Chick -fil-a Day

Today is Chick-fil-a day. For those of you who don't know, chick-fil-a is a chicken restaurant that serves excellent food. I like it very much. It was also founded and is run by Christians. It's closed on Sundays. So why chick-fil-a day? Because the current president of Chick-fil-a, Dan Cathy, had the temerity to speak in favour of the traditional, Biblical view of a one man one woman marriage in a recent interview. These days, that's viewed as some kind of crime against humanity, and so the mayors of Chicago and Boston have said that they will oppose the building of new restaurants in their cities. You can read more about the background here and here.

Two issues need to be raised and set aside before i tell you why i'm conflicted about CFA Day. The first is, what sort of a nation is America becoming when the Mayor of a city can use his influence to stop free enterprise because he disagrees with the views of the President of a company? Secondly, when did speaking in favour of A, become committing a crime of hate speech against Not A? 2012 is a strange time, but i digress, why do i feel conflicted about CFA Day?

Rachel and I will eat at CFA three times today. It's her favourite place to eat, and i like it to0. There's no great statement in that. I think part of our make up as created people is that our hearts flourish in being part of something bigger than ourselves, it's a Gospel echo. It'll be fun to wait in line, order our food and feel like we're really part of something special. And you know what else? Part of me is looking forward to being part of the message that gets sent to the mayors of Boston and Chicago, and those who oppose a traditional view of marriage. I don't really know what that message will be, but at least i'm part of it!

But...but, there are two thoughts nagging in the back of my mind. Two thoughts that leave me conflicted about CFA Day. The first is this. Where does Jesus ever tell us to further the Kingdom by flexing our economic muscles? It's the masters of the gentiles who Lord is over their people not James and John. We worship a guy who was murdered in the most humiliating way possible, how can we think that we are in a position to show other how string we are. Christians get strong by being weak, we win by losing. Paul went to prison and the Gospel spread, the Jews killed Jesus, but here comes Peter and John. I'm just not totally comfortable with the idea that a show of force is a particularly Christian response.

My second problem is like the first. Aren't we looking like the world when we do this? We don't like the idea that the church is viewed as just another pressure group or voting bloc, so why do we act like it. Why should we employ the same tactics as, say, Planned Parenthood, and then complain because we get viewed in the same way? Are we witnessing to the world by becoming more and more like it? Are we guilty of the equal and opposite error of those who are opposing Chick-fil-a? I don't know.

I don't have any answers, i'm just thinking out loud. I'll enjoy my breakfast wrap, three piece chicken strip meal and spicy chicken sandwich. I'll enjoy the day. But all the time a voice in my head will be asking, 'what are we actually achieving here, is this a hill worth dying on?'

Like i said, there's no answers here, just questions that might be worth asking...