I hope I don't regret this...

I'm sorry! I had to!

So I swore to myself that I would not do this, but here I am about to address this Chick-Fil-A nonsense.

Yesterday, I was approached by a news reporter while leaving the Chick-Fil-A on the Southern Miss campus.  I'm an idiot and kept thinking yesterday was August 1st for some reason and now I have no money to go today, but I digress.  The reporter asked if I would mind sharing my opinion on the whole debacle in a videoed interview.  I politely declined and then laughed with Nick about how that was a good way for me to get stabbed on campus, but now, when I think back, I kind of wish I would have done it.  However, I don't think I would have been able to get my thoughts out and conveyed in the way I would have wanted.  I'm much better at doing that through written word, not spoken.

So here we go...

I was raised in an extremely conservative, southern baptist household.  Most of the values and beliefs instilled in me by my incredible parents have stayed with me, but I am much closer to moderate than I am conservative and a few arguments with my parents over this have ensued.  I also grew up in the art world.  Since the age of 4 I have been singing and dancing all over the world and in turn, was exposed to the meaning of homosexuality and other liberal views at a fairly young age.  (This sounds stereotypical.  I didn't mean it that way, it's just where the exposure came from.)  Therefore, I have grown up well versed in both liberal and conservative views, and as a very educated, thoughtful woman who has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, I have formed my own opinions about things using the knowledge instilled in me from many different influences in my life.

Now onto Dan Cathy's statement...

I have many friends that are gay, bisexual, etc.  I guarantee you that each and every one of them know my thoughts and feelings on this lifestyle.  While I love and accept each and every one of them, I do believe that homosexuality is a sin.  Now DO NOT misunderstand me, the sin of homosexuality is completely and totally equal to the MANY sins I commit every single day of my life.  In no way are my sins better than anyone else's.  A friend of mine, who is gay, once asked me why I didn't care that he was gay.  My response was that it isn't my place to judge him for that. His sin is the same as mine and I was going to be standing next to him when judgement day comes, not in front of him.  I was raised on the belief that you love the sinner and hate the sin, and that goes for everyone.  It doesn't matter what the sin is.  I do believe in tolerance and loving EVERYONE, and I'd like to think that I'm pretty good at that.

As for my political beliefs on whether or not I think gay marriage should be legalized, I don't feel like that is anyone's business but my own.  I will say, though, that there are many things that are legal that I don't think are necessarily right, but that doesn't mean I think they should be illegal.

Now, Dan Cathy was asked a question. Mr. Cathy answered this question honestly with the fact that he believes in the biblical, traditional definition of marriage.  Nowhere in that statement, which he was totally FREE to say, did Mr. Cathy express hatred or dislike for homosexual people.  That part has been completely blown out of proportion and taken out of context in my humble opinion.  This is not a matter of tolerance or hatred because I know for a fact Chick-Fil-A has homosexual employees and serves many homosexual people.  This a matter of free speech.  I know life and commerce isn't always fair, but the companies who have openly supported gay marriage and similar causes have not been this largely ridiculed EVER.

To those boycotting Chick-Fil-A because of the CEO's PERSONAL beliefs, I do believe you are setting a double standard here.  Many have complained about church and religious groups boycotting Disney due to their support of gay rights, so how is what you're doing any different?  And to the people with the petition to get Chick-Fil-A off the Southern Miss campus, stop it! That's ridiculous.

My point being, everyone believes something different from the next person.  Are you truly not going to support someone or something because their view differs from yours?  This looks much more like hate and intolerance than Mr. Cathy's statement to me.  If we're going to get this technical, shouldn't we start asking every cashier or sales associate their every view?  We should definitely stop buying OPEC oil if that's the case!  It's just not possible.  As for me, I'm not going to stop purchasing products from any company despite what their personal beliefs are that possibly (and probably) differ from my own.  I'm going to continue loving and accepting people.  I'm going to continue doing my very best at never judging people, and I'm going to continue serving my Lord, Jesus Christ.

I love one of my former church minister's status on Facebook this morning!
"Dear World, please don't equate eating at Chick-Fil-A with being a Christ follower! Jesus did not say, "if any man would follow me he will Eat More Chicken. He said, "you must deny yourself, take up your cross daily, and follow me." - Love God, Love (ALL) People, Go Change The World!"

Here's a link to another great blog about this issue.

http://www.perrynoble.com/2012/08/01/ben-jerrys-chic-fil-a-political-correctness/

I hope I did not offend anyone through this post.  Please know that offending anyone is never my intention, I'm just simply shedding some light on a topic that I feel has been blown WAY out of proportion.  I love you all and am forever thankful for your love and support.

I would also like to ask that you do not leave any derogatory comments on this post.  If you do, they will be deleted.

and that's all I have to say about that...

Check back in a little while for today's favorite Olympian!

xoxo-Chelsea Eli