What Exactly Did Dan Cathy Say to Land Chic fil a in Hot Water?
August 1, 2012 39 Comments
Here is the quote from his interview with Baptist Press
Some have opposed the company’s support of the traditional family. “Well, guilty as charged,” said Cathy when asked about the company’s position.
“We are very much supportive of the family — the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that.
“We operate as a family business … our restaurants are typically led by families; some are single. We want to do anything we possibly can to strengthen families. We are very much committed to that,” Cathy emphasized.
“We intend to stay the course,” he said. “We know that it might not be popular with everyone, but thank the Lord, we live in a country where we can share our values and operate on biblical principles.”
The context of that statement was a discussion of their support of a ministry called Winshape that helps kids with scholarships and helps foster children. That led into Dan Cathy to make a statement about the company being pro-family.
That quote was followed up by an appearance on the Ken Coleman show where Dan Cathy said this,
“I think we are inviting God’s judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at Him and say ‘we know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage’ and I pray God’s mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we have the audacity to define what marriage is about”
The context of that statement was Dan Cathy talking about how even our very existence comes from DNA from a man and a woman and how God designed it to be that way. Cathy’s point was that when we start redefining marriage to something we don’t see it defined as in scripture that God won’t look favorably on that.
We do business with people we agree with and disagree with on a daily basis. It is only when a business steps on our hot button issue that people get bent all out of shape. Obviously, some businesses are more vocal about their stances than others and thankfully we live in a country where two things can freely happen: they can express their stance and we can decide to take our business to them in support or to someone else in a show of our disapproval. No one is forcing anyone to go to Chic fil a for all their chicken needs. I really don’t think Chic fil a will mind a ding in their profits for doing what they think is right…remember, these are the guys who already take Sunday off in order to honor God.
What gets under my skin most at times like this is that some people use these times as opportunities to politicize it all and use it as leverage to promote or push their agendas. We need to make sure that in all things we practice the fruits of the Spirit and are grace giving and loving toward the people God puts before us to minister to and show the love of Christ.
By the way, the quote you aren’t getting from the Baptist Press interview is this fantastic snippet about his perspective on “Christian business”,
“We don’t claim to be a Christian business,” Cathy told the Biblical Recorder in a recent visit to North Carolina. He attended a business leadership conference many years ago where he heard Christian businessman Fred Roach say, “There is no such thing as a Christian business.”
“That got my attention,” Cathy said. Roach went on to say, “Christ never died for a corporation. He died for you and me.”
“In that spirit … [Christianity] is about a personal relationship. Companies are not lost or saved, but certainly individuals are,” Cathy added.
“But as an organization we can operate on biblical principles. So that is what we claim to be. [We are] based on biblical principles, asking God and pleading with God to give us wisdom on decisions we make about people and the programs and partnerships we have. And He has blessed us.”
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What scathing, inflammatory rhetoric. No wonder people are so angry at Chick Fil A.
bahahaha… how in the world can you read that and think it is in any way scathing or inflammatory??? WOW, you should work on that anger buddy! If you want scathing and inflammatory, check out any Gay pride parade.
You’ve been to a gay pride parade??? Really? Why do I think you are fibbing?
I hope he was being sarcastic…
If you want scathing, inflammatory rhetoric, just listen to the way the far left supporters of gay marriage talk about anyone who disagrees with them on gay marriage.
No wonder thousands of Americans turned out yesterday at CFA’s all over America to challenge the hate & punitive nature of far left gay marriage activists.
He is a Christian Mark, what do you expect him to say. If he says he thinks it is ok for men to be married to men then he would not be living by what he has been taught is the Christain life. If you think that he bible teaches that it is ok to be gay then you have never read the bible.
(I included a hashtag noting the previous comment is sarcasm, though WordPress was kind enough to not include it in my post.)
Oh, my bad… I see that this was meant as sarcasm. I need to work on my recognition of sarcasm like Sheldon Cooper in The Big Bang
The actor who plays Sheldon is gay.
Bazinga
To be honest, I believe we’re simply seeing a clearer view of the division between those who believe the Word of God and those who have created “god” in their own image. The Book of Romans really outlines the era and the attitudes of people who just refuse to believe there is a God – it’s all around us, it’s promoted as what’s “right,” and the Word said we would come to this. Who’d have thought that someone expressing a belief in marriage being between a man and a woman alone would now be considered “hate speech”?? Wow! How sad ~ seems folks are allowed “free speech,” only as long as the opinion agrees with those heal by the progressive, liberal, “enlightened,” godless, etc. — watch out if you hold an opposite view. Anyway, as a firm believer in the true principles the Founding Fathers wished for us to have…here are a few secular quotes for the “other side” … those who would deny Mr. Cathy his business or right to his opinion…
“Restriction of free thought and free speech is the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one un-American act that could most easily defeat us all.” – Justice William O. Douglas
“Free speech is meaningless unless it tolerates the speech that we hate.” – Henry J. Hyde, U.S. Congressman, Speech, 5/3/91
“The very purpose of a Bill of Rights was to withdraw certain subjects from the vicissitudes of political controversy. One’s right to life, liberty and property, to free speech, a free press, freedom of worship and assembly may not be submitted to vote; they depend on no elections.” – Robert H. Jackson (1892-1954), U.S. Supreme Court Justice, West Virginia Board of Education vs. Barnette, 1943
Preach it Brother! Right on. It’s all Satan; he knows that he was but a short time, and he’s pulling out all of the stops.
I guess that’s why calling people a commie is so still happening.
Asking a critic to name his favorite book is like asking a butcher to name his favorite pig.
Compassion is contempt with a human face.
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Great post.
My new post deals with the question, What does Jesus say about homosexuality? If Silent, why? Will be the one to follow. Love your thoughts on this.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” John 1:1-4
Romans 1:26-28
Chris H posted this quote from Rick Warren on Facebook,
“”Our culture has accepted two huge lies: The first is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must fear them or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate.”
The late Stanley Grenz called this approach “welcoming but not affirming”. People have such a huge need for acceptance that if you they feel you don’t approve of what they are doing that they feel hurt. That is only natural. But what happens is the hurt runs so deep they assume it can only be because you actually hate them enough to hurt them so badly. People are so, so sensitive to every little thing that it leads them to faulty conclusions and false assumptions about the motives of others.
It is completely possible to disapprove of what someone does and yet still love them unconditionally.
well said
nicely said…i wish others would read and understand these words!!
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Yes, the fact that Dan Cathy has the right to his freedom of speech is correct, and I am not mad at his decision to not put his money towards something he does not believe in. I mean if we are being serious, all of our choices, intentially or unintentially are judgemental to a certain degree. But its how you act or react with those choices that may make you or break you. Now Dan Cathy’s remarks and comments about the LGTB community was seem to be harsh. I mean to say you don’t support something and to be hurtful, is totally two different things. But I believe Dan Cathy puts forward a double standard when it comes to who he actually supports. He saids his business is run by males who is loyal to their first wives, and is family-oriented, but does he support families that have been divroced, or married more than once, seperated, single-parented, or is it the fact that the two people in union are just gay. I mean Just because they people they support are gay doesn’t mean that the reason for the program is for the LGTB life style. I mean would he support AIDS in the LGTB community. I’m pretty sure he will support the Heterosexuals, but what about everyone else. Now AIDS is deadly to all, but does he only support the ones who are straight with aids or everyone. And not only that. Does Chick-fil-a support any other companies that are not of God or the biblical readings. I mean if they actually stay true to their faith, gay marriage will not be the only issue they are agaisnt. As God’s people he saids to support all people with LOVE, but Dan Cathy supports Anti-Gay Companies who do not supprt all people with LOVE, but is judgemental to those of other lifestyles, situations, and faults. Judgement which they look down upon others not like them, which no one is able to make those decisions, only The Most High. and if we are really being critical to God’s Word. Everyone knows that Sunday is not actually the Sabbath Day, but it is saturday. So If a company is going to abide by their principles, by all means do so, but that will mean all the rules not just those you feel strongly about. But that is my only statement to the situation. I am not caring or mad about his decision to not support, but I am concerned that the double standard that he is using will bring confusion on the actually princples of the company itself, hints the outrage of community now. But no his decision is his decision, and everyone must live with his decision.
Thank you for your comment. If I am understanding this correctly it is not that Dan Cathy is out to get homosexuals. He is not spending his time and energy hating people. He is donating money toward promoting what he believes in, not so much attacking what he is against. I know those two things go hand in hand but there is a difference in just blasting the side you disagree with and proactively trying to advance what you believe to be the truth. One is positive and the other is negative. In my opinion they are trying to be a positive source of change rather than just angrily yell at those they disagree with, which, by the way has happened toward Chick-fil-a by those who disagree with them.
Second, you can’t hold a donor to every single action, attitude and belief of those they donate too. You can’t say because the non-profit CFA donates says X,Y, and Z that CFA does as well. That isn’t fair. By that standard none of us could donate to anything.
Third, about the double standard you mentioned…CFA has been thrashed and trashed by the side in favor of gay marriage but that side won’t stand for CFA also being able to speak their mind too? That is the glaring double standard here not Dan Cathy’s comment about married male men.
I write all of that in complete and humble love and respect…tone is hard to tell in text so please don’t take my disagreement with you as an attack. It isn’t. It is possible to disagree without being angry or attacking others. So let’s make sure to demonstrate that in the comments, which is exactly what has happened so far (thankfully!).
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Anyone else find the irony in the fact, that amid all this talk about “immoral” & prohibited relationships, in the AD section (below the “currently reading” list on the right hand page sidebar,) is the listing for Amazon that features its best sellers listing – starting with 3 books of graphic erotica. WordPress is messing with you!
Liz…thanks for pointing that out. I hadn’t noticed that but will take care of it. I don’t have control over which books end up on that particular list but I can completely remove the list…I appreciate you bringing that to my attention!
It is interesting that God who is Love, is the one who says in the Old & New Testament that gay sex is an abomination, and speaks of marriage only in terms of two members of the opposite sex becoming one.
Obviously if gay sex is an abomination, it would be a stretch to suggest the Creator would approve of gay marriage.
When someone supports gay marriage, isn’t that person really opposing God & also Love, since God is Love?
How ironic that Liberals who support gay marriage & therefore oppose God who is Love, then accuse those who oppose gay marriage of being haters & bigots.
If you want to hear some hate, and bigotry, listen to what supporters of gay marriage have to say about God, people of faith, and anyone who believes that marriage is to be reserved for one man, and one woman.
I support anyone that does what they want with their life. Point. Simple. I have no control on what people do what they lives, whether if I agree with or not. No im not opposing God, just because I support people doing what they want with their lives. I mean are you not the same? I’m sure there are a few things that others do not approve of that you do, but still support who you are regardless of your flaws. Supporting and/or Respecting a humans decision to do what they want with their lives does not mean you agree with with their choice, but you understand they are their on person and have the write to do whatever they feel to make themselves happy, regardless of if I believe in it or not. i do not judge anyone for their flaws just like i don’t want anyone judging me. No one is asking for you to accept them, just respect them. And with this Gay Marriage Law is expresses that the country does not respect their wishes of being happy in a union with a person they love. Basically you are saying, Because I don’t believe this is right, no one can do it. And thats irrational, not logical, and totally the involvment of Church and State which is suppose to be seperate. Religion, according to the Founding fathers, is not suppose to Cloud the judgement of a rule of this country especially if this country is built upon Freedom, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Two males/females getting married is really none of your business and does not affect you in any kind of way. It doesn’t hurt you physically, its not commiting a murder. it has nothing to do with you and what you care about. So why get mad or fustrated? I’m pretty sure you have done some things in your life that was not of God, and thats perfectly normal, remember, you are only human, just like the rest of us. Why should what you believe, control others lives. What makes you so special than anyone that your beliefs are higher than anyone elses. We live in a melting pot, eveyrone is not christian so I don’t feel that a law should be based on christian values especially when there are other beliefs that talk about marriage also, not just christinanity. I mean if the USA is going to stick by christian values, that mean all of our rules need to change, especially the 1st Amendment. Think about that!
Here’s what they’re all angry about, Ashley…not the things Dan Cathy said, but what God had to say, through the Apostle Paul:
~ For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. ~ (Romans 1:18-32 ESV)
Great point. The problem people have is not with Dan Cathy’s word. It’s with God’s.
I pray god has a little bit of mercy for some of you people, because im out of patience with most of you; It has nothing to do about gays or whatever you all make it about. big whoop! so maybe he actually believes what God’s told us to do, he wants to get into heaven. SO DO I. But its called freedom of speech. If you have the freedom to.. screw who you want or marry against god will. he has the right to say what he wants. I have nothing against you people.. but like i said, i pray god has mercy because no matter what, your in trouble…
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Thanks for posting this. I had heard snippets of what he said, but not the whole thing all together like this.
By the way, I have an apologetics site which addresses the issue of gay marriage/civil unions from a logical perspective. If you are interested, you can check it out: http://dontforgettothink.blogspot.com/2012/08/chicago-values-pt-5.html
Thanks again for this informative piece of blogging.
Leviticus 11.7. “And the pig, though it has a split hoof completely divided, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you.”
I think if you can go to that wretched fast food place and get a bacon egg and cheese sandwhich, homosexuals should be able to get married. The bible is an all or nothing proposition. Dan Cathy doesn’t follow all of it, so why should he decide what parts other should follow. You are all fools. You are hateful and use God to support your bigotry. I feel so sorry for you, but more sorry for your victims. .
Wow! Very strongly put. May I ask why you say that the Bible is a “proposition?” What does that mean, exactly? And what does it mean for the Bible to be “all or nothing?”
With all due respect, I don’t know if that is a very coherent position to take.
For example. In the Old Testament, certain foods were ceremonially unclean. This was symbolic of the need for the Israelites to keep themselves pure from sin. In the New Testament, however, all foods were declared clean. This was symbolic of the freedom Christians have to welcome all kinds of people into their community; all are now free to become clean by being “washed in the blood” of Jesus, who died to save everyone, not just Jewish people.
If you come to the point where you are ready, I would be glad to speak with you about what it means to start a relationship with God, through Jesus Christ, by the Spirit of God Himself.
You may email me by commenting on my website to find out more. I look forward to speaking with you further!
Blessings
G.A – Who exactly is your comment aimed at? If it is toward me, the guy who wrote the post, I would love for you to point out what hateful things I have said. I would love to hear you give me some proof that I am a bigot and point out to me some of the people I have victimized by name. Please open my eyes.
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