Monday, July 30, 2012

on tolerance.

My Facebook timeline is blowing up over this Chick-fil-a thing. Amazingly, my Reader is much more tame which is nice, but at the same time, I feel like maybe we're all playing it a bit safe and avoiding this little topic.

Which, is usually my preferred method but... not this time.

I'm a bit baffled as to why this statement from the owner of Chick-fil-a is shocking? We are surprised that a company that is strongly ran with a Biblical guideline is standing up for what they see as the biblical definition of marriage? We're surprised that a Christian ran company that everybody knows is Christian ran (ya'll they're closed on Sunday), gives money to Fellowship of Christian Athletes and The National Christian Foundation?

Really?

The owners of Chick-fil-a have never shied away from their faith. They run the company in a way that aligns with their faith and they do it loudly and proudly. They always have. It's surprising now?

What baffles me more than that, is that most of the people up in arms over this are the ones screaming that we should be more tolerant and that everyone has rights and blah blah blah, but the minute that a Christian states their views? well, heck, we don't need to be tolerant of them. They don't have the right to say that.

Double standard much?

Both sides are fighting a losing battle. True story. You aren't going to argue long enough or bully someone long enough to get them to believe what you believe. That's the problem folks. If you want to preach tolerance, then you also have to act out tolerance. Simple.

I have very strong Christian beliefs. Ask me about them, I'll tell you about them. As a Christian, it is my job to live by those beliefs. Because I follow Jesus, I am called to live by the Bible.

What I'm not called to do is be mean. To ostracize groups of people. To hang in my comfort zone and not invite people of every walk of life to church with me. Jesus wasn't afraid to get His hands dirty; why should I be?

Perhaps this business owner is doing what he feels he needs to to "let his light shine" which as Christians, we are called to do. And y'all, he lives in America where he has the right to live and breathe as he wants and can say what he wants. Where you have the right to do the same thing.

I'm surprised at the outrage this has caused. I surround myself with people of all different types; some Christians, some atheists, some straight, some gay, some Conservative and some wildly liberal. They don't all agree with me on most things, but we are still able to get along. Because we listen to one another. Because we love one another.

I'm a Christian. But you won't see me deleting my Facebook because Mark Zuckerberg is an atheist. I don't care what Mark Zuckerberg does. I just like Facebook (most of the times).

Now granted, I would love a chance to share my faith with him but that's not what this is about.

We're all raised differently. We all believe differently. We're different from one another. And that's awesome, because if we were all the same, well, that would suck. But we have to learn to be tolerant of each other's views.

Even if they're different than ours. You don't have to like what everyone has to say, but you do have to tolerate their right to say it.

And if you don't want to eat their chicken because of their views, well don't. That's also your right. But I'll be having a Spicy Chicken Sandwich for dinner now. All this talk may make me need waffle fries too.

10 comments:

Linnea said...

Well said! AMEN!!

Turner Aycock said...

I have to play devil's advocate, while, I totally agree with anyone's right to believe WHATEVER they want, I don't think the Lord wants us to hate groups of people.

While I don't think Chickfila "hates" gays, they most certainly do give money to groups like Exodus International who try to "de-gay" people. It is a borderline hate group.

It takes a little looking around, but you can research these groups they give money to and what they stand for.

http://equalitymatters.org/factcheck/201207020001

Sonja said...

AMEN! I am surprised that the blog (that I live in) hasn't had a huge uproar on this topic. I couldn't have worded this any better.

Thanks for posting!!!

Jennifer said...

LOVE this post. Well-written and great points! What do people expect from a Christian company?!?

Jill said...

from an atheists perspective... i agree. i don't know why this is shocking. my husband and i haven't eaten fast food in about 5 years, so this doesn't really affect us anyway. when we did, we didn't support chick-fil-a. and we don't support the ice cream shop by our house with a daily bible verse on the chalkboard either. we typically don't support retail companies or restaurants that are closed on sunday because we dislike religious beliefs overriding what we want to eat or where we want to shop on our days off. that's us determining how we want our money to be spent.

and that's all chick-fil-a is doing. they adhere to what their beliefs dictate. they support groups that are in line with those beliefs. i respect that, that's their right. i choose not to support groups that are in line with those same beliefs. it's friggin america and that's what we're all allowed to do!

if you doesn't like how chick-fil-a spends the profits from their chicken, don't give them money to spend.

i think that i basically just reiterated what you said, but wanted to give the perspective from the atheist side. jake and i do what chick-fil-a does, just on opposite sides of the spectrum. and that's what we all have rights to do.

Perfectly Imperfect said...

Turner-
I actually read that article before I wrote the post. I am not privy to exactly what their thoughts are on the gay lifestyle, but judging by how strictly they believe in marriage, I can guess their views. And can guess why they may give money to those groups. But that's not the point. The point is, it is their money. They can give it to whomever they choose. Just as we can. I like what Jill says a couple of comments below yours; she is an atheist so she doesn't support faith based companies which is her right. But she also understands that it is their right to run on their faith, she's just not going to give them her money.

All that to say, I'll still be eating there. And even if I wasn't going too, I wouldn't be up in arms over them making these statements. It's their right to do so.

Perfectly Imperfect said...

Jill-
Your comment just reminded me of the reason I love blogging. Though we have wildly different views on most things, you came to the table with nothing but respect. And of course a very well stated opinion. You know I agree with you. Spend your money where you want. Say what you want, but be tolerant of those with a different opinion. Thanks for your comment!

Heather Duge said...

Wonderful factual post - I agree 100% with you and can't believe this has become such an issue. Anytime the word "Christian" or "Jesus Christ" is brought up, people immediately put up a fight. Praying for this situation as I know Jesus is already shining through so many people including you!

Turner Aycock said...

Oh, I totally agree with you, it is definitely their right to give money to whom they want and my right not to give them my money if that's not where I want it to go :)

Linds said...

This is perfectly written. I totally agree!

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