Jul 18, 2012
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Chick-fil-A responded to growing criticism from gay rights groups over comments made by company president Dan Cathy that he opposed same-sex unions.
Following the statement posted on the Atlanta-based company’s Facebook page:
“Chick-fil-A is a family-owned and family-led company serving the communities in which it operates. From the day Truett Cathy started the company, he began applying biblically-based principles to managing his business. For example, we believe that closing on Sundays, operating debt-free and devoting a percentage of our profits back to our communities are what make us a stronger company and Chick-fil-A family.
“Our mission is simple: to serve great food, provide genuine hospitality and have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A.
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The president of Chick-fil-A said his company is “guilty as charged” when it comes to supporting traditional marriage and warned that gay marriage is “inviting God’s judgment on our nation.”
Dan Cathy, the president and chief operating officer, told Baptist Press that the company founded by his father was unapologetically in favor of traditional marriage.
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“Guilty as charged,” he said. “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.”
In a separate interview on the Ken Coleman Show — Cathy suggested that the nation could face God’s wrath over supporting gay marriage.
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“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,’” Cathy said. “I pray God’s mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we would have the audacity to try to redefine what marriage is all about.”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said Cathy’s comments contradict a statement he made last year indicating the company was not getting involved in the political debate.
Chick-fil-A has 1,608 restaurants with sales of more than $4 billion – and a value system that is deeply rooted in the Bible.
“We don’t claim to be a Christian business,” he told Baptist Press. “But as an organization we can operate on biblical principles. sot hat is what we claim to be. [We are] based on biblical princples, 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.”
But not everyone shares those values. Cathy’s comments brought condemnation from the Human Rights Campaign.
“Chick-fil-A is swimming against the tide on the issue of marriage equality,” spokesman Charles Joughin told Fox News. “American companies learned long ago that discrimination is bad for business and with a majority of Americans supporting marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples, they risk being further marginalized.”
Joughin also criticized the company’s charitable foundation for supporting Christian ministries that adhere to the traditional definition of marriage including the Family Research Council and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
“The fact they are publicly and proudly supporting groups with an anti-LGBT agenda shows just how out of touch they are with mainstream America,” he said.
Lorraine Devon Wilke opined about Chick-fil-A’s coming out opposed to gay marriage in a column titled, “Chicken With a Side of Bigotry: Chick-fil-A’s Ungodly Business Plan.”
“Mr. Cathy can believe as freely as the next person, I do not begrudge him that (regardless of my antipathy),” she wrote. “But as the president of a company that feeds the public – the big, unwieldy, melting pot public – his stance against gays and lesbians is not only distasteful, it is stupidly counterproductive to business (and what could be holier than the bottom line?)”
The Atlanta-based restaurant chain has also come under fire on college campuses. In February, Northeastern University cancelled plans to put an outlet on campus and a New York University student launched a petition drive to close their campus Chick-fil-A franchise – the only one in New York City.
FOX News Talk
good about time some stood up.
I can tell you what could be holier than the bottom line. God's rewards to the faithful.
I can tell you what could be holier than the bottom line. God's rewards to the faithful.
Since when is the MAIN LINE…swimming against the tide?
Thank you Mr.Cathy for standing on the word of God. I pray that all true Christians would have the same courage to take a stand against the sin of homosexuality. Love the sinner, hate the sin
Now let's see just how tolerant the social liberals in this nation are. Will they tolerate an opposing view to theirs on homosexual marriage? Don't count on it.
Chick-fik-A will have more of my business. Hang in the Mr Cathy. As a fellow business owner, I too will not let someone dictate what I can or cannot do with my business.
Count me in as a new and regular customer.
How could you claim to be a Christian organization and NOT be opposed to homosexuality? Unless, of course, you think God changed His mind.
Support Chick-A-Fil and Boy Scouts for their courageous stand against the extreme liberal agenda!
I recently reminded a friend: When standing on principle, expect to stand alone.
DON`T YOU DARE USE GOD & JUDGMENT & SOME PRETENSE OF SOME DISTORTED CHRISTIANITY while describing this company.
I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW WHAT KIND OF COMPANY THIS IS.
OK! THAT'S GREAT! LET ME KNOW IF YOU CAN HEAR THIS!
Just read the Bible
ROBIN, this is a GREAT company. You are a very angry person and I feel sorry for you. This company is built on Christian principles and do not discriminate in any way. So the owner has his God given right to believe that gay marriage is wrong. Whats your problem?
Homosexual "marriage" rubs me the wrong way. Obviously it does for Chick-Fil-A, also. It's all about right and wrong, subjects that are much more impacting than are moral relativism and secular humanism.
The critics shouldn't be criticized. They just don get it. To people like the Cathy's, there are some things much more important than the bottom line. I more than certain that Dan Cathy would honestly say that he has a love for LGBT people, but that doesn't mean that he approves of the lifestyle.
The critics shouldn't be criticized. They just don get it. To people like the Cathy's, there are some things much more important than the bottom line. I'm more than certain that Dan Cathy would honestly say that he has a love for LGBT people, but that doesn't mean that he approves of the lifestyle.
I know where I'm eating tomorrow…
Chic-fil-a doesn't perform marriages anyway. They make awesome food. So, they aren't discriminating anyway. Eat mor chikin'…
Chic-fil-a doesn't perform marriages anyway. They make awesome food. So, they aren't discriminating anyway. Eat mor chikin'…
It is scary to think how far a country has come… Freedom of speech use to be respected by all, but now it's only respected if you say and agree with the Liberal agenda being sold to us and promoted by Hollywood and the Liberal media! It is a sad day in America when people who have strong moral values cannot be respected for how and what they believe! God have mercy on this once Great Country!
Amen!!""!
They are not alone. Many American businesses are run by religious people. If you do not like what they believe in then do no eat at Chik-fil-a. That simple. With 4 billions dollars in profit, obviously no one minds
people are surprised by this by a company that is closed on Sundays?
But it's not like he came out and said I don't want gays eating here. Can't he have his own opinion? I don't stop going to places if the owners am atheist or likes Obama. I just say ok we have a different view and your strawberry milkshakes are crack in a cup, yum
But it's not like he came out and said I don't want gays eating here. Can't he have his own opinion? I don't stop going to places if the owners am atheist or likes Obama. I just say ok we have a different view and your strawberry milkshakes are crack in a cup, yum
I love Chick-fil-A even more now that they are taking a stand against what is wrong (homosexuality) instead of giving in to the liberal media.
I have ALWAYS LOVED CHICK-FIL-A. When I found out the owner was Christian and was not open on Sundays, that made me LOVE them even more. They are so so family friendly, too. that is a huge plus!
We support you CHICK-FIL-A & Cathy family! DON'T back down.
His eateries are closed on Sundays. He practices what he believes. It cracks me up that leftest think he's a poor example of a Capitalist because he's not all about the dollar. Of course Barack says he didn't build Chick-fil-A but he also says I (Barack) killed Osama Bin Laden.
Good for you, Chick-fil-A! May God continue to Bless you!
Good for you, Chick-fil-A! May God continue to Bless you!
God and His ways are what is holier than the bottom line, in fact, He IS the bottom line. Hang in there Chick-fil-A. Stand strong for Christ.
God and His ways are what is holier than the bottom line, in fact, He IS the bottom line. Hang in there Chick-fil-A. Stand strong for Christ.
So if being pro-family and traditional marriage is anti-homosexual agenda, then we could say that being pro-homosexual agenda is anti-family and traditional marriage.
Why is it that anti-gay statements can offend you, but the pro-gay movement is not allowed to offend me? Where is the equality in that?
Way to rejoin FB with a bang
Why creep back in unannounced?
Thank God for Dan Cathy and his stance against Gay marriage. Don't worry either. God will provide plenty of people to dine at Chick-fil-A like me.
Finally, someone standing up for what they believe in… and just look at the intolerance we're seeing from those who sat Christians should be more tolerant.
Voting with your feet and your wallets is intolerance?
absolutely not, Daniel! I don't support businesses whose practices I don't agree with. But I don't slam them either or call them small minded or bigoted for their beliefs.
Regardless of this issue even, it makes me capital K crazy when someone who prides himself on being tolerant completely freaks out if another person expresses an opinion at odds with his beliefs. As I always say, it's only the First Amendment if they agree with what you're saying….
You go Chic-fil-A! We fellow Christians will support you in standing up for your faith. There are more of "us" than there is of "them" — no matter what they say about the majority. It's time that Christians stand up and be heard.
Let their customers decide whether to eat there or not. It the law of supply and demand. Don't try to manipulate, or bully, them either way.
Let their customers decide whether to eat there or not. It the law of supply and demand. Don't try to manipulate, or bully, them either way.
What's this – a reasonable and sane post? Blasphemy!
What happened to tolerance?
It's in the fryer with all that chiken …
What happened to tolerance?
Regardless of where one sits on the issue, it takes a lot of courage to swim again the PC tide. It'll be interesting to see what impact this has on Chick-fil-a's bottom line.
If I weren't already predisposed to support Chick-fil-A, this might make me run out and buy some.
not surprised at all….. and i hope it affects their bottom line.
Interesting… People want to excersise their agency in choosing their own lifestyle, but it would appear that some of these same people do not believe that this right to choose extends to others. It is Chick-fil-A's right, if they do not want to support this alternative lifestyle, just as they have chosen to break from the mainstream by not doing business on Sunday. Instead of caving into public pressure they have chosen to stand up for what they believe in. Whether I agree with them or not, I stand by their right to live by their conscience. I'm sorry if that offends some people, but you can't have it both ways. Either we are all free to follow our conscience, or none of us are. Chick-fil-A has a product that people like, and it's not as if they are promoting pornography or something equally offensive. If you don't want to patronize the establishment because you do not agree with what they stand for, then by all means, go eat somewhere else. In this country you are free to put your money where your mouth is. But I believe that fair minded people will recognize that businesses also have rights, and this will not greatly affect them.
Chick-fil-a, I support your values and beliefs stand firm God will continue to bless you, your families and your business. Our country is traveling down a dangerous path to destruction. I am praying November 6th will be Impeachment Day and perhaps as a country we will move back from this evil path of destruction…
Glad to know they stick up for their beliefs and don't back down from them. Good for you!
May GOD bless you even more Cathy family." Stupidly counterproductive to business?" It sure doesn't sound like their business is suffering–4 billion in sales! This family doesn't need to be politically correct, they stand on Biblical principles.Just keep "swimming against the tide" and we will eat more chicken. Thank you
Yeah for chick-fil-A!!!
Love the chicken sandwich on Wheat. Now I'll have to start eating more.
I guess we will all start eating mor chicken
If anybody is out of touch with mainstream America, it's Charles Joughin. Sorry Charlie, but you're dead wrong. Chic-Fil-A has it exactly right.
They'll be getting more of my business! Thanks for standing up for what you know is right!
If swimming with God is going against the mainstream then the mainstream needs to check where its going.
I support Chick-fil-A 100%its time for someone to stand up and support one man and one woman
Praise th' Lord 'n' pass th' chickin. Why di' the chikin' crawss th' road? So I' put tha' licker down 'n' git hissef to a Chick Fil A and become a better chikin.
Everyone deserves to have their own beliefs and live to or for those beliefs. But personal and public company are two different things. By a company donating money to groups that promote hate of individuals own choices is wrong. if the president of the company donates his own money fine but public money should be a huge no no. I thought christianity was about love.
God Bless you Mr. Cathy. While our world continues to spiral out of control in regards to hedonism and anything goes self centered mentality, you chose to stand firm in God's truth. You have shown it is not about money, which is absolutely mind boggling to those who are in love with this world.
We could show that fellow from the "human rights campaign" just how out of touch THEY are with mainstream America by giving Chic-fil-A the best week ever in the history of the company! I am not a fan of eating out, but I am going to make a point to eat at Chic-fil-A this week to thank Mr. Cathy for standing up for Christ.