There is one thing that I think a lot of Christians have overlooked in this debate, and that is that the First Commandment should be more important for our decisions about what we say and how we say it than the First Amendment. In other words, for followers of Christ, love of God and neighbor should shape the way we choose to exercise our political right to free speech. Although I am a huge fan of free speech (after all, I make a living spouting my views on various things on a regular basis), being a Christian entails only exercising our rights in a way that communicates love to others. The Bible, after all, is centered on a person who chose to give up his rights for the sake of loving others fully (Phil 2:1-11).
According to Cathy, people who support gay marriage are "shaking our fists at God" and are "prideful" and "arrogant." This kind of accusation has the full support of the First Amendment, but it falls very short of the First Commandment. In numerous conversations, I have defended conservative folks from charges of being "bigots" and "homophobes." While I am sure some are, I don't personally know any of them. Most conservative folks I know do not loathe gay people, wish them no harm, include them in their circle of friends, and may even support civil unions. They simply are being faithful to what they think the Bible teaches when they say that a Christian marriage should be only between a man and a woman. I now think that view is too problematic for me to personally hold, but I certainly do not think that folks who do hold it are necessarily stupid or prejudiced. Figuring out the mind of Christ in the deep moral issues of our day is not an easy matter by any stretch.
So, here is the beef I have with Dan Cathy: his language was not only inappropriate, it is empirically false and, I believe, slanderous. The gay Christians I have known and know have struggled deeply to be faithful to God while coming to terms with their sexuality. The image of closed-fists in arrogant rebellion simply does not match up to the experience of gay Christians. The image of open hands in painful longing probably better fits the experience of most such folks.
When he made this statement, Cathy assumed the worst about those he disagrees with. If the First Commandment is to have any traction in our lives, and particularly in the way we speak to others, then I think we must strive to assume the best about other people, especially in terms of their motives. I would want those who disagree with me to assume the best about my motives, therefore, if I am to be faithful to what is most important to Jesus, I should do that for others.
Cathy was well within his political rights to say what he said (and, for what it is worth, I believe the cities that are trying to keep his business out are violating his political rights). It just saddens me that so many Christians seem to care much more about defending his political right to free speech than in considering how hurtful his words must have felt to gay Christian brothers and sisters who are struggling deeply and sincerely with how to be faithful to God in their lives.
I continue to be amazed that gay people want anything to do with the church. They must love Jesus a lot to put up with some of the things his church does to them.
As Christians, the meal that we choose to eat that defines us is not a chicken sandwich and waffle fries. It is bread and wine, given to us to empower us to live out the First Commandment.
Amen!!!
ReplyDeleteThe religious right continues to complain Dan Cathy's right to free speech was being violated by the LGBT community. They are confused. Only congress can violate anyone's right to free speech-"Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech..." Dan Cathy has the first amendment right to speak out against gay marriage just as the LGBT community has the right speak out and call for a boycott of Chick Fil A. I wonder if Mr Cathy also feels that people are "shaking their fists at God" when they eat shellfish, also considered an abomination in Leviticus.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't the LGBT community, it was the mayor of Boston and Chicago. They said they would ban the company from the cities. This caused Mike Huckabee to make the point that banning them was a violation of free speech. Huckabee then organized the Appreciation day.
DeleteAs a member of the UMC I am ashamed of what you just wrote, how can you pick and choose the parts of Gods word to obey, that is legalism and that is what you are doing.
ReplyDeleteThere is no such thing as Gay marriage according to God's law nor the United States Constitution. Let anyone have any kind of relationship they want according to their conscience and the consequences thereof but to make excuses and condemn Dan Cathy, I guess you are a pastor but I would not be a member of your particular Methodist Church. I do not hate gays but some of these people do have very immoral conduct and are very blatant about most everything. We all must obey God's Law and his word, no cherry picking, just be obedient, & that is what Dan Cathy does. You could learn from Mr. Cathy.
Actually, to be against gay marriage is to pick parts of the Bible to obey without looking at the entire context. If still might be wrong, but to state that the Bible 100% supports that position because we follow everything in the Bible is a weak and incorrect argument.
DeleteDog Star, I don't hate heteroseuxal "but some of these people do have very immoral conduct and are very blatant about most everything." We all must obey God's law to love our neighbors.
DeleteBy the way, I guess you also agree with the Bible that if a virgin is raped, her rapist must buy her from her father, marry her, and she must be his wife until one or the other dies.
Do you also agree women should be quiet in church? If so, I don't see how you can be Methodist.
"There is no such thing as Gay marriage according to the God's law..."
DeleteThere's also no such thing as a speed limit as there were no cars when Jesus walked the earth, but we obey this because it's the law, right?
"I do not hate gays but some of these people do have very immoral conduct and are very blatant about most everything."
And all heterosexual people are "right with God" by virtue of their sexuality? How about those gays(ahem) in monogamous relationships who serve on church boards, usher on Sunday mornings, serve as Sunday School class officers, volunteer with the youth and try very hard to live a life God that honors God?
"We all must obey God's Law and His word, no cherry picking, just be obedient..."
Amen. You first.
"Dog Starr"- Thanks for reading. Your response, though, strikes me as mean-spirited, and not especially clear. Of course gay people have immoral conduct. All people have immoral conduct. And I'm sure in many ways I could learn from Dan Cathy about how to be a better Christian. Just because I criticize the way he said what he said doesn't mean I condemn him or think I am better than him. As to the part about "picking and choosing," I say, "Guilty as charged." Everyone does this, including you. You apparently don't think that the Bible's admonition to "speak the truth in love" (Eph 4:15)is binding for you.
DeleteThank you for writing this article. As an atheist and a homosexual, I'm hard pressed to find a Christian POV on this issue that doesn't creep me out. Thanks for restoring some of the integrity I think Mr. Cathy has taken from popular opinion of Christians.
ReplyDeleteI think the Bible is NOT being interpreted properly like when it was previous used to support slavery and the inferiority/suppression of women – check the history of your own church.
ReplyDeleteI think most of us have moved passed the period in which gays and lesbians were viewed as needing psychiatric help instead of just being born that way. Have you noticed in these relationships that one takes the more masculine role and one the more feminine role? This is their normal and it is normal.
Marriage is good for society. We need less heterosexuals and homosexuals sleeping around and instead in committed relationships.
The Bible can be made to say anything anyone wants and many verses are not followed by any Church today as they were originally interpreted – read your Bible. I don’t think it should be used to hate. “They will know we are Christians by our love” seems to get so lost today. It is one of the greatest commandments.
People need to start reading the entire Bible themselves and should avoid leaning on the rhetoric of political parties and fundraising machines that have $$$$ as an interest.
Remember, Jesus had his harshest words to the Church and some religious figures.
I know that there are also loving people on both sides of this issue and not just the haters.
I, however, have never seen a Church tackle the issue using the entire Bible as a reference and having a real caring debate.
As a physician, I have come to the conclusion that to be against marriage (of any type) is to be FOR promiscuity and STDs. And since I'm a pediatrician, I would point out that to be against gay marriage is probably also to be FOR adolescent suicide. I'm a Christian too, and I'm wondering whatever happened to "Love Thy Neighbor!"
ReplyDeletehttp://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=482067498488828&set=a.204232889605625.56519.100000567466772&type=1&theater
ReplyDeleteBest I read on it.
Great job, Heath. God has called on us to be tolerant and to love each other as we love our God. You're a great example of this.
ReplyDeleteSo, so true, my friend. Pray for ma as we convene our Sacred conversations taks force.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Brother Heath, for a truly Christian and intelligent viewpoint.
ReplyDeleteHeath, as usual, you offer clarity in a world of confusion. This dalogue involving gay rights is only new in its inclusion of a restaurant owner's need to shout out his personal beliefs. It is human nature to fear those things we don't understand, and unfortunately, to condemn those who are different. Our world view is determined by our experiences, and many of us are resistant toward reaching beyond our own experiences because we feel threated by change. People condemning each other is not a Godly function. It comes from an insecure need to "be right" and to seek power (false power) over others. God is Love, but politics and self aggrandizement is not of God and is not love.
ReplyDeleteMatthew 22:37-39 (New International Version)
ReplyDeleteNew International Version (NIV)
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.
Exodus 20:2-6 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods before[a] me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. This is the first commandment and it has nothing to do with the Chic Fil A debate. Mr Cathy is not promoting another god other than the God of the scripture. It is his personnel belief that he is stating and that is based on on his interpretation of the scripture. Unless you can prove his belief wrong in a scriptural way it is your opinion against his. He answered a loaded question honestly and should be treated honestly. Everyone is condemning him on opinions only. The misapplication of scripture is judgement which is not up to us.
Consider the quote from Matthew 22 in its fuller context:
Delete34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
When Jesus was asked what the most important commandment was, he couldn't separate love of God and love of neighbor. They are two sides of the same coin. The "first commandment" is to love God and neighbor. Love of neighbor has everything to do with how we speak of others. That is the connection I was making with the first commandment. I never even hinted or implied that I thought he was promoting another god.