led to the company’s vice president of PR going home to Jesus (here’s more on Don Perry’s death July 27), here’s the rundown:
Chick-fil-A owner Dan Cathy recently stated that he supports “traditional family marriage,” which many opponents perceive as open opposition to gay marriage. To those opponents, I say: As a company that closes on the Sabbath (Sundays), was founded by and is currently owned by a Christian man, and is quoted to “sell chicken and train employees to focus on values rooted in the Bible,” owner Dan Cathy’s recent statement that claims he supports “traditional family units” should really come as no surprise. Christianity Today has covered the conflict extensively (“Billy Graham Supports Chick-fil-A,” “Chick-fil-A Controversy Draws In Jonathan Merritt’s Sexuality,” and a Her.meneutics blog post), and, my conclusion comes to this: Cathy’s statement may be perceived as a tad controversial to those who live and breathe to support gay marriage, but I think it’s time to distance the company from the gay marriage debate – after all, Chick-fil-A is in the business of selling tasty chicken, not politics. As Antoine Dodson so eloquently puts it in the video below,
“Chick-fil-A makes good meals and I eat there…If I want to have a Chick-fil-A sandwich, guess what? I’m going to have a Chick-fil-A sandwich. So it really doesn’t matter what a person thinks. People say a lot of crazy things, but it just comes down to it: if I want a Chick-fil-A sandwich, I’m gonna have a Chick-fil-A sandwich.”
Am I wrong for continuing to love a high-quality chicken and waffle fries product that happens to be produced by Bible-affirming Christians? If you think so, put me back on the right track. If you’re with me, I’ll see you at Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day Aug. 1, chicken sandwich, waffle fries, and lemonade in hand.