I try to be as respectful as I possibly can...but I must take a moment and make clear my position on homosexuality: The Bible plainly says that it is an abomination. However, as my Uncle Joe Paul has said many times, it is a sin...but it is no more a sin than any other sin. All sin is a slap in the face to Jesus Christ who died on the cross for all of our sins. Being gay is no MORE of a sin than being a thief.
I, for the life of me, can't bring myself to understand why people choose to crusade against one single sin like homosexuality? Why do folks not go on similar crusades against other sinners? Why don't you have protests against thieves or adulterers?
That is why I do not believe in attacking homosexuals. I also have a psychological theory on homosexuality. Homosexuals would contend that their lifestyle is not a choice, they were born that way. They contend that they did not choose to feel the way they do and did not feel an attraction to the same gender by choice. Many folks have said to me "why do people choose to be gay?" I have a bit of a different theory. I believe that homosexuals suffer from a fetish gone crazy...much like many folks sexually desire pain. However this fetish is caused (whether by the folks they surround themselves with, something that happened in childhood, or some chemical imbalance), the choice is theirs as to whether to act on it. Many folks have crazy fetishes where they desire to even KILL their partner! The choice is theirs as to whether they act on it or not. The same is so with living a gay lifestyle. So, in my humble opinion, if a gay friend asks me if I think they chose the way they feel...I would say: not necessarily...but you DO choose what you do about it.
It is sad that I even had to give that explanation in order to tell my story, but words are so very often taken out of context and I must look out for myself here. The story I'm about to tell you has absolutely NOTHING to do with my feelings that I just laid out for you. People get so worked up and bent out of shape over things like this that they definitely would have misconstrued my intentions.
My story is about standing up for what is right. I learned from some folks who live a homosexual lifestyle in my life that Chick-Fil-A "hates gays" and that a boycott was on. I responded, inquiring how they came to know this information and was told "from a website." Another person with the same lifestyle informed me that they too would never buy from the establishment again. I thought I'd dig deeper before standing up for the company.
My conclusion was that "the boycott got started because Chick-Fil-A gives money to organizations like Focus On The Family and Exodus International...those are not hate groups. Chick-Fil-A does not dicriminate, they are an equal opportunity employer. S. Truett Cathy, the Founder, was specifically asked his opinion on gay marriage and he said he was for traditional marriage. That isn't hate, that is his opinion...it's a controversial issue just like abortion. The philanthropic wing of Chick-Fil-A, WinShape, has a retreat specifically for couples in North Georgia...THEY said they don't allow same sex couples at the retreat because of contractual obligations and it is at odds with their couples counseling. You might argue that is discrimination, but it is not part of the restaurant chain. I think there have been some misunderstandings."
The above was almost a word-for-word response to the person. I received a simple response saying that any restaurant that uses the Bible for discrimination should be boycotted and that person subsequently "defriended" me on facebook and has little to do with me ever since.
Chick-Fil-A took a stand years ago by closing on Sundays so that employees may have a day of rest and time to spend with their families. I have NEVER been in a Chick-Fil-A that you couldn't eat off of the floor, the employees weren't super nice, and the food wasn't delicious....how many people can say that about McDonald's? I haven't been in a McDonald's that didn't gross me out in about 5 years! That is a first class company with the right focus. Just because they took another stand by giving money to Christian organizations that support traditional marriage does not mean "they hate gays."
Taking this stance may have cost me that relationship in this life but not doing so could have hurt my relationship with God. I'm not "proud" of what I did, but I do think it is a good representation of what my Granny said when she used to tell us that "it's not easy to live the Christian life."
I do not hate the person that I had this altercation with. If that person ever reads this...this was not even about the gay issue...this was about truth and morality. I told you, and everyone when I announced it on facebook, that I will counter these internet lies about Chick-Fil-A by eating there as much as possible...and I will. Your boycott is based on lies and I could not stay silent simply because I feared the repercussions. I stand up for folks who do the right thing...and Chick-Fil-A has done the right thing. The folks that are filling your head with misleading information about Focus on The Family and Exodus International (which is simply an organization that helps folks who feel like they are gay but don't WANT to be...that's not hate) are not trying to advance a truthful agenda, they are at war with Christian values.
Check your sources, be respectful, and don't be blinded by your own convictions-challenge them. I do!
With love,
Vic Fordham
Connect: Jesus Founder
www.connectjesus.com
No comments:
Post a Comment