Really Delicious Chicken

Did you hear that the Chick-fil-A cows hate gay people?  They not only want to encourage the murder of countless chickens...they also want to prevent loving same-sex couples from enjoying the 'rights' of marriage!!!


So...maybe sarcasm isn't welcome in this subject, but it's pretty much how I roll...


If you haven't heard, in a recent interview, the president of Chick-fil-A discussed their WinShape program.  This program has several different facets, but one is directly focused at preparing for, strengthening or saving marriages.  During this discussion, Mr. Cathy mentioned that his company supports a traditional and Biblical view of marriage.  So obviously, the mascots hate gay people...


And many have determined that they must be stopped.  There have been articles and news stories bashing Chick-fil-A for their so-called 'family' values.  The Jim Henson Company has cut ties with them, and both Chicago and Boston are now attempting to block the opening of new Chick-fil-A restaurants in their cities.  The Boston mayor even said that having one of the franchises in town would be an "insult" to the city.  


So here's my question - Why does anybody care what Dan Cathy thinks?!?!  The man runs a company that sells chicken...really (seriously) delicious chicken!!!  He doesn't shape U.S. policy in ANY way!  And at what point did it become 'evil' or even 'socially unacceptable' for a person to have a belief or viewpoint different from someone else's?  Would anybody care if the situation was flipped...if the CEO of United Airlines came out and said they were in favor of a woman's right to choose and would be donating to Planned Parenthood?  Some people might freak out or boycott or whatever, but odds are, most people wouldn't care.  It's their company, they can do what they want with their money...and it makes sense that they'd donate in ways that fall in line with what they support as a company.


Here's the deal...the Bible is pretty clear about a bunch of stuff that's unpopular.  Yes, it teaches that homosexual behavior is wrong.  But it also says that ANY sex outside of marriage is wrong, and nobody is saying that Dan Cathy is a bigot because he doesn't want to 'support' swinging or premarital sexual relationships.  


And ultimately, do Christians really believe that the government gets to define marriage?  I don't...my union with Sara may be recognized by the government and I may enjoy some 'rights' associated with that, but our marriage has everything to do with our relationship in the eyes of God (NOT the state).


So to wrap this book up...develop your beliefs how you see fit.  If you want to use culture, or a holy book, or nature, or a weird mix of whatever, go nuts!  To quote my Dad, "we all have every right to be wrong."  And yes, every one of us believes some things that are probably completely off base.  But let's acknowledge that all of us have a right to hold fast to the beliefs dear to us even in the face of religious or societal crusades.


As for me, if you want my take on Magic Mike, dispensational theology, politics, or even gay marriage, I welcome pretty much any respectful discussion.  But I'd prefer to have that discussion while enjoying an amazing chicken sandwich, waffle fries and a sweet tea.

Full Heart

Recently (maybe the past few years), there's been a push for those of us that follow Christ to pray for a 'heart that breaks for the things that break the heart of God.'  Don't know if this phrase started with Hillsong United, or if it started somewhere else and Hillsong pulled it in for their song Hosanna (watch the video HERE).  Either way, it's a pretty awesome idea (or maybe ideal)...but I'm not really sure it's practical.  


Before I get attacked for disagreeing with Hillsong (blasphemy?), let me explain a bit.  I absolutely agree that we should never choose to overlook injustice, poverty or the sin in our own lives.  But can you imagine if we could even begin to grasp the unbelievable sadness we'd embrace if we wept for everything that breaks the heart of God?  I never really thought about this until this morning...


So I've been reading Uncle Tom's Cabin.  I know, I know...I probably should've read this in 7th grade or something.  But I didn't, so I'm doing it now...and it's an amazing book so far.  Anyway, there's a part where a man is explaining how he owns slaves despite his belief that slavery is horribly immoral...and he says that "the best we an do is to shut our eyes and ears, and let it alone."  He also said that "if we are to be prying and spying into all the dismals of life, we should have no heart to anything."  


Here are my thoughts from that...maybe we weren't designed to be able to comprehend everything that breaks the heart of God.  Maybe instead we've all been given (in Christ) a measure of compassion for those in need that we encounter and passion for certain 'greater' areas of service.  My friend Adam Taylor, for example, couldn't pass by the boys we met in Ethiopia...he was given a passion to involve himself directly and completely in their lives.  But if Adam was constantly overwhelmed with the evil of human trafficking in Greece or the persecution of the Church in China, he probably wouldn't get much done.  I'm not saying we should 'shut our eyes and ears' to the areas outside our passions, but maybe we should acknowledge that ultimately, it's God's job to fix everything (not ours)...and maybe he uses our passions to direct our actions.


So my prayer is that God would break my heart where he wants it broken.  Also, and maybe more importantly, I pray that he'd give me joy in the things that delight him.  How awesome would that be if we could look around this world not just with an eye and heart that discovers and embraces pain, but with an eye and heart for the beauty, love and grace that he's poured into everything that surrounds us.  That may just overwhelm us, but it would be truly amazing...