Chik-fil-a, Sexuality, Cancel Culture & the Family

This guest blog post is offered by Joseph A. Kohm, Jr., Esq., J.D., MBA, MDiv:

The terms of engagement regarding “Cancel Culture” are becoming more defined every day.  “Cancel Culture” is the recent phenomenon where someone or some entity does something others don’t like, and fueled by social media, the offended others decide they will “cancel” or banish that person outside the bounds of accepted society.  Increasingly, the barometer for whether one will be subject to cancel culture treatment is one’s view of marriage, sexuality, and gender.  Biblically, Christians know and affirm that there are only two genders, “male and female he created them.” (Gen.1:27)    In the very next chapter, we find the first recorded words of humanity – “This at last is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh…” which provide the context and template for biblical marriage, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” (Gen. 1:23-24)  

Yesterday, Chick-fil-a announced that it is going to introduce a more “focused giving approach,” concentrating on the areas of “education, homelessness, and hunger” and that ministries like the Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes no longer fit their giving strategy.  This seems strange in light of the fact there is no other organization in the United States doing more to fight homelessness and hunger than the Salvation Army.  Ending their relationship with the Salvation Army seems disingenuous at best.  In a recent article with Bisnow, one Chick-fil-a executive acknowledged that the company had been “taking it on the chin” for its past philanthropic giving and in the same article, Chick-fil-a COO Tim Tassopoulas noted that the company’s new giving strategy makes it “clear about who we are,” and “clear about our message.”

What does “Cancel Culture” and the biblical view of sexuality have to do with Chick-fil-a?  For years, Chick-fil-a has been subject to derision and attack by the LGBT community,  beginning with company founder Truett Cathy’s support for the biblical view of marriage and the reflection of Mr. Cathy’s beliefs in the company’s philanthropic efforts by giving to ministries who share his view of sexuality and marriage.  Despite these efforts to “Cancel” Chick-fil-a, it’s become the third largest U.S. based fast food chain behind only McDonald’s and Starbucks. 
There are two reasons why Chick-fil-a’s decision to no longer fund ministries who hold the biblical view of marriage are alarming.  First, for years I have eaten at McDonald’s, shopped at Target, and drank coffee at Starbucks even though those companies have corporately expressed sentiments and contributed to causes that are in direct contravention to biblical orthodoxy.  I knew and had full disclosure regarding those company’s corporate identity, and though I did not agree with them, at least I knew who they were.  But something about Chick-fil-a’s recent announcement is different.  For years they have ingratiated themselves into the “Christian Culture” and become fabulously successful by doing so.  They were an example to others who held on to their beliefs, that despite concerted opposition, it was possible to live and work and thrive while humbly making a statement how one believes about the biblical foundation of sexuality.  Chick-fil-a was a company the Christian community could point to as an example, and wildly supported.  Sadly, now that is no longer possible.  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego decided they were not going to bow to the golden idol despite Nebuchadnezzar’s threat to “cancel” them.  In contrast, by deciding it will no longer support ministries like the Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Chick-fil-a has decided to bow a knee to the golden idol Justice Kennedy wrote about in Planned Parenthood v Casey, the illusory “right to define one’s own concept of existence of meaning.”  They have conceded to cancel culture that supports the family.
The second reason Chick-fil-a’s actions are so disturbing is this – we are now at a point in our culture where the Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes are toxic for a large and vocal segment of society, and are bad for business.  Read that slowly and let it sink in – the Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and those who support them, no longer have a place in polite society.  If you are a committed Christian and this does not send a chill up your spine, you are not paying enough attention.  This decision by Chick-fil-a is a marker - it serves notice that one of the citadels of cultural Christianity has fallen and that what was once called good is now not, and that what is evil is now good.  Both the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Salvation Army are organizations that God is using to support the family for His Kingdom.  If you would like to make a charitable gift to the Salvation Army you can do so here, or make a charitable gift to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes here. 
Despair is never the appropriate response for followers of Christ because we know the ultimate outcome.  At the same time as Christians we should be able to “interpret the present time.” (Luke 12:55)  Increasingly, there will be a cost to identifying and living as a follower of Christ.  One thing is certain, the foundations of the biblical faith that make up organizations like the Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes will be around long after Chick-fil-a has sold its last chicken sandwich.