This Week in God
Big Mac, Filet-o-Fish, Quarter Pounder, Cheeseburger...If you're a member of the American Family Association, you may soon not be one of the billions served daily by McDonald's. The AMA has their undies in a bunch because McDonald's has "chosen not to remain neutral but to give the full weight of their corporation to promoting the homosexual agenda."
But as Chris Kelly of the Huffington Post points out: They donated $20,000 to the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. McDonald's' revenue runs about five billion dollars a quarter, so you can see their profound commitment...".
Never mind that so far the AMA has boycotted: Sears, Kohl's, Kmart, Target, Old Navy, IKEA, Burger King, Carl's Jr., 7-11, Proctor & Gamble, and Kraft. Commenters are leaving notes on AMA's site to send a clear message to McDonald's...of the profound love they have in their hearts now that they've found the Lord. "The only thing you'll be cooking is yourselves, for eternity." Oh yes. That little doozie had Jesus tap dancing in heaven.
Up next, you thought Nevaeh (Heaven, spell backwards and pronounced Nuh-vay-uh) was the latest Christian name craze for baby girls, but Nicole Kidman got chins wagging this week when she named her baby Sunday Rose. While most were quick to mention that the baby was born on a Monday, some are reading it as Kidman's last jab at Scientology.
And in the truly bizarre category, a man in Tennessee (where else?) was slain in the spirit, fell down, and hit his head. Now he's suing his church for 2.5 million dollars in medical bills. Apparently no one told him that only 2% of Christians tithe faithfully...
Finally, evangelical leaders met this week to discuss the possibility of forgiving and forgetting with McCain. In return for their support of his presidential bid, they'd like him to take Huckabee as his running mate, aka the man who used to fry squirrels in a popcorn popper (see video below). Historically, there is...a little bad blood between evangelicals and McCain because the senator once called the Dobinator an agent of intolerance. Notably, Dobby didn't attend the meeting.
But this does beg the question...should religious leaders choose a candidate in the public forum and endorse them? Are we not to give to Caesar what is Caesar's?
--May
12 comments:
Hoo boy. As a resident of South Carolina, let me say the only squirrel I've ever seen eaten is a flat one on the road that my dog jumped on when I wasn't paying attention.
And when Huckabee did come to SC, he said something I found more offensive than the cooking squirrel comment...he referred to our lovely confederate flag issue (yes, we're still dealing with this, believe it or not.) He said "You don't like people from outside the state coming in and telling you what to do with your flag. ... If somebody came to Arkansas and told us what to do with our flag, we'd tell them what to do with the pole. That's what we'd do,"
Wow.
Okay, end of rant.
But that Tenn. man's story proves truth is stranger than fiction!
Great post May!
Unrelated to the post, but about God in the media; Have you been watching Last Comic Standing? There is a comedy duo (who just got voted off) called God's Pottery. They were like Ned Flanders on uppers, always naively positive. In the "yo mama" competition their jokes were something like, "your mama is so funny that if she were to crack a joke we would die laughing. But that's ok, because we would go to heaven!" They were funny (because who among us hasn't seen a similar act in Christian circles) but the act also made me slightly uncomfortable because they were essentially mocking Christians. Thoughts?
I wonder why the AMA has neglected to boycott Harry Potter and Disney, as well (both gifts "from the Devil," as my Southern Baptist church would say).
I love your weekly recaps. And you!
Wow, May, you were rollin'. You have so much to discuss that I don't know where to begin.
I'm going to assume that everything up to this question is setting the stage for the question.
But this does beg the question...should religious leaders choose a candidate in the public forum and endorse them? Are we not to give to Caesar what is Caesar's?
So I will as a question in response to the question. Keep in mind that at this point I am not personally supporting any argument for or against this question. Are you suggesting a religious leader should not openly support/endorse a political issue or candidate? If so then where is the line drawn?
Hate only begets hate. No, strike that. It often begets senseless violence, too.
How is it that such small-minded, hateful, paranoid people hold so much sway over so many others?
Does anyone know what the "homosexual agenda" really is? All the homosexuals I know personally have only one agenda, and it's very similar to mine: Live a happy and fun life, love and be loved, be productive and ethical, help others when I can, and try not to do too much damage to the Earth while I'm here.
Can't we all just get along?
Yep! You're right, Hoot, that that's what I'm suggesting but feel free to disagree--and that goes for everyone. I love these discussions!
Obviously religious leaders are real people, so I hope they personally choose a candidate and vote.
But I guess the older I get, the more I think they don't have any business endorsing candidates--and they especially should not preach about politics from the pulpit.
I love that we can all vote differently and still be friends. And for Christians, what unites us is so much bigger than...tax issues. I guess I'm tired of Christians turning against one another over which candidate is the "right" one.
Who you vote for is a very personal thing--and as much as I love my priest, I don't want to know who he is voting for or endorsing. I need to figure that out for myself through prayer and reflection.
That's just my two cents, though.
May, I take it you meant to say "Who" unites us. I think He is more concerned about people and less about politics. As far as the boycott, I don't think McDonald's has to worry in the south as long as there are .49 and .59 cent burgers on Wednesday (it's church night and it's a cheap dinner especially with gas over $4). Plus how many southerners are going to give up the $1 sweet tea!!:) Probably not me!:)
Ok, May, I will continue the discussion as I love this sort of dialogue as well.
Now, (setting the stage) if we were to somehow obtain each blogger's opinion we would get a wide range of perspectives. We would be hard pressed to gage these opinions other than Biblically. The Bible includes absolutes and yet is quiet in other areas. That is not the point of this post but sets up what I'm getting read to say. Feel free to blog on this later. :)
My point is that within the Christian community or the 'Body of Christ' there can be a wide range of points of view that align with the Bible but disagree on matters of doctrine. This makes them neither right or wrong just a point of view. One of the areas we fail as Christians is we get invested in doctrine as if it were scriptural then stomp our feet and insist on it. On the other side of the coin there is a danger of trying so hard not to do that, that we become all inclusive and include everyone in a big happy family. Neither position is Biblical but people do get excited about their position. I will refrain from giving examples at this time but boy that could be a fun blog as well.
Ok, all that being said, here is the rub. We as Christians have a responsibility and a directive to do everything in love. I am allowed to disagree but as a Christian I must love. When I disagree out of anger or in spite then I do not represent Christ in my actions. I call it doing my will in God's name. Many abuses have been committed in this way. Now we enter the public forum. Should I speak out on what I believe? People that do that are religious leaders such as Dobson or Jesse Jackson risk offending people but believe they are within God's will. Others do not speak out on political issues, Billy Graham is one. Billy Graham is one who has long refused to take a position politically but has been willing to meet with virtually any leader privately to act as a counselor. Personally I am a big fan of Billy Graham but I also respect the work of others such as Dobson or Jackson. I believe there is a place for either approach with the understanding that we must do all that we do in love.
To clarify a question that I'm sure some are asking themselves, love and tolerance are not the same concept and should not be confused with one another. So when I say 'love' I do not mean to be accepting of all points of view just that we must love the person as a created being of God.
Hugs and Kisses, Hoot
Dobson and I...tend to disagree on a number of points, since I am passionate about gay rights. Truthfully, I believe we will someday look back on this time and see it as similar to the Jim Crow, "separate but equal" era.
But I'm ultimately fine with him speaking out on issues. It's his right. I just think all religious leaders should stay out of business of endorsing presidential candidates.
I really like these Week in God reports. Keep them coming!
May, I don't think that gay rights is anything like the Jim Crow Laws. I find it insulting to Black History when people try to make the comparison. It cheapens the gravity of things like lynching and being attacked with firehoses that black people had to go through. It's so not the same.
I don't want to compare them, as apples to apples. And I assure you, I do not mean to offend.
I only meant to bring light to the fact that gay people currently don't have equal rights.
I definitely see your point.
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