I’d like to be remembered as one who kept my priorities in the right order. We live in a changing world, but we need to be reminded that the important things have not changed, and the important things will not change if we keep our priorities in proper order.
—S. Truett Cathy—
You have to be very careful about what you say. More importantly, you have to be very careful about what you do. You never know how or when you influence people – especially children.
—S. Truett Cathy—
Key point: A number of important lessons arise from Chick-fil-A Headquarters in College Park, Georgia in the early days of 2020. We explore 15 specific insights in this article.
Part 1 is available here, and part 2 here. For all the articles in the series titled “Lessons from American Cities and Towns,” go here.
This post is available in a streamlined version titled “Fifteen Things You Need to Know About Chick-fil-A’s Decision to Change Its Corporate Giving Policy.” Access it here.
Chick-fil-A (CFA) is a family-owned company that has had a reputation for 1) offering great food (except, by the way, on Sundays, when all its restaurants are closed) and 2) consistently upholding family values. It’s the “upholding family values part” that militant homosexual activists hate so much. They don’t care about the food—except to the extent they’ve wanted CFA’s bottom line to take a huge hit because of its family-values-friendly reputation.
In August of 2019, Christian leader and culture warrior Michael Brown authored an article titled “The Public Didn’t Get the Memo That Chick-fil-A Is a Terrible Place to Eat.” He wrote of surveys reporting that Americans had chosen CFA as their favorite fast food restaurant, and that it happened despite the company’s having been vilified as hateful, and despite efforts to ban it from various locations where it has tried to establish a presence. These locations have included airports, cities, and college campuses. And, yes, gay activists have issued calls for boycotts against Chick-fil-A repeatedly. Dr. Brown named four of the various ways CFA had affirmed the ideals gay activists hate so much.
1) Chick-fil-A is Christian owned and operated, to the point of not doing business on Sundays; 2) Chick-fil-A executives had the audacity to state their disagreement with same-sex “marriage”; and 3) Chick-fil-A donates money to Christian ministries that uphold biblical morality, like the Fellowship of Christian Athletes [FCA]; 4) worse still, some of the ministries Chick-fil-A have supported believe homosexuals can change. Oh, the crime!
That was in August of 2019. In November, the company announced it was making some changes regarding its charitable giving. Simply put, CFA was removing items 3 and 4 from Michael Brown’s list. Of course, CFA and CFA-related organizations would continue to fund charities; that part didn’t change. What did change is which charities—and some believe what kind of charities—will be supported under the CFA umbrella. Bisnow, who broke the story, said this:
The Chick-fil-A Foundation donated $115K to the Salvation Army and $1.65M to the FCA in 2018, according to a tax form filed Friday [Nov. 15, 2019] with the IRS. A company spokesperson said the donations were the last of multiyear commitments to the two groups..…
The LGBT community took issue with the organizations [CFA had chosen to assist] in the past due to the FCA’s employment purity statement, which speaks out against sex outside marriage and “homosexual acts.” The Salvation Army has been accused of LGBT discrimination in the past. The organization has repeatedly denied those accusations, most recently on Monday [November 18, 2019] afternoon after Chick-fil-A’s announcement. [You can read the Salvation Army’s response to the CFA announcement here.]
Under the new policy, donations will be made and evaluated annually. CFA said donation recipients in the future may include charities that have ties to religion as well as those that do not. It has been widely noticed, however, that the charities that initially will benefit under the new policy contrast to those that benefitted under the old one mainly in that “none of the organizations [on the new recipient list] have anti-LGBT positions.”
Be aware that to the mainstream media and the vast majority of the general public, “anti-LGBT positions” include beliefs that 1) homosexuality is morally wrong and that 2) engaging in homosexual activity is harmful. Both the Bible and nature teach the first of these principles, but the statement made by nature alone is so clear we don’t even need the Bible to know homosexuality is wrong. Medical science teaches the second principle, and the evidence it offers for it is absolutely irrefutable.
This is why Christians who’ve supported CFA through all the years it received relentless negative press felt betrayed. They remembered the statements Dan Cathy made in 2012, including “We intend to stay the course.” Was CFA really changing its policy to distance itself from the accusation that it was “anti-LGBT”?
The reality is that the company never has been “anti-LGBT” in the sense of hating gays, and Christians have realized this. Also,
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- upholding man-woman marriage and
- discouraging people from engaging in homosexuality because one believes the two principles we’ve highlighted above
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are not only not hateful; they are expressions of genuine love! (Go here and here.) Christians have understood this, as well.
So, I’ll ask again, Was CFA changing its policy to distance itself from the accusation that it was “anti-LGBT” as far as gay activists, the mainstream media, and the general public were concerned? It’s hard to escape the conclusion that it was. Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council (FRC) would agree. Go here to learn more.
Bombarded with Criticism, Questions, and Requests for Clarification
So, Chick-fil-A received a great deal of criticism in the wake of its announcement. Significantly, the disapproval came from both traditionalists and gay activists alike. If CFA expected to sail into friendly territory with homosexual activists without alienating conservative Christians, it was dead wrong. Apparently CFA executives were surprised by the pushback from the Christian community. They shouldn’t have been. Nor should they have been surprised to hear from the homosexual rights people that the company had not gone far enough.
Against this backdrop, numerous leaders in the Christian community took their case to CFA itself, even if they did so through their own platforms without trying to contact Dan Cathy or others in CFA leadership positions in Georgia directly. We’ve cited some of these leaders’ concerns already in part 1 and part 2 of this series. Those who expressed concerns and asked questions or made requests include Dr. Michael Brown, Joe Dallas (here and here), and Dr. James Dobson. Franklin Graham talked with Dan Cathy by phone and then defended him on Facebook. In response, Mat Staver wrote an open letter to Franklin challenging his conclusions. Others, including Tony Perkins and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, appear to have received all the clarification they felt they needed.
Dan Cathy Responds
One pro-family leader who wrote Dan Cathy a personal letter was Tim Wildmon of the American Family Association. His letter, which he overnighted to Cathy, is dated December 2, 2019. You can read it in its entirety here. After expressing great appreciation for Truett Cathy and a love for CFA’s food, Wildmon spoke of his surprise and concern over the company’s decision to change its corporate giving policy, and its dropping The Salvation Army and Fellowship of Christian Athletes from its list of charities. Wildmon was polite, yet honest and forthright: “After so many years of vitriolic attacks directed at Chick-fil-A because of its support for these Christian ministries, it seems as if your company is abandoning old friends in an effort to attract new ones.”
After so many years of vitriolic attacks directed at Chick-fil-A because of its support for these Christian ministries, it seems as if your company is abandoning old friends in an effort to attract new ones.
—Tim Wildmon to Dan Cathy, in a letter dated December 2, 2019—
Wildmon also pointed out that Covenant House, a beneficiary of CFA’s new giving program, is “an outreach that affirms homosexual orientation and funds LGBTQ causes.” Then Wildmon wrote,
Along with this letter, I am sending the names and states of more than 100,000 people who want clarification from Chick-fil-A as to the meaning of your company’s recent decisions.
Namely, would you please answer the following questions for us: (1) Will Chick-fil-A publicly state that it does not believe The Salvation Army and FCA are hate groups because of the ministries’ beliefs about sexuality, marriage, and family? (2) Will you publicly state that Chick-fil-A will not hesitate to fund these two ministries again, should the opportunity arise in the future?
At first, Dan Cathy appeared to ignore Tim Wildmon’s letter, or at least he appeared to delay in responding. On December 10, AFA’s president did not hesitate to let his constituents know he’d not heard back. Cathy did respond in a letter dated December 5, so Wildmon simply had not yet received Cathy’s response. You can read Dan Cathy’s reply to Tim Wildmon here.
In a news release article dated January 7, 2020, AFA informed the public that Dan Cathy had replied. Given that a month had passed between the date on Cathy’s letter and AFA’s news release, it is reasonable to assume that Wildmon and Cathy had talked personally about the entire matter. Perhaps the most pertinent paragraph in Cathy’s letter is this one:
As you have seen, recently we announced changes to our giving strategy at the Chick-fil-A Foundation. These changes were made to better focus on hunger, homelessness and education. We understand how some thought we were abandoning our longstanding support of faith-based organizations. We inadvertently discredited several outstanding organizations that have effectively served communities for years. Some also questioned if our commitment to our Corporate Purpose was waning. Let me state unequivocally: It is not.
Thankful for the clarification and especially grateful for the admission that CFA had “inadvertently discredited” some excellent ministries, Tim Wildmon expressed appreciation to Cathy.
This response was a welcomed clarification. It appears that Mr. Cathy understands how many evangelicals perceived the company’s decision, as he stated that these Christian groups were “inadvertently discredited.” The fact that Dan Cathy called these two Christian groups “outstanding organizations” will mean a lot to evangelicals.
Concern remains, however, over the decision to fund Covenant House. AFA promised to “continue to monitor” the fast-food company’s charitable “giving, at least for the foreseeable future.” It added, “We believe our supporters rely on us to do so.” You can view a brief conversation between Wildmon and AFA’s Ed Vitagliano about Cathy’s response here.
Insights to Consider
Many important lessons arise from this entire event. Let’s explore a few of them.
First, Chick-fil-A and its people absolutely do not hate anyone. They never have. Moreover, they are genuinely concerned for people in their communities—especially when urgent needs arise. If—God forbid!—another horrific event like the Orlando Pulse nightclub shooting were to occur, then, whether gays are the primary victims or not, and even if the needs arise on a Sunday, CFA will be there, helping and assisting victims and the community-at-large in every way it can. CFA’s track record of community service attests to this, and no evidence exists that the company has changed in this regard.
Wherever and whenever appropriate and possible, Christians should seek to help people understand this about the company that is the “Home of the Original Chicken Sandwich.” It’s only fair.
Second, Chick-fil-A is a generous company, and it should be commended for its generosity. CFA founder S. Truett Cathy said, “Nearly every moment of every day we have the opportunity to give something to someone else—our time, our love, our resources. I have always found more joy in giving when I did not expect anything in return.”
Nearly every moment of every day we have the opportunity to give something to someone else—our time, our love, our resources. I have always found more joy in giving when I did not expect anything in return.
—S. Truett Cathy—
Third, the issues that CFA says it is concerned about in its new giving policy—hunger, homelessness and education—are important issues deserving of attention and resources. Generally speaking, every Christian should favor addressing these issues.
Fourth, that said, CFA’s departure from giving to faith-based charities like Fellowship of Christian Athletes, at least for the immediate future, gives Christians reason to be concerned. Chick-fil-A wants to expand its presence, and its efforts to do so are being met with strong resistance. The company has been deemed “anti-gay” in part because it has supported ministries that uphold biblical teachings on sexuality; and at least for now, CFA is backing away from supporting such ministries. Certainly the resistance to CFA’s expansion efforts is unfair and un-American, but let’s set that aside for the moment. Looking at what has transpired, it makes sense to conclude that the company hopes to mitigate resistance to its expansion proposals by changing its giving practices as it has.
Moreover, although Dan Cathy admitted in his letter to Tim Wildmon that
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- “We understand how some thought we were abandoning our longstanding support of faith-based organizations,” and
- “We inadvertently discredited several outstanding organizations that have effectively served communities for years,”
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and although he affirmed that
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- “Some also have questioned if our commitment to our Corporate Purpose was waning. Let me state unequivocally: It is not,”
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the letter is carefully worded and leaves CFA a fair amount of room to maneuver. Here I’m not questioning the company’s right to use its own money as it sees fit; clearly it has that right. Further, I acknowledge that Dan Cathy is in a difficult spot, as his company already has made commitments based on the new policy. These realities notwithstanding, Tim Wildmon and AFA are doing well to “continue to monitor Chick-fil-A’s corporate giving, at least for the foreseeable future.”
Fifth, because Covenant House is LGBT affirming (also go here), CFA’s decision to fund it is contrary to the biblical values the company has upheld in the past and that it claims it has not abandoned.
Sixth, it is crystal clear that homosexual activists have become the real bullies, despite their claim that homosexuals everywhere are victims. Joe Dallas offers this insight:
Those of us who are disappointed or even downright angry over the decision should remember that this organization has endured years of relentless battering from gay activists, gay allies, politicians, universities, and city officials. Ever since 2012, when its CEO Dan Cathy said in an interview that tampering with God’s definition of marriage invited His judgment, it’s been open season on Chick-fil-A.
All too often, bullying works. That’s why we must oppose it! We also need to call out the homosexual activists for their hypocrisy.
Seventh, homosexual activists never can be appeased. As Tony Perkins has observed, “Stand strong, and the bullies will leave you alone. Cave, you’ll be led down a path of complete surrender.” It never pays to try to meet leftists “halfway.” There is no halfway with these people.
Stand strong, and the bullies will leave you alone. Cave, you’ll be led down a path of complete surrender.
—Tony Perkins—
Eighth, even as homosexual activists publicly accused Chick-fil-A of bigotry and hate (attacking from the outside), their allies, the social justice warriors, were working to infiltrate the company from within. These efforts have paid off. Recall these words from an article we cited in part 2:
Like many corporations, Chick-fil-A branded its charitable giving as a form of social responsibility.…Unlike charity, corporate social responsibility is a leftist endeavor to transform corporations into the political arms of radical causes. Like other formerly conservative corporations, Chick-fil-A had made the fundamental error of adopting the language and the infrastructure of its leftist peers. And that made what happened entirely inevitable. [Emphasis added. Here is the original source.]
Think about that!
Like other formerly conservative corporations, Chick-fil-A had made the fundamental error of adopting the language and the infrastructure of its leftist peers. And that made what happened entirely inevitable [emphasis added].
—Daniel Greenfield—
Folks, the social justice movement has spread everywhere—including our churches—and has infected practically everything! We must recognize it for what it is and oppose it relentlessly. Here are some helpful articles that hopefully will inform and equip.
Ninth, drifting is easy. Staying on course takes work, vigilance, energy, time, and effort. Note these principles that apply to the moral drift that America has undergone. While not all of these are as applicable to CFA’s situation as they are to America’s, some are.
Tenth, anyone, and any group or organization or entity, including a church—can begin to drift away from its core purpose. Cultural forces often are a factor in the drift, and it typically begins slowly and picks up steam. A belief that “we are immune to drifting” actually sets the stage for a person or group to start. Now, I can’t say whether or not Dan Cathy felt CFA was immune; but it is clear he has a conviction his company still is solidly committed to its Corporate Purpose statement.1 I believe this is its intention, but concern is being raised and questions are being asked because the words and actions of CFA do not fully align.
Eleventh, when you’re hit hard from one side and supported on another, it’s often easier to feel the sting of the ridicule from your adversaries than it is to feel support from your allies. In Chick-fil-A’s case, like-minded allies and friends expressed their appreciation primarily by frequenting Chick-fil-A restaurants. This was fine, but the opponents not only were vocal, but also loud and forceful when they spoke. And they spoke constantly. They spread the politically correct narrative about CFA and its leadership—a narrative that was absolutely false. Yet many believed it! This frequently happens in situations like this. This was evident in Orlando following the Pulse gay nightclub shooting. CFA jumped in—significantly, on a Sunday—to help and support the victims and everyone else who was affected. According to Justina Miller,
Because of their CEO’s public stance on supporting traditional marriage, Chick-fil-A’s charity made headlines. The public was shocked to see the conservative chain, who New York Mayor, Bill De Blasio, recently asked New Yorkers to boycott, helping victims of the LGBT community. Their bold move astounded news sources like the DC Gazette who wrote, “But, wait, those people were waiting to give blood to victims that were mostly gay people. Doesn’t Chick-fil-A hate gays? That’s what we kept being told.”
My point here is that while the support for CFA was real, it was, in a sense, under the radar. The opposition never was. Christians must be vocal, not only in their opposition to what is wrong, but also in their support for what is right. Yes, perhaps CFA’s executive team should have understood that Christians were ardent fans of the company because Dan Cathy had taken a stand that never should have been controversial in the first place. Even so, as they often say, “the squeaky wheel gets the grease.”
If you’re unhappy with the change CFA has made in its giving policy, by all means, let the company know how you feel. Always be polite, but be sincere and firm as well. CFA’s contact information is on this page. You can read my letter to the company here.
Twelfth, Christians should keep in mind that it’s more than likely numerous CFA restaurant owners and operators disagree with the change in direction CFA corporate has taken. Many local CFA personnel are Christians who affirm biblical values. If they disagree with the corporation, they likely feel compelled to keep quiet. We can understand this. Boycotts potentially won’t just hurt the corporation at large, but also local business personnel who may privately take exception to CFA’s new approach to charitable giving.
Thirteenth, even among a good many Christians the biblical worldview isn’t fully understood. On November 25, 2019, Dr. James Dobson weighed in. He concluded his statement with this paragraph.
We are comforted by Dan Cathy’s assurance [given to Franklin Graham] that Chick-fil-A hasn’t changed and isn’t going to change. But what then was intended by the corporate announcement last week? It told readers that a change in policy had occurred. What was it really? JDFI [James Dobson Family Institute] and conservative Christians across the nation are awaiting further clarification.
In a piece at relevantmagazine.com released two days later, Relevant editor Jesse Carey pushed back against Dobson, saying this:
First off, why does a fast-food chain owe conservative groups answers for how they choose to give away millions of dollars to Christian charities? Why does Dobson care about what a fried chicken business believes about a theological issue? They aren’t a church. They aren’t trying to convince customers to believe anything. They are trying to sell chicken.
Also, where is the line? What precedent is Dobson trying to create by demanding that private businesses not only provide quality services and ethical conditions for its workers but also monetarily support organizations that view social issues exactly the way some conservatives want them to? What exactly does he want Chick-fil-A to say or do here?…
But, perhaps the most telling line [in Dr. Dobson’s statement] is the final one: “The Dr. James Dobson Family Institute (JDFI) and conservative Christians across the nation are awaiting further clarification.” This line follows a pattern that often emerges when these types of controversies arise. Many leaders seem to want personal explanations that they can relay to their followers. They want to be the gatekeepers. Not because it matters what a fried chicken chain thinks about gay marriage, but because they personally want their opinions to matter. They want powerful institutions to need their approval—even if they aren’t involved.
Respectfully, Mr. Carey is wrong about Dr. Dobson and others pushing back against CFA’s new policy by appealing to biblical truth. For Christians, God is the supreme authority. He has revealed himself in Scripture, which upholds an absolute standard of ethics and morality. Members of the Cathy family, including Dan, have long professed faith Christ and a commitment to biblical values. For many years their charitable endeavors, among them the top-notch worldview ministry Impact 360 Institute, have aligned consistently with their professions of faith in Christ and with biblical teachings—until November of 2019. Dr. Dobson and others have expressed concern because of what appears to be departure from biblical truth on the part of a prominent Christian businessman and his company, and truth matters. When believers depart from truth publicly, or when their actions raise questions, the entire body of Christ can be negatively affected. It is appropriate for members of the Christian community to uphold the unchanging biblical standard and to push back.
Truth matters.
Fourteenth, taking a stand for biblical truth, especially in our culture, is going to cost something. This should not surprise us, because Jesus said as much. What we must do is prepare to pay the price, and with God’s help, act in faithfulness to Him and what He has called us to do.
Christians hunger for leaders who consistently and uncompromisingly will uphold biblical marriage and family values.
Fifteenth, the outpouring of support that the Christian community gave Chick-fil-A through the years, as well as the extreme disappointment that conservative Christians expressed over CFA’s change in its giving policies, indicate that Christians hunger for leaders who consistently and uncompromisingly will uphold biblical marriage and family values. Pastors should be among the first to capitalize on this; but unfortunately, generally speaking, they appear to be afraid to do so because someone might be offended. This is a mistake. Certainly no Christian ever should offend intentionally. Yet, neither should any Christian fail to uphold the truth in appropriate and needed ways because he or she is afraid of “ruffling someone else’s feathers.” Pastors, take a stand!
Conclusion
These are just some of the lessons arising from College Park, Georgia in the early days of 2020.
Let’s seek to apply them with humility, grace, love, and understanding—yet also with conviction and a strong reliance on God to help us brave the cultural undertow and stand strong.
We opened this article with two insightful quotes from CFA founder Truett Cathy, and we cited another of his quotes in the middle. Now we close with one more of his astute observations. It’s a nugget you will want to remember!
Opportunity presents itself sometimes in unusual situations. What you think is the worst thing turns out to be a good thing. Different circumstances challenge people to do things they didn’t know they could do, and in those times when the outlook appears the worst, we find new reasons for optimism.
Copyright © 2020 by B. Nathaniel Sullivan. All rights reserved.
A streamlined version of this article is available here.
Note:
1Chick-fil-A’s corporate purpose statement is as follows: “To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us and to have a positive influence on all who come into contact with Chick-fil-A.”
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture has been taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2020 by B. Nathaniel Sullivan. All rights reserved.
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