The Attack on Chick-fil-A

The current vicious attack on Chick-fil-A is against much more than one family and their business. It is a blatant assault on faith, Judeo-Christian morality, and freedom itself. Believers must no longer stand down and remain silent. Now is the time to boldly stand together as soldiers of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus made it clear that He is sending His followers out as “sheep in the midst of wolves.” How true this is! He did not, however, say we are sent as sheep to the slaughter. We are commanded to suit up in the “whole armor of God” and become “more than conquerors” because “the Lord is our shepherd” and promises to care for us even in the presence of our enemies. We are not to give one inch of our lives or our land to the predatory tactics of the father of all lies and the enemy of truth and life.

When Dan Cathy, a strong believer and president of the fast-food chain Chick-fil-A, was on the Ken Coleman radio program talking about the importance of the family in society, he had the courage to uphold the values that every Bible-believing Christian professes:

“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 redefine what marriage is about.”

Now homosexual activists and others intolerant of biblical views want to roast him. The mayor of Boston, where the restaurant is considering opening a store, declared, “Chick fil-A doesn’t belong in Boston.” The Huffington Post's Christina Pesoli, who is a vegetarian and doesn't eat at Chick-fil-A, wrote, "I'm glad -- not about the hate, but that Cathy is so out and proud about it…. Congratulations, Chick-fil-A! When it comes to the intolerance-and-bad-business combo, you really rule the roost!" Others have been much harsher. Even the Muppets have declared a boycott.

I confess I don’t understand how people such as this can call others “intolerant” with a straight face. Who is trying to silence diverse views? Who is bullying others into hiding their opinions? Who insists that everyone believe as they do or be thrown out of town? There is no place for bullying, mockery, making fun of or belittling anyone for any reason - period.

I appreciate Mr. Cathy’s stance and the tenor with which he has conducted himself. He never “bashed gays” or defamed anyone. His restaurants serve everyone without harassment or discrimination. He didn’t utter a single unkind word or incite hatred in any way. He simply says he prays for God’s mercy while unashamedly supporting the family. Guess what? I do, too!

I reach out to everyone with the same invitation: God wants to know you, love you, and conform you to His image. I don’t encourage unbiblical practices any more than I encourage young men to spend all their money on parties and take up lodging in a pig pen, but like the father of the prodigal son, I hope and pray everyone will return to the heavenly Father to live now and forever in His presence. I will with a broken heart continually offer love and forgiveness to those who have chosen to live in rebellion and miss out on the blessings of abundant life in the Father’s house. Jesus made it very clear, “The wide road leads to destruction and the narrow road leads to life.” I would be compromising if I withheld what I know to be God’s truth!

The reality is that God tells us in His word that there are two choices we all must make: life or death. Jesus urges us to choose the narrow path to life. He doesn’t force us to choose it, so I don’t believe Christians should ever force others to conform to God’s standards. Some people don’t like to hear it, but we must faithfully speak God’s truth in love. With kindness in our hearts, and firmness in our convictions, we must declare the truth of His word, not the popular preferences of the world.

Dan Cathy told the Baptist Press,“[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."

When we seek God’s wisdom and guidance, He does bless us. And even if Chick-fil-A is thrown out of every city that has an intolerant mayor, God will continue to bless Dan Cathy. In fact, He already has. Gov. Mike Huckabee, who worked at my side with our ministry for four years, has stood up against the bullying and declared Wednesday, August 1, to be "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day.” His proposition is simple: Support Dan Cathy’s loyalty to God’s truth by eating a nugget or two. Maybe even tweet about it or post it on your Facebook page. I’d suggest you go the extra mile and invite a needy family and buy their meal.

Late Wednesday night I received another email from Gov. Huckabee. He asked me to urge the 6,000 church leaders and believers registered for the “Under God INDIVISIBLE” conference to stand with the Cathy family and Chick-fil-A. “With the mayors of both Boston and Chicago saying they will block the company from even opening a store in their cities, it's a stunning revelation of how far the culture has fallen,” he said. “What's next? Will the mayors evict Catholic and Evangelical churches because they preach Biblical marriage?” He challenged Christians to stand up not by carrying signs or getting in someone’s face, but just to show affirmation and encouragement to a Christian family who are under a hateful, vile attack.

We cannot prevent people from choosing the wide road that leads to hell or creating their own hellish circumstances, but we can boldly stand together against their attempts to create a hell on earth for us, our children, and those we love. As I have consistently shared in this weekly commentary, on LIFE Today, and everywhere I speak, we are indeed fighting for the future of our nation and freedom around the world.