Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy has been using his platform of deep-fried-goodness to pontificate on matters non-chicken: homosexuality, he says, is a sin. Cathy wants to do more than donate to anti-gay organizations like Exodus International and the Family Research Council, and his vocal stance has a lot of customers who hold different opinions wondering if they should boycott.
His comments have been Facebooked and Tweeted thousands of times and are dividing loyalties which were first established on matters of appetite. Cathy says that Chick-fil-A is “very much supportive of the family,” and by that they mean “the biblical definition of the family unit.” He was not referring to the polygamous marriages of the Bible’s book of Genesis, nor the apostle Paul’s admonition that Christians avoid marriage, but the nuclear family that has been traditional in the West for so long: a guy, a gal, and their children.
“I think we are inviting God’s judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at him and say, â€We know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage,’” he said, apparently shaking his fist at his homosexual customers. “I pray God’s mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think we have the audacity to define what marriage is about.”
The message is not at all new, but evokes a tone familiar from the pulpit. What’s fresh about the Chick-no-gay opinions is that Cathy is apparently putting the reputation of his business on the line.
“Remind me to never eat at chick fil a ever again,” tweeted “Iron Chef,” Michael Symon.
There are other takes, however: “Knowing your stance on gay marriage, I will eat here more often!” and “I LOVE Chick-fil-A!!! Love your food and your family values!!!” a few have tweeted, while the opposition tweets “boycotting this hateful company with immediate effect,” and “Served with an extra helping of hate! BOYCOTT!!!!”
Supporters of gay rights already felt guilty enough eating fast food due to the calories, but will they add to that guilt by funding views they oppose?