Ok so this post is my expression of some serious venting and working through some personal feelings that I have. If you dont think that you can handle that, you probably shouldnt read this post. Come back when there is something a little bit more cookie cutter going on in the world. But for today, I am having some serious thought provoking moments...
Today I am really sad. Unless you have been living under a very huge rock, you are aware that today was designated by many as Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day. Based on their president's comments, supporters of his message have flocked in DROVES to their local eateries, some even many times a day. The Chick-fil-A closest to our house had a drive thru line that wrapped all the way around the restaurant and spilled out onto the main road at 430PM 700PM and 930PM---I assume it never left. First, I think that I should mention that I love that Chick-fil-A stands on moral grounds and sticks beside those morals no matter how it goes against the typical stance of businesses. Our country is becoming overwhelmingly morally defunct and seeing that thousands and thousands of people are supporting their moral stance is somewhat refreshing to me. I applaud them for standing by and expressing their freedom of speech. I have spent a lot of time today reading different people's thoughts on both sides of the issue and many of the supporters state that they are not promoting hate, but are simply standing by their moral grounds and thats what Mr. Cathy was doing in his statements. This is the first thing that bothers me because I kinda disagree with how his tone came off. I believe his exact words were something about "shaking our hands at God and asking for his judgement upon us"...ok maybe that is your true opinion. I think the hate came in when he said (and I paraphrase) "what a prideful and arrogant generation, that has the audacity to believe that we define what marriage is." Now I am admittedly not knowledgable about the exacts of the Bible. I do consider myself to be a Christian, I really do believe in God and His force on our lives. But arent ALL christians imperfect? Aren't all of our thoughts flawed? If a group of people that believes homosexuality is ok cannot define what marriage is, how can Christians say that they know WITH 100% CERTAINTY that they can define it too? I know that the things that I am saying may not make me a good christian, but really this journey of my thoughts is all mine. I can't judge a person for being gay. In my opinion, if God considers homosexuality a sin, then homosexuals are still morally on the same level as I am because one part of the Bible that I do remember says that ALL SINS are the same. Regardless of what our imperfect human minds think, we are ALL the same.
This thought process has really been evolving lately for me and I am really not sure why or how it has changed. I just really don't think that I am the person who should be judging the ability of a gay person to get married. Who am I? I am no one. If a person is gay and wants to get married, I care just as much about that as I care about the next stranger that walks past me. It is really none of my business and its not for me to decide. As Christians, I thought that we were simply supposed to pray for man and accept all and love and cherish our fellow man. I know that everyone says that they are accepting and not judging and just "expressing their freedom of speech". But it just doesn't feel like a loving message. That is why I am sad today. Actually my stance on Mr. Cathy's statement really turned into the fact that is statement doesn't mean diddly squat for the actual people who own the restaurants and work in the restaurants. We have NO IDEA what these people think. This is the thought that made me sure that I would not pay any mind to these makeshift "support" days that are drawing people out in masses. It just creates such an atmosphere of isolation for the gay men and women who are watching this mass movement against something so close to their heart. I know that they say that this isn't about 'being gay', but just about being able to get married. Honestly, actions speak louder than words and it just feels like its being done with a harsh spirit.
By the way, I also think that any city or state or whatever that says they would try to stop the building of any new Chick-fil-A restaurants because of these statements also seems ludacris to me. That just seems like overreaching. And I do believe that the company should use their money to donate to some more productive charities. There are plenty of food banks, mentoring charities, children's hospitals, etc that could find great use for their generous donations.
I just came across this article online in reference to gay employees that work at
Chick-fil-A I think it tells another perspective very well and kinda what I was referring to earlier.
There is another side of me that despises that this whole debate has become so politically driven. Why can't we get a little bit more passionate about other relevant issues that shoud be at the forefront of everyone's mind during the election year? I disagree with the whole premise that this debate is turning into a political one.
I just keep thinking about the what ifs... What if Sydney were to ever come to me and tell me that she is gay? I never want her to question for a second that she can come to her own mother for acceptance, hands down, no questions asked. So that is kinda where I stand on this. I really find it to be nonsense. From all sides, honestly. I welcome any company that is standing their ground on their beliefs. We need more morally sound companies in the world. I do think that the words of Mr. Cathy came out a little harsher than he probably intended and the media does take about .00000000001 seconds to make a firestorm out of a little gas bubble. So in summary, I just wish we can go back to eating chicken, just to eat the damn chicken. I don't want to go on Appreciation Day because that person working the drive thru could have completely separate moral principles than anyone that he works for, either directly or indirectly. I also don't believe that I will be going on Friday either.
But I hope that if you did stick through and read my thoughts, you can appreciate that I am just being honest and respectful in everything that I say. I just want people to be happy, overall.
