Christian Hate Campaigns

I usually limit my commentary in this venue to the local church. But one of the many problems we are facing in our country is most likely going to be solved by some healthy modeling done by the people of the church.

Here’s the deal. You have probably been watching the uproar around the comments of a corporate leader in the Chick-fil-A company regarding the company’s opposition of same sex marriage. Last week, Dan Cathy, the CEO of Chick-fil-A, proclaimed his opposition to marriage equality and drew flak from politicians and citizens nationwide. Cathy considers his stance to be a Christian stance based on his understanding of Biblical principles.

The public reaction was both predictable and ridiculous. On the pro-gay marriage side there were immediate calls to boycott the Chick-fil-A Company.

On the political front, news reports said, “Mayor Thomas Menino of Boston has objected to Chick-fil-A locating in Boston because of its CEO's views on same-sex marriage.”  Officials in other major cities around the nation have threatened to evict or block Chick-fil-A from building restaurants in their cities. Besides showing themselves to be close minded and judgmental, these elected officials are showing a blatant disregard for the concept of free speech. They are, in essence, saying, “You can say whatever you please as long as I agree with you. Disagree with me and suffer the consequences.” That is so anti-American and so dangerous it gives me the chills.

The politicians and the pundits have succumbed to the knee jerk reaction that has become common in social debates in our nation. If I don’t agree with you, I hate you, cast you in the worst possible light and try my best to demonize you. Because, if I can label you and demonize you, then I can dismiss you. If I can dismiss you I don’t have to listen to you; I don’t have to think about what you are saying; I insulate myself from any possibility of rethinking and revising my position on the issue under discussion.

If you know me at all, you know that I don’t expect any better of politicians. What has bothered me in this latest social exchange has been the reaction of Christians. Quite honestly I have become used to thoughtless and often hateful rhetoric exploding from the religious right whenever a hot social/moral topic roars to the surface. My more conservative friends often embarrass me with their mean spirited remarks about those who disagree with them. But more and more, my friends on the left side of the aisle default to the same position and tactics. If you do not support same sex marriage you are a hateful, awful person. If you believe the homosexual lifestyle is immoral you are homophobic. There is not any listening going on here. You don’t agree with me; you must be a bad, hate-fill, stupid, ignorant person and I hate you.

It was a jarring experience to watch my Facebook page as this controversy broke out. Time after time hateful, unkind, unthinking comments were posted by Christians that I love and respect. I was encouraged to hate Dan Cathy, hate Chick-fil-A, hate the people who work for Chick-fil-A, hate the people who eat at Chick-fil-A, and never buy another morsel of food from those Godless heathens. All of this because a fellow believer had come to a different understanding of Scripture and held a differing opinion on same sex marriage. All this rhetoric came before it was made common knowledge that Chick-fil-A supported groups that were anti-gay marriage. The reaction was to a person having and articulating an opinion different from theirs.

I say all of that to say; we of the church can and must do better. When we disagree, we can and must disagree in, at least a civil, if not loving and supportive ways. We of the church, too often, demonize those who disagree with us about theological and social stands. Sometimes we demonize others who just disagree with us about styles of worship and church board decisions.

Let’s spend less time belittling and labeling each other and spend more time and energy on loving and listening to each other. Maybe our politicians and civic leaders will follow our lead.

Copyright © 2012, William T. McConnell, All Rights Reserved