WWJB - Who Would Jesus Boycott?

[NanceGreggs]

Read the full article on the blog.

My dear, self-serving, delusional Trevin Wax:

After reading your article, entitled “Why the Chick-fil-A Boycott is really about Jesus”, I felt a need to educate you on a few things.

It seems that you, and many others, have missed the point entirely. The boycotting of Chick-fil-A is not due to Dan Cathy’s expression of faith, nor running his business based on his Christian beliefs. It is due to the fact that the company’s charitable arm has given millions of dollars to groups opposing gay marriage.

Obviously, there are those of us who choose not to contribute, through our patronage, to profits that will find their way into the hands of political groups seeking to deny equal rights to our gay/lesbian citizens. Much in the same way, I would imagine, that Christians such as yourself would choose not to patronize companies that contribute to groups whose activities you find to be not in keeping with your beliefs.

“I believe this Chick-fil-A boycott has revealed some fault lines in our culture that will lead to increasing pressure upon Christians who uphold the sexual ethic described in the New Testament.”

Can you point me to where in the New Testament Jesus said anything about homosexuality? Let me save you the research – He didn’t. One would think that if The Nazarene found homosexuality to be an abomination before God, He would have said a few words on the topic. Perhaps He was forgetful – or perhaps He just left it to people like you to put those clearly unspoken words in His mouth two thousand years after the fact.

 “… it’s clear to me that – political posturing aside – this discussion may not be about the alleged homophobia of Chick-fil-A’s president but the actual Christophobia of the leaders of the cultural elite.”

Christophobia? Seriously, dude, the alleged persecution of Christians in the US is non-existent – and when asked for examples of same, it invariably amounts to someone selling Xmas trees in December.  For people who claim to follow a man who was beaten, tortured, and ultimately nailed to a cross, their definition of persecution seems a bit off point, to say the least.

“We’ve got to go beyond boycotts and political statements and feigned offense at perceived persecution.”

Exactly. The next time someone slams a crown of thorns into your skull, let me know – I’ll be there for you. Until then, stop equating being wished "Happy Holidays" at Christmastime with dragging a cross to Golgotha.

“Though Chick-fil-A hires homosexuals and serves homosexuals … the company and its president were suddenly labeled ‘homophobic’ and ‘anti-gay’ for articulating the traditional vision for marriage that has been the norm for thousands of years.”

Again you have missed the point by miles, and frame your argument in terms of what Cathy said, as opposed to what he does. It is one thing to uphold one’s vision of traditional marriage. It is quite another to contribute millions of dollars in the hopes of preventing others from upholding their vision of marriage: the union of two people who love each other, and have every right to be treated equally under the law.

And that’s the law of the United States, not the law of Christianity, Islam, Judaism, et al. There is such a thing as separation of Church and State – or Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s – something you might want to take into consideration when declaring that your religious beliefs somehow supersede the Constitution.

In addition, you might want to do some research into what "traditional marriage" has been about over the centuries. It’s been about the consolidation of wealth, and the solidification of political power. When royal families betrothed their infant children to each other in order to form political alliances, I assure you that Jesus had nothing to do with it.

“What we are seeing today is a massive cultural shift that permits leaders to label Christians as intolerant and bigoted simply for expressing their views about how society should function.”

You are free to express your views as to how society should function. That doesn’t mean society has to function in accordance with those views, or necessarily should. And exactly who are the "leaders" who are labeling Christians as intolerant and bigoted? It would seem that the loud-mouthed so-called Christians we hear from on a regular basis require no assistance in being labelled as such – being more than adept at labeling themselves.

“That’s why, at the end of the day, this conversation isn’t really about marriage, gay rights, or restaurant permits … it’s about Jesus. It’s about the radical sexual ethic He put forth in His teaching – a moral zealousness that hits our current culture’s sexual permissiveness head-on. And it’s about His forgiveness offered to all sexual sinners, so long as we agree with Jesus about our sin and embrace Him instead.”

No, it isn’t about Jesus at all. It’s about recognizing that equality under the law is a matter of ensuring the rights of all citizens, and not a matter of you, or anyone else, deciding which citizens are more equal than others. Your simpering diatribe about "sexual sinners" and "agreeing with Jesus" would be appropriate in a come-to-Christ moment in a Sunday morning sermon. It has no place in a country where no religion – Christianity or any other – dictates the way in which American citizens conduct themselves, or the way in which its laws should be interpreted or upheld.

“As weary as we may be of the culture wars, the Chick-fil-A controversy is a harbinger of further ostracism to come.”

Again, the ostracism is a result of Chick-fil-A contributing millions of dollars to those who would deny the rights of our fellow citizens. And if that ostracism results in lesser profits – i.e. less money to be spent in an attempt to deny those rights – so be it. The consumers have spoken – and will continue to speak, whether it insults your alleged Christian sensibilities or not.

“The world tells homosexuals, ‘It gets better.’ The church tells homosexuals, ‘Jesus is better.’ And that is why this boycott is really about Him.”

If this boycott was about Him, you could rely on His words on the topic of homosexuality – which, as we all know, are non-existent. Instead you proffer your own version of  “what He really meant was …” as though Jesus would rely on you, or those of your ilk, to speak for him. Jesus had ample opportunity to condemn homosexuality. He didn’t, not even once.

So get over it, and for Christ’s sake – meant literally – stop attributing your own bigotry to He who admonished mankind to love one another, and never uttered a single word about who was deserving of that love, or how it was to be expressed.

--- Nance Greggs

[sandnsea]

Kudos - these days I can't seem to get past "oh go fuck yourself" when I come across right wing ranters, online or in person.

[NanceGreggs]

(08-02-2012 07:50 PM)sandnsea Wrote:  Kudos - these days I can't seem to get past "oh go fuck yourself" when I come across right wing ranters, online or in person.

I know the feeling. You want to be civil - but every fiber of your being screams Are you fuckin' crazy?

I honestly feel sorry for true Christians, whose love and understanding is overshadowed by the whackjobs who claim to represent them.

[jaxx]

Chick fil A also signed on to the killing of gays in Uganda. They can call it religion, but it's nothing but hatred. Piss on them and their chicken. When I lived in Chicago the places were there with their Closed on Sunday plackards......I have never eaten at one. That screamed loud and clear what they were.

Very good rant Nance.

[PoliticalTiger]

One thing I find ironic is that Chick-Fil-A pays its employees minimum wage while its Bible quoting CEO pockets BILLIONS in profit! Seems the Jesus of the Bible was a pretty mild mannered man, but one thing that really did tick Jesus off was greed!

And of course, we all know Jesus said nothing about homosexuality or gay marriage, but He did speak out on heterosexual marriage, and He was strict about that. No divorce was allowed, according to Jesus, except in cases of adultery. I wonder how many of those "good Christians" that go to Chick-Fil-A have been divorced? I'm willing to bet at least half of them have been divorced at least once, probably more, since divorce is higher in the Bible belt where Chick-Fil-A is mostly located, but that's okay, because they get to pick and choose just which sins matter anymore, and if a sin applies to them, it doesn't count! Like the Church Lady used to say, isn't that special?

[sandnsea]

(08-02-2012 09:20 PM)PoliticalTiger Wrote:  One thing I find ironic is that Chick-Fil-A pays its employees minimum wage while its Bible quoting CEO pockets BILLIONS in profit! Seems the Jesus of the Bible was a pretty mild mannered man, but one thing that really did tick Jesus off was greed!

And of course, we all know Jesus said nothing about homosexuality or gay marriage, but He did speak out on heterosexual marriage, and He was strict about that. No divorce was allowed, according to Jesus, except in cases of adultery. I wonder how many of those "good Christians" that go to Chick-Fil-A have been divorced? I'm willing to bet at least half of them have been divorced at least once, probably more, since divorce is higher in the Bible belt where Chick-Fil-A is mostly located, but that's okay, because they get to pick and choose just which sins matter anymore, and if a sin applies to them, it doesn't count! Like the Church Lady used to say, isn't that special?

Minimum wage - or minimum waitress wage which is still $2.00 an hour in many states, most states in fact.

[NanceGreggs]

"... they get to pick and choose just which sins matter anymore, and if a sin applies to them, it doesn't count!"

Well, ain't that the God's honest truth - pun very much intended.

[pappy]

(08-02-2012 09:43 PM)NanceGreggs Wrote:  "... they get to pick and choose just which sins matter anymore, and if a sin applies to them, it doesn't count!"

Well, ain't that the God's honest truth - pun very much intended.

Here's a question I'd like to see answered, who did Jesus (figuratively) boycott? I'm thinking about stories like chasing the money changers out of the Temple.

[SeattleGirl]

(08-02-2012 10:00 PM)pappy Wrote:  

(08-02-2012 09:43 PM)NanceGreggs Wrote:  "... they get to pick and choose just which sins matter anymore, and if a sin applies to them, it doesn't count!"

Well, ain't that the God's honest truth - pun very much intended.

Here's a question I'd like to see answered, who did Jesus (figuratively) boycott? I'm thinking about stories like chasing the money changers out of the Temple.

That a story I often think of when these billionaire "Christian" a-holes start spouting their oh-so-pious lines. I'd love to see Jesus come back and personally kick the backsides of the lot of them!

[madamesilverspurs]

I seem to remember that Jesus had no patience for those who set themselves up as judges over others, called them names like "whited sepulchres". He cut loose on them a couple of times, and some of their latterday religious descendants were in those long lines. After all that business of straining at gnats while swallowing camels, it's surprising they had any room left for chicken. Just sayin'.

As for your rant, one of your awesome-est!

[SeattleGirl]

Fabulous rant, Nance!

And yeah, I oftentimes want to scream Are you fucking crazy?" when I encounter them.

[Brainwreck]

Nance,
This is a great clear statement. They just don't get it that this country was born under freedom from religious persecution and raised under separation of church and state. We should boycott any business or corporation, or person, who gives their profits to change that or any of the rights that go along with it. I still boycott a certain pizza company.
Thanks Nance.

[Brewman_Jax]

Well done!

It annoys the crap out of me when these people cry "persecution"! One of the local radio talk show hosts went to CFA out of support for Dan Cathy because "he's entitled to his views"--which he is. He's also entitled to the consequences of his views.

I wish these idiots would learn that there's a difference between having your feelings hurt, which is not "persecution", and having your rights, choices, and opportunities limited because you're a member of a minority demographic group.