To Chick-fil-A or Not to Chick-fil-A

Well, today was the day. Images like this have been flying around Facebook and the internet like crazy for the past few weeks. Hey, I have to admit, I may have even shared or "liked" this image myself at one point. I haven't even watched the news on TV a whole lot this past week. I've read enough online, and seen enough Facebook talk and commenting done on this issue to know exactly what is going on. 

On the surface of the issue, I agree wholeheartedly with where Mike Huckabee is coming from. If companies like Chick-fil-A can get banned from a city based on the personal beliefs of the CEO, how long will it be until our churches are facing the same kind of attack? 

The right to freedom of speech and freedom of religion is an amazing privilege that we hold here in America. Many countries around the world don't enjoy that same freedom. Churches in America have the right to create a statement of faith, a church constitution or doctrinal statement that reflects the beliefs of that church family. I don't agree with the beliefs of every church in America, but I believe in the law that protects the right to those beliefs. If the government can tell a business, that is based on biblical principles, that it cannot do business in a particular setting, how long will it be before the government tells every church it must allow gay marriages to take place in it's building or be forced to leave? I don't agree with the way many churches have chosen to display their disapproval of the homosexual lifestyle, but I believe fully that a church's right to disapprove, needs to be upheld. 

Moving on, this issue has obviously escalated. Beyond what Mike Huckabee originally intended? I don't know. I'm sure there are plenty of people that wanted this to become big, and to make a loud impression on our nation by the stance they are taking. But did anyone think the overall impression most people would get out of this, would be another reason to think Christians are just a bunch of insensitive, biased, homophobic, uncaring individuals out to prove their own points and push their own agendas? It sure seems like that is the main message coming through. I'm not sure how, but it is. Which does stink, because I love Chick-fil-A. I have, ever since first receiving an Adventures in Odyssey cassette tape in one of their kids meals as a child. We don't have one near us, so I don't go there often at all, but I do agree with the personal beliefs of the CEO regarding homosexuality.

Why are there so many freaky Christians in the world? "Love the sinner, hate the sin" seemed like a simple statement at one point. The controversy now of course, even in many churches, is the idea of referring to homosexuality as a sin. On the other side of things, there are just too many radical church groups out there making a loud, obnoxious stink about homosexuality. The crazies are the ones setting the standard for all Christians. Personally, I don't want to be lumped in with them, so I am more likely to shrink back in fear of speaking my beliefs on the subject. *By the way, I have had many close and extremely personal encounters with friends and family members that are gay, but I didn't really set out to write a lengthy post on homosexuality. In fact, Julia has been working on some posts on this subject for a while now. This is such a sensitive, but important issue facing the church today. Her posts have been in the works for months and have been thought through and prayed over for just as long, but she has not felt right posting them yet.

It is such a fine and delicate line between taking a stand for something that God clearly address in his Word and establishes as wrong (I realize many of you will disagree with that), and making sure that what we are first and foremost communicating is the all encompassing, unconditional, amazing love that God is all about. Why is it that the Christians who take the in your face, loud, obnoxious, inconsiderate and unloving approach always stand out the crowd? We are in a battle on many levels, liberties are under attack. But let's not get so worked up and pumped to battle this issue that we miss the target and take down people while we're at it.

Please stay tuned for more posts on this subject. We want to encourage Christians to put on the right attitude and outlook of this subject. Stand strong and discern when to go to battle over an issue or fight back against an agenda that is being pushed. Do so with strength, and sensitivity. Never let the issue cloud your vision, so that you lose sight of the person God loves. We need more Christians who are willing to take a stand against attacks on the church, agendas in the media and in our schools, but to do so with a love that is loud.