Christian Considerations in the Latest ?Chick-Fil-A Discussion?
?Dan Cathy and his privately-held family company are completely? ?..(see below)
David Gill is not affiliated with the Center for Christian Business Ethics Today. David spoke at the 3rd annual Conference entitled; ?Business Ethics Today: Business and the 9th Commandment ? You Shall Not Lie.? At the Center?s request, David has provided the following thoughts which represent only himself. The Center for Christian Business Ethics Today, is happy to welcome David to the discussion as a friend and faithful colleague.
See past discussions on this topic HERE
Dan Cathy and his privately-held family company are completely within their rights to take a public stand on behalf of traditional Christian marriage. In fact for those of us who think that traditional Christian marriage is a good, life-enhancing thing that doesn?t have enough public advocates these days, his support is not just permissible but praiseworthy. Furthermore, from what I could tell, his approach seemed gentle and was not about damning the alternatives but praising the good he saw in traditional Christian marriage.
Things might be different if Dan Cathy represented a company owned by shareholders (is he a faithful agent of his owners then? We don?t know) or a government agency where, like it or not, the official policy conflicts with his position. But even in these cases I don?t see how giving his personal opinion (and clarifying that this is not necessarily organizational policy) on this matter is out of bounds. After all, there are plenty of business leaders and organizations actively promoting acceptance of non-traditional approaches to sex and marriage, whether their shareholders (or voters or donors) are with them or not. There is a lot to be said for free and open exchange of opinions. A long as we argue honestly and respectfully let?s have lots of free speech and debate.
This episode does raise other issues. For those of us who support and want to promote traditional marriage (and perhaps warn against the downsides of its alternatives as we see it), what is our best strategy? Maybe there are better and more effective ways than public statements by CEOs (though I am still not convinced that Dan Cathy was in error at all in this case). Also, a company is not a church and the same kind of behavioral and advocacy standards we would properly insist upon in our church are not possible in a non-church organization, even one owned and operated by Christians. Finally, it is so easy to protest or criticize the failures and sins of others and overlook our own. How about a statement against divorce and remarriage, which receive much more frequent condemnation in the Bible than homosexuality? Gay advocates who want to normalize homosexuality have every reason to point out the hypocrisy of Christians who turn a blind eye to easy and frequent divorce and remarriage. And don?t get me started on how the ?love of money? has been converted from vice to virtue in many Christian circles today. The Bible, not our cultural comfort zone, should set our ethics agenda.
Bottom line: I stand with Dan Cathy in this particular case. But let?s not squander the opportunity to think and pray deeply about the questions and issues the case raises.
Source: http://www.cfcbe.com/2012/08/08/christian-considerations-in-the-latest-chick-fil-a-discussion/
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