It's possible that I will take some flak for what I am about to say here, but that's ok.
I've been doing a lot of thinking about this Chick-Fil-A scandal that has gotten the country so hot and bothered. I have, until now, not really felt that I needed to offer any comment on the situation. However, when thousands upon thousands of Christians showed up for the so-called Chick-Fil-A appreciation day, something started irking in my spirit, and I've felt disquieted about it ever since.
Let me preface this by saying that, first of all, I do believe homosexuality to be a sin. The Bible is quite clear on that. I also don't have a problem with Dan Kathy exercising his right to free speech. He's allowed to do that. However, it's also quite clear that what he said made many people feel angry and hurt, and it is the Church's response to that anger and hurt that is bothering me.
Jesus says in Matthew 5:39, "But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also." Showing up in droves to show support about an issue that likely would have been all but forgotten in a few short weeks does not feel like turning the other cheek to me. Now I realize (or rather, hope) that probably the majority of the people who showed up for this event did not have hate in their hearts towards gays, but what I think people are failing to consider is what this reaction looks like to the ones who have been offended. It looks like hate. It looks like Christians are taking a stand against gays, and not loving them as we are supposed to. I'm not saying that homosexuality is ok and we should just ignore it, but I think we should be absolutely going out of our way to avoid doing things that could come across as being hateful.
I realize that there are times when it doesn't matter what we say or do, people will find a way to be offended and will find fault in our Christian beliefs. The truth sometimes hurts, and that simply can't be avoided. The issue of homosexuality however, is one issue that many Christians consistently approach with insensitivity, and I feel that there must be a better way.
Homosexuality is, after all, just one out of many sins that all of us struggle with on a daily basis. We, or rather, I have a tendency to forget that detail from time to time. I, or we are very good and pointing out the sins that others are struggling with but often ignore our own. We forget that we were once not any different than gays; we have all at one point or another needed to be saved out of our slavery to sin. Christ came offering salvation to the whole world so that we all might have the opportunity to be restored to a right relationship with the Father and Creator. We have not received that salvation in order to stand on a pedestal and "defend our Biblical values." God doesn't need our defense, He wants us to love the world as He did - unconditionally. Chick-Fil-A does not need our defense. Chick-Fil-A will be just fine. Their chicken, is, after scrumptiously delicious.
I've been doing a lot of thinking about this Chick-Fil-A scandal that has gotten the country so hot and bothered. I have, until now, not really felt that I needed to offer any comment on the situation. However, when thousands upon thousands of Christians showed up for the so-called Chick-Fil-A appreciation day, something started irking in my spirit, and I've felt disquieted about it ever since.
Let me preface this by saying that, first of all, I do believe homosexuality to be a sin. The Bible is quite clear on that. I also don't have a problem with Dan Kathy exercising his right to free speech. He's allowed to do that. However, it's also quite clear that what he said made many people feel angry and hurt, and it is the Church's response to that anger and hurt that is bothering me.
Jesus says in Matthew 5:39, "But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also." Showing up in droves to show support about an issue that likely would have been all but forgotten in a few short weeks does not feel like turning the other cheek to me. Now I realize (or rather, hope) that probably the majority of the people who showed up for this event did not have hate in their hearts towards gays, but what I think people are failing to consider is what this reaction looks like to the ones who have been offended. It looks like hate. It looks like Christians are taking a stand against gays, and not loving them as we are supposed to. I'm not saying that homosexuality is ok and we should just ignore it, but I think we should be absolutely going out of our way to avoid doing things that could come across as being hateful.
I realize that there are times when it doesn't matter what we say or do, people will find a way to be offended and will find fault in our Christian beliefs. The truth sometimes hurts, and that simply can't be avoided. The issue of homosexuality however, is one issue that many Christians consistently approach with insensitivity, and I feel that there must be a better way.
Homosexuality is, after all, just one out of many sins that all of us struggle with on a daily basis. We, or rather, I have a tendency to forget that detail from time to time. I, or we are very good and pointing out the sins that others are struggling with but often ignore our own. We forget that we were once not any different than gays; we have all at one point or another needed to be saved out of our slavery to sin. Christ came offering salvation to the whole world so that we all might have the opportunity to be restored to a right relationship with the Father and Creator. We have not received that salvation in order to stand on a pedestal and "defend our Biblical values." God doesn't need our defense, He wants us to love the world as He did - unconditionally. Chick-Fil-A does not need our defense. Chick-Fil-A will be just fine. Their chicken, is, after scrumptiously delicious.
