Chick-fil-A Supporters Turn Out in Droves for ‘Appreciation Day’; Lesbian Couple Misrepresents CEO's Statement and Labels Him a Supporter of 'Anti-gay Hate Groups', Thereby Spreading Hate Against Christians and Their Support of God's Definition of Marriage; the Corporate Media with the Government's Backing is Fanning the Flames for Christian Persecution (Gay Activists are Promoting Hate Against Christians - They Are Stirring Up Hate and Then Pointing the Finger)
"We are very grateful and humbled by the incredible turnout of loyal Chick-fil-A customers on August 1 at Chick-fil-A restaurants around the country," Chick-fil-A vice president Steve Robinson said in a statement. The privately held company declined to give specific sales figures but released a statement to the Los Angeles Times confirming that frenzied sales of chicken sandwiches and cross-cut waffle fries had made for a record-setting day. The Atlanta-based company, which started in 1946 and now has more than 1,615 locations nationwide, recorded annual sales of more than $4.1 billion last year. Customers often waited in long lines, many weathering the blistering summer sun, just to get in the front door. The company, which proudly abides by Bible-based principles and closes its doors to sales on Sundays, stressed in its statement that Chick-fil-A did not promote Wednesday's turnout. It also stressed that its employees abide by a service tradition to "treat every person with honor, dignity and respect -- regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender."Robinson's statement alluded to rumors that another protest (including "kiss-ins") will be staged at Chick-fil-As on Friday by same-sex marriage supporters, which in turn has led to rumors of counter-counter-protests ... you get the idea. The company says Friday will just be another day, and another opportunity: "We understand from news reports that Friday may present yet another opportunity for us to serve with genuine hospitality, superior service and great food." The current uproar over Chick-fil-A dates to mid-July, when Cathy was quoted about his dedication to traditional family values. His comments reignited long-standing tensions between the company and the LGBT community, which called for a boycott.
"It is everything I thought it would be; being the Olympic champion, it definitely is an amazing feeling. I give all the glory to God. It's kind of a win win situation. The glory goes up to Him and the blessings fall down on me," said Gabby Douglas, after winning the 2012 Olympic All-Around Gold Medal in gymnastics on August 2, 2012.
After Gabby Douglas clinched her spot to compete in the All-Around finals, a reporter asked her on camera (broadcast during NBC's coverage) how she deals with the pressure and the nerves of being a gymnast on the biggest stage in the world. She said “I’ve been meditating on scriptures saying be confident in this. And, you know, the Bible really helps me so I was very confident.” Prior to the start of competition, Gabby sent out this message to her supporters: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord will be with you wherever you go!"
Before winning the gold, Gabby tweeted: "I believe in God. He is the secret of my success. He gives people talent." After winning the gold, Gabby tweeted: "Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me" and "but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
"Openly giving thanks and credit to God could expose her to a hate campaign from the liberal cult. This could reduce the amount of money she makes endorsing products. I'm sure that occurred to her and she doesn't care, because pleasing God is a lot more valuable than anything that can come from Man, especially pagan men. So this nice girl is on the right track, and she has the love and respect of everyone whose opinion matters." [deprogramming services, CNS News, August 3, 2012]When Gabby talks, her faith is hard to miss. It is interesting to note that some leading secular publications print what she has been saying in reference to God, praying, and praise. However, stories in USA Today, the Los Angeles Times and The New York Times usually do not include those remarks.
Oddly enough, in glancing through the sports pages, I saw many Gabby quotes about believing in yourself and working hard and all that stuff but, for some reason, none seemed to mention the fact that she gave all the glory to God after every victory she achieved. Maybe they were hoping no one would notice. Well, I noticed and I’m sure many others did as well and I take my hat off to this young lady for letting her light so shine when the attention of the world was on her. [The Mad Monarchist]Gabrielle Douglas is the first American gymnast to win both the all-around and team gold medals in the same Olympics.
"She has already been dissed by a sports commentator. But I predict she will escape any high profile attacks because she's black and not a conservative politician. Tim Tebow got nailed right and left; he's a white man. The Thought Police have equated any criticism of a black American with racism. I highly recommend a book by Tammy Bruce entitled, 'The New Thought Police'. It is an inside look of how liberals have changed the narrative of American society. It is why, now, if you are a Christian, you supposedly hate homosexuals. If you criticize an inept President, you are a racist. Listen to some of the members of the Congressional Black Caucus: a week does not go by when one of them does not accuse over 40 million Americans of being racist." [Les Dtom Godbold, CNS News, August 3, 2012]
"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." - Galatians 6:7You can't cram religion down someone's throat: only by the grace of God (and not by our own effort) do we receive faith; it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8).
"No man can come to the Son except the Father draw him" - John 6:44We are all sinners: some have been found while others remain lost. A lost sinner must be drawn by God to want to know Christ. God says to us, "Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee (Jeremiah 31:3)." Our Creator, knowing the hearts and minds of men, has the sovereign right to choose who He will draw near to Him and when. It's all according to His will and in His time.
When God draws someone near, Christians are the vessels that He uses to reveal the truth about His Word to lost sinners. When we are saved, we desire to proclaim the good news in every place, and we should be prepared to explain the hope we have through the faith of Christ with love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (the nine "fruit of the Holy Spirit," Galatians 5:22).
"And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." - Acts 2:21A Christian should be a striking likeness of Christ in all ways and by all means so that all may say of him, "He has been with Jesus." A penitent believer has his sins already laid on Christ: he obeys the commandments of God and follows the footsteps of Christ, teaching repentance and forgiveness and helping the Lord save those who are still lost, for it brings the Lord glory when we help Him find His lost sheep.
Christ says that the first and greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. Jesus tells us that the second greatest commandment is to love others as we love ourselves and as He loves us. This includes everyone, whether they believe as we do or not. And Jesus says that we should pray for our enemies and do good to them rather than hate them. But we should take care not to unequally yoke ourselves to unbelievers (in marriage or otherwise), for this will lead to lives of misery.
"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." - Hebrews 13:8We deserve no rewards, no merit, no crowns that we may boast, for it is all of God. Any faith we have more than another is because God dealt that measure to us, and not because of ourselves. Any work we do greater than any other is because God worked within us more than another. Rather than ask, “What rewards will we get,” we should ask, “What does God will for us to do.” And when we have done it, say, “We are unprofitable servants.” Abandon pride and, as the certain poor widow who threw in two mites, surrender all to our Lord. Everlasting life is all the reward we need.
Same-Sex Couple Invites Chick-fil-A CEO to Dinner
According to gay activists, the Marriage & Family Foundation and the National Institute of Marriage are "anti-gay hate groups."August 2, 2012
ABC News - After hundreds of thousands of people ate dinner at his restaurants on Wednesday for Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day, one Georgia family, a same-sex couple and their two daughters, has invited Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy to have dinner at their house.
But the dinner invitation from Marci Alt and wife Marlysa, who live near Chick-fil-A’s Atlanta headquarters, is no paltry piece of paper, it is backed by an online petition sponsored by Change.org, an online organizing platforms for activists, and GLAAD, a gay rights advocacy group.
“I hope Mr. Cathy will join my family for dinner, where we can share a respectful dialogue about our faith, work and families here in Georgia,” Alt said in a statement. “It’s important that Mr. Cathy meet the people his company is donating millions to stand against.”
“I’ll even make chicken,” Alt added.
The invite comes on the heels of national outrage from the LGBT community after Cathy said that he was “guilty as charged” for supporting the “biblical definition of the family unit.”
Alt, along with gay rights advocates across the country, plan to protest those comments and the company’s anti-gay marriage stance with National Same-Sex Kiss Day on Friday. Nearly 12,000 people have said on Facebook that they will head to Chick-fil-A restaurants around the country and pucker up with their same-sex partners.
GLAAD President Herndon Graddick said the protest stems not from Cathy’s comments, but from the millions of dollars his company has poured into “anti-gay hate groups.”
In 2010, WinShape, the non-profit foundation created by Cathy and largely supported by Chick-fil-A, gave more than $1 million to the Marriage & Family Foundation and $37,000 to the National Institute of Marriage, both of which promote defining marriage as between one man and one woman.
“Without question, Dan Cathy has every right to voice his opinions and beliefs,” Graddick said in a statement. “But he should meet and get to know the people that he’s speaking out against — the people who are harmed by his company’s multi-million dollar donations to anti-gay hate groups working to hurt everyday LGBT Americans and break apart loving families.”
Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day Draws Crowds, Company Gratitude
August 1, 2012The fast-food chain was overrun on Wednesday by men, women and children wanting chicken sandwiches, cross-cut fries -- and to voice their support for the company that finds itself under fire for taking a position against same-sex marriage.
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee declared Wednesday to be Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day, and urged Americans to show their appreciation with their wallets.
Now, we can't tell you that we personally checked with each and every one of Chick-fil-A's 1,615 locations in 39 states and Washington, D.C.
But we can point out this growing photo collection on Huckabee's Facebook page of people in Illinois, Colorado, South Carolina and elsewhere mobbing Chick-fil-A outlets. Some lined up in the summer heat to get inside a store, while others waited in cars as far as the eye (or the camera) could see for a chance to place their orders at the drive-through window.
Interest in Chick-fil-A was just as intense in the online world. For much of the day, "Chick-fil-A" was a trending topic on Twitter and the most-searched-for term on Google.
A representative for Chick-fil-A declined to discuss sales figures, but issued the following statement to the Los Angeles Times:
"Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day was not created by Chick-fil-A. We appreciate all of our customers and are glad to serve them at any time. Our goal is simple: to provide great food, genuine hospitality and to have a positive influence on all who come into contact with Chick-fil-A."
Huckabee's declaration was intended to counter the fury recently directed at the company. The outcry began when Dan Cathy, president of the fast-food chain, spoke out publicly about how the company proudly abides by Bible-based principles and, as a result, opposes same-sex marriage.
"Guilty as charged," Cathy said, adding that Chick-fil-A supports "the biblical definition of the family unit."
This wasn't exactly news to the LGBT community, which has long criticized the fast-food chain for donations to campaigns and causes it sees as opposing gay rights. But Cathy's comments landed at a time when the country is more fractured than ever about the issue of same-sex marriage.
The flap seems unlikely to end soon. Fox News is reporting that supporters of same-sex marriage plan protests -- including "kiss-ins" -- at Chick-fil-A restaurants nationwide on Friday.
Chick-fil-A Supporters Turn Out in Droves for ‘Appreciation Day’
Government officials in the cities of Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia are abusing their power by trying to stop Chick-fil-A, a private American company, from opening new stores
August 1, 2012
The Lookout - After several weeks of protests and mayoral catcalls stemming from Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy's controversial public comments against same-sex marriage, supporters of the fast-food chain--and traditional marriage--turned out in droves on Wednesday, jamming many of Chick-fil-A's 1,600 U.S. stores. And protesters, for the most part, stayed away.
In Englewood, Colo., an overcapacity lunch crowd spilled into the Chick-fil-A parking lot while dozens queued up inside.
By 11 a.m., 14 cars filled the drive-thru lane. A half hour later, the back-up had tripled: At one point, 37 vehicles slowly pushed through the parking lot in serpentine fashion, transforming the lot into a makeshift drive-thru. Three employees clad in neon-green parking vests directed traffic and took orders.
"As far as Chick-fil-A is concerned, it's business as usual," Vicki Getz, a supervising employee, told Yahoo News, declining further comment.
At a table outside, Evelyn Walker, 26, and her husband, Tim, 27, ate spicy chicken sandwiches and waffle fries in support of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day."
"Every company and owners have a right to say what they want to say," Tim Walker said. "Chick-fil-A has always been known to have a Christian basis, so I guess it's nice to see them stand up and show that--in more than just not being open on Sundays."
The couple, who live in nearby Littleton, said they don't eat fast food often, but supporting the chain was part and parcel to their faith.
"We believe that scripturally, in the Bible, the Lord states that marriage is between a man and a woman," Evelyn said. "And marriage between two women together, two men together is detestable to him."
More than 500,000 people RSVP'd to Huckabee's event on Facebook.
For those like John Mohler, 50, of Thornton, Colo., eating at Chick-fil-A on Wednesday was about defending free speech. Mohler said he doesn't share Cathy's belief--only his rights to air them.
"I'm not sure I agree with his position on gay marriage," said Mohler, who drove to Englewood from downtown Denver on his lunch break. "But I applaud the owner for speaking his mind, and that's why I'm here."
In Chicago, throngs of supporters flocked to the lone Chick-fil-A, where the line of customers snaked through the entrance and around the corner.
Linda Madden, 45, said that, though she and her co-workers regularly eat at Chick-fil-A, they "specifically chose Wednesday to drum up support." Steve Lolufs, 32, said he supports the company because "they always give back." Lolufs, originally from Atlanta, said that Chick-fil-A paid for him to attend high school, building a private school and offering scholarships.
[Also see: Chick-fil-A braces for protests, same-sex 'kiss-in']
Further up the line, Jessica Cather, 29, Dana Haskins, 42, and Sarah Touhy, 43, all stressed that though they support same-sex marriage, they also support the right to believe what anyone wants to believe.
"We support tolerance on both sides," Haskins said.
"Just because they don't support gay marriage, it doesn't make them a bad company," Touhy said.
Another patron solicited donations to buy lunch for Alderman Joe Moreno, who made headlines last month for opposing a Chick-fil-A in his ward.
Linda Smith, 54, didn't have time for the line. Instead, she gave someone else in line her money to spend to show her support. Smith said,
"It doesn't matter what the president of the company's views are, as long as they don't discriminate in hiring," Smith said.
While there were no protestors, some supporters couldn't get away from work long enough to buy their meals. Deborah Irvine, 28, and Nicte Leeg, 27, wanted to support the company, but the line was too long. Irvine said she'd likely donate to the corporation instead.
"It's about freedom of speech and people being entitled to their own opinion," Leeg said.
The Chick-fil-A restaurant on the Univ. of Southern Mississippi's Hattiesburg campus was packed with area families. But few, if any, students turned out to support or protest Chick-fil-A.
"It's a shame that the gay community that asks for tolerance is so intolerant of other opinions," Josh Walker said as he ate lunch. "It's nice to have a company that stands by its morals."
"Since the company isn't doing anything illegal, I think the whole thing has been blown out of proportion," a patron who wished to remain anonymous, said. "I like the food, and that's what's important."
Desiree Ortega, a customer in the drive-thru lane in Englewood, agreed.
"They have good food," she said. "They're making up for the idiotic things they said."
[Read: Boston mayor's letter to Chick-fil-A: Stay out of Boston!]
In Missouri City, Texas, hundreds of customers descended on the Chick-fil-A despite 100-degree heat. (A Chick-fil-A employee who did not want to be identified said the company wanted to convey honor, dignity, and respect for all customers and "to glorify God.")
At 10:15 a.m. at the Chick-fil-A in Chandler, Ariz., the parking lot was relatively empty. Dan Thomas, 72, said he wasn't aware it was Appreciation Day.
"Are they giving anything away?" Thomas asked.
By noon, though, there were more than 30 vehicles in the drive-thru line, and the restaurant was over capacity.
At the Chick-fil-A in the Glenbrook Square Mall in Fort Wayne, Ind., a line of about 300 people stretched past the relatively empty Panda Express and Taco Bell. There weren't any protestors in sight.
"The Bible says marriage is between one man and one woman," Beth, a patron who declined to give her last name, said. "But the debate is not about the Bible. It is about whether the CEO of a private business has the right to voice his own opinions. If you say no, that's pretty darn scary."
"Does it really matter what he believes in?" Beth's friend Shannon added.
There was a similar scene at the Chick-fil-A at the Jefferson Pointe Mall in Fort Wayne. Cars were backed up in several directions, waiting for the drive-through, while TV reporters and cameramen camped out nearby. One customer held a large handmade sign with the Pledge of Allegiance--highlighting the words "liberty" and "justice."
In Port Charlotte, Fla., more than 50 customers lined up outside to enter the region's only Chick-fil-A.
"Chick-fil-A is a Christian-based company that stands on biblical principles," Amy McNamara, a mother of two from nearby Punta Gorda, said. "In one article I read, it suggested they are preaching hate. I disagree. They are standing for what they believe and I stand with them."
"[Chick-fil-A has] a right to express their own opinion," Jennifer Hoyt, 37, who dined at a Chick-fil-A in St. Petersburg, Fla., said. "Don't we all? Besides, I come here for the sandwiches, not the politics."
Related:
Homosexuality and Same-Sex Marriages
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