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Lessons from Orlando

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.
—Chick-fil-A’s corporate purpose statement

Key point: Authentic Christians believe in biblical teachings about marriage and sexuality, yet they still are genuinely concerned about the welfare of those who disagree with them on these and other issues. To some non-Christians, however, this isn’t possible; such people simply don’t exist. In their eyes they can’t exist, because to them, merely believing that marriage should be limited to one man and one woman is hateful in and of itself. On numerous occasions, however, Christians have demonstrated beyond all doubt that they can be people of conviction and still love those who don’t share their values. This puts the gospel on display as few other things do.

Also in this series: Lessons from Lakewood; Lessons from Richland

On Sunday, June 12, 2016, after only a few short moments had slipped past 2:00 a.m., 29-year-old Omar Mateen made his way into the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Armed with a semi-automatic rifle and a semi-automatic pistol, Mateen opened fire on the nightclub’s guests.

Omar Mateen

His rampage left 49 dead and another 53 injured, some seriously. When it was all over, a 3-hour standoff had occurred between the gunman and law enforcement officers. It ended when Mateen himself was shot by police and died at the scene. Thus, Mateen’s death would bring the total body count to 50, even though he apparently was not the last of the injured to die.

Responding to the Need

Understandably, treatment of the wounded became a paramount concern. Blood donations were sorely needed, and the public response, thankfully, was very strong. Many individuals and businesses helped with the effort, but the involvement of one company left some folks figuratively scratching their heads. Reporting for theolysseyonline.com, Hannah Harvey observed,

Even in the darkest and most confusing times, there are people standing up like shining lights to remind us that evil will always lose in the end. One such group of people are those from Chick-fil-a. Chick-fil-a is a Christian company based in Atlanta, GA that is notorious for keeping its doors closed on Sundays so that it’s [sic] employees can spend the day with their families and attend services at their places of worship. However, on June 12, a Chick-fil-a location in Orlando made an exception to their own rule. Some of the employees at the Lee Vista location came in on their day off and cooked up food and made drinks and brought them to the location where people were lined up to donate blood to the victims.

Many companies have donated of their time and resources to help the aftermath of the attack so what makes Chick-fil-a special? There was a call for blood to help the 53 injured and the response was overwhelming, people stood in line for hours to donate to the mostly gay victims. In 2012, Chick-fil-a’s stance on gay marriage was made public. The company holds steadfast in its belief of only traditional marriage between a man and a woman. This sparked outrage with many equal rights activists, protests and boycotts were arranged and it has been unfairly branded “hateful” by many people. But since Chick-fil-a supposedly hates gay people why would it support blood donors whose blood was going to help the mostly gay victims of the attack? Some could argue that it was a publicity stunt even though their efforts were not covered by the media until days later, but what I believe is that they simply wanted to show compassion for people even though they have openly disagreed with their lifestyles.

As the Lee Vista Chick-fil-A [CFA] restaurant stated on its Facebook page, “A few members of our awesome team decided to go into work on a Sunday and make some food for people waiting in line to donate blood. We love our city and love the people in our community. #prayfororlando

A Unified Effort

Actually, more than one restaurant participated in the effort. Personnel at the CFA located at University Boulevard and Rouse Roads prepared dozens of gallons of iced tea and hundreds of sandwiches. Then they brought all of it to the One Blood donation center and distributed both food and drink to those waiting in line to give blood.

Sunday wasn’t the only day CFA offered its support, either. Arrangements were made for the One Blood mobile unit to be present to take blood donations on Tuesday, June 14 at the CFA restaurant at Wells Road in Orange Park. The store was distributing coupons for free frosted lemonades to people who would come by and donate.

Carrie Kurlander is a spokeswoman for the restaurant chain. In a statement, she said, “The events in Orlando stirred our local restaurant owners and their teams to band together to provide nourishment to first responders as well as volunteers who donated blood. We do not think this requires any recognition. It is the least we can do in this community we love.”


The events in Orlando stirred our local restaurant owners and their teams to band together to provide nourishment to first responders as well as volunteers who donated blood. We do not think this requires any recognition. It is the least we can do in this community we love.
—Carrie Kurlander, CFA spokeswoman—


Writing for townhall.com, Leah Barkaukis noted that even though this kind of response really isn’t out of character for the company Truett Cathy founded, some still were taken aback when they saw it. 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.”

Who’s Really Being Hateful?

How did CFA get a reputation for being anti-gay? In case you don’t know the background, in 2012, CFA CEO Dan Cathy made some strongly worded pro-traditional-marriage statements on a radio program. This, coupled with the restaurant chain’s long-time practice of being closed on Sundays, helped solidify in people’s minds the stereotype that Christianity is indeed, not just anti-gay, but anti-gay people. This is a misunderstanding, but a real perception in people’s minds. Since he made his remarks, Cathy has expressed his desire to keep his company out of the debate over the meaning of marriage. Even so, he has not changed his views on marriage, nor has he apologized for them. He declared, “I think the time of truths and principles are captured and codified in God’s word and I’m just personally committed to that. I know others feel very different from that and I respect their opinion and I hope that they would be respectful of mine.”

Some agree with Cathy. Certain others disagree but respect his right to hold his own views. Certain others, however, disagree with Mr. Cathy and believe he and his company are filled with hatred. This despite CFA’s response to the Orlando Pulse shooting, despite the company’s focus on providing delicious food, and despite its unwillingness to make its commitment to traditional values a front-and-center issue (even though it isn’t ashamed of its beliefs, either). Thus, to some, CFA is an enemy.

The blow-back from the so-called LGBTQ left is harsh…. They want CFA to fail. For example, liberal Noah Michelson commented in the Huffington Post that a full boycott should be imposed.

“If you care about queer people, or you yourself are queer, you have absolutely no business eating at Chick-fil-A – ever – it’s really that straightforward,” Michelson said.

Liberal universities tried clamping down against CFA, imposing bans against new stores on several campus locations.

These universities include Rider University, Fordham University, the University of Nebraska at Kearney, and Davidson College.

Protests occur, yet when they do, one might just see CFA employees serving refreshments to the protestors.

My question is, Who’s really being hateful? CFA has demonstrated time and again that believing in man-woman marriage does not have to mean harboring ill will toward anyone.


Believing in man-woman marriage does not have to mean harboring ill will toward anyone.


The Real Issue

At this point we move from talking about the impact of Chick-fil-A’s role in the culture to discussing the larger, spiritual battle between truth and lies. Here’s the rub. To some—not all—who disagree with those of us who hold to biblical teachings, discrimination isn’t really their core issue at all. They are angered that people exist who merely believe what the Bible teaches in the first place—about sexuality, yes, but especially about Jesus Christ, who came to die a substitutionary death because members of the human race were lost in sin and facing God’s judgment.

You see, the truth about Christ is disconcerting because it reminds people of their accountability to a holy God. That’s what bothers people the most!1 If you’re a believer and don’t understand that, you don’t really understand what’s at the bottom of the unraveling of American culture today. Nor do you understand the extreme extent to which American liberties are in peril.


The truth about Christ is disconcerting because it reminds people of their accountability to a holy God. That’s what bothers people the most!


Love Others

Yes, as believers, we must respond graciously and lovingly to those who oppose us and our beliefs. After all, Jesus, quoting the Old Testament, said, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

We need to be very careful at this point. We’re not talking here about merely exercising charitable actions, but about having and showing genuine love. As Romans 12:9 says in the New Living Translation (NLT), “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them.” When we are lacking in love, God supplies it, for “the fruit of the Spirit is love….” Significantly, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul named love first in his list. Yet he further named “joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (NLT).

Shine the Light

Jesus commanded His followers to love others, but He also said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” He’s right, of course; but let’s not be naïve. While some will glorify God as a result of His using our good works to point people to Him, others will choose to remain in darkness. Jesus indicated that, too. Jesus, who is the light, “has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.


The light makes people who are accustomed to the darkness uncomfortable. The truth is, they need to feel uncomfortable.


Photo by Ivana Cajina on Unsplash

Sometimes there’s simply no way around it. The light makes people who are accustomed to the darkness uncomfortable. Here’s the thing, though. They need to feel uncomfortable.

We mentioned Romans 12:9 a few moments ago. On the heels of issuing a command to believers to love others genuinely, Paul added, “Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.” Not only are love and truth compatible, they’re intertwined! They must be if we are to remain faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Photo by Sebastian Grochowicz on Unsplash

So, the light rattles people who have lived in darkness for some time. Some recoil when they see it. Some resist in any number of ways. Do not be surprised or distraught over this. Their discomfort is evidence that the gospel—or at least certain truths that are a part of it—are on display.

Be assured some who resist initially will soften. Their hostility and discomfort will melt away when they learn more. The complete message of the gospel, after all, is good news! Even so, people have to understand how bad off they are before they can know how awesome the opportunity to be rescued really is.

 

Update: Lessons from College Park, Part 1

 

Copyright 2019 by B. Nathaniel Sullivan. All rights reserved.

Coming next week: Though they willingly serve everyone who walks into their shops, just as does Chick-fil-A, some Christian businessmen and businesswomen, because of their religious convictions, are compelled to turn down certain customer requests. Florist Barronelle Stutzman will not arrange flowers for a same-sex wedding because doing so would violate her conscience. Baker Jack Phillips will not bake a cake for a same-sex wedding. Such a cake is one of several cakes Jack won’t create—because the messages involved are diametrically opposed to his most cherished beliefs. These folks have been thrust into the spotlight, and in their legal battles, their convictions about marriage are front-and-center. For them, there’s no getting around it. Barronelle, Jack, and others like them have endured extreme financial setbacks, hatred, and ridicule. How have they responded to their oppressors, and what lessons do their examples offer other believers? That’s next time at Word Foundations.

Note:

1We’ve noted this phenomenon before in previous articles. Go here and here.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture passages have been taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

A few passages cited are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

top image: Photo by LuAnn Hunt on Unsplash

 

 

 

 

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