I'll have the grilled chicken, hold the hate

I really don't want to get all wrapped up in this whole Chick-Fil-A drama, but I have to say something. The business major in me has no idea why the President of Chick-Fil-A made a public statement against same-sex marriage. You seem to be alienating a large market there and losing a lot of profit, but whatever. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion regarding gay marriage, but what upsets me is seeing how much hate there is in the world.

If you don't like gay marriage, then don't get one. I don't have a problem with same sex marriage because I detest the idea of someone not seeing their loved one who is dying in the hospital or being denied their survivor benefits because the government doesn't acknowledge their love.

There are so many more important things we could be focusing on. People around the world are starving, dying of cancer and AIDS. Thousands of children are falling prey to human trafficking. And what are we wasting our time with? The fact that sometimes men love men and women love women. Personally, that makes me feel like a giant d-bag. I think about my trip to Honduras, and the people I saw down there. I can't imagine telling them that I didn't have time to come down on another mission trip because I needed to stand outside a courthouse holding a sign about how much God hates gay people.

I saw a great status on Facebook earlier today. It said somthing like, "What if we cared about the homosexual community as much as we cared about our 'rights' and our chicken?" I really appreciated that status. Just stop the hate. That's not what Christianity is about and I'm sick and tired of being lumped in with a group of people who spew so much intolerance so often. And then I read this status that a friend shared. I do not know the person who wrote this orignally.

A (long and rambling) thought on Chick fil A day:

On Chick fil A Appreciation Day, or whatever we’re calling it, I have to ask myself where Jesus would be amongst all of this. While I would never presume to know anything for a fact, I have a suspicion that He wouldn’t be in the drive-thru line ordering a #1. Nor do I think He and the angels are rejoicing in heaven every time someone buys waffle fries to keep gay people from getting married. I think (again – personal opinion) He might be more concerned with us using the $5, $10, $15 we were going to spend on chicken to feed the 925 million people that go to bed hungry every single night.

Christians think that going to Chick fil A today is proving some sort of point. Honestly, the only point you’re proving is that the Church has created for itself a terrible public image – an image that presents Christians as more passionate about fueling oppression than fighting it. And while I agree that the Church should look different than the world, I think it’s an absolute travesty that this image prevents people, myself included, from wanting to walk through a church’s door every Sunday.

I wonder what it would look like if the Church (and people in general) got as frenzied about ending poverty as they are about Chick-fil-A’s stance on gay marriage. I wonder what the world would look today if people took that money they were going to spend on chicken and donated it to an organization that’s fighting to end hunger, homelessness and preventable suffering – the things that TRULY broke the heart of Christ.

So if you absolutely have to go to Chick fil A today – fine, so be it. But, at the very least, consider buying an extra sandwich for someone who wouldn’t have a meal today. Otherwise this “point” or “opinion” you’re supporting is completely devoid of love and, therefore, completely devoid of Christ.

The last thing I shall leave you with something that I never get tired of watching, Proposition 8: The Musical.