Ok, I admit it. I was one of thousands who stood in line for 2 hours just to "Eat Mor Chikin" today. And I've read a lot of blogs, tweets and facebook posts both for and against the event that have gotten me thinking so I thought I'd add to the list in the hopes that it might make you think as well :-)
Some people decided not to go to Chick-Fil-A today, not because they don't support what the company stands for, but because they feel that God has a higher calling for us. Why squabble over the little things? On the one hand, I agree with most of what they are saying. God does call us to love, not hate. While I was standing in line this afternoon, however, what was on my mind and in my heart was not with the intention of hating homosexuals. It was to love the Word of God and to show support to some people who are in a vast minority. Hate was the farthest thing from my thoughts (eating was in the top 5, as the minutes ticked by!). Somebody commented on a picture I posted today on facebook: "Doesn't God want us to love all people?" Yes, yes He does. Unequivocally. But since when have love and tolerance gone hand in hand? Where does it say I have to agree with someone in order to love them?
I read some tweets that stated standing in line to eat chicken was a waste of time when there are starving children all over the world. Okay, ouch. Yes, that is absolutely true, but what did you do today to help to remedy that global issue? God does call us as Christians to take care of the widows, the orphans, the poor, the outcast. If you did something today to answer that call, then I will eat my words and you made a better use of your time than I did. But if not, please don't criticize my decision to make a stand for Truth. And maybe next week I'll go volunteer at a soup kitchen...
Others didn't go to Chick-Fil-A because they oppose Dan Cathy's views on traditional marriage. And that's fine. I don't agree with their view, they don't agree with mine, but we are entitled to have our opinions and beliefs. What bothers me is when those of us who decided to stand in line today are accused of being hateful towards a group of people. The people I was in line with were not a bunch of hateful bigots. They were retired, middle-class, God-loving and God-fearing people. There were young, old, married, single, black, white, Asian, long-haired, short-haired, able-bodied, disabled, etc. And we were all brought together by common belief and purpose. In the two hours I stood in that line, I did not hear one hateful thing espoused by anyone near me. For the most part, we spent time just getting to know each other and learning people's backgrounds. Nothing more. Tell me where the hate is here. If you had been gay and were standing in line with us, it wouldn't have made a difference. Because today was not about gay versus straight. It really all boils down to freedom of speech and religion.
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