The American Family Association, a Christian political activist group, was threatening to boycott Ford Motor Company for being too “gay friendly.” Here’s a quote from Forbes“The American Family Association first announced the boycott against Ford and related brands on May 31. The group said Ford gave thousands of dollars to gay rights groups, offered benefits to same-sex couples and actively recruited gay employees.
After a spring meeting with a group of Ford dealers, the association said in June that it was suspending its boycott until at least the beginning of December.
The Human Rights Campaign, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and other gay rights groups expressed concern about reports there was a secret deal between Ford and the American Family Association to end Ford’s advertising in gay media.”
So the nutshell is – the American Family Association was bent with Ford because Ford offered benefits to same-sex couples, and because they were advertising some of their vehicles in gay magazines. The AFA told Ford, “Knock off the gay crap, or we’ll organize a boycott. So there.”
According to today’s Forbes article, Ford says their decision to pull ads from gay magazines wasn’t related to the threat of a boycott. Yeah, right. Whatever.
I’m a Christian. I think homosexuality is wrong. HOWEVER…
I just want to say the American Family Association doesn’t represent me. Unlike them, I realize that Ford is a SECULAR BUSINESS. It’s not a church. It’s not a religious organization. Ford doesn’t owe me anything. For some reason, it doesn’t occur to me that I have the right to tell a SECULAR BUSINESS how and where to advertise, nor do I have the right to tell a SECULAR BUSINESS who to offer health benefits to. It also doesn’t enter my mind that Ford needs to run their policies by me or my Christian friends before making business decisions.
In addition, I don’t think our culture is made any worse by gay people having the opportunity to see Ford ads (and possibly own and drive Fords), and I don’t think our culture is worsened by gay couples having medical insurance. They get sick; doctors are expensive. Who’s going to cover the cost if they can’t have insurance – the American Family Association? Somehow I don’t see that happening.
Oh wait – maybe the hope is that if gay people get really sick, and can’t get insurance and can’t afford to go to the doctor, they’ll realize that if only they weren’t gay they could have insurance and then maybe they’ll change. What a cool strategy.
I don’t recall Jesus making homosexuality the focus of his ministry. He didn’t seem to be nearly as afraid of it as we are. I don’t recall him organizing boycotts.
Jesus said, “I’m here to fix people’s basic problem. They need to get reunited with the God who made them so they can live the life he passionately wants them to live.” When Jesus finished his work, he told his guys, “Go get other people to follow me. ” Why? Because that’s the main thing.
Boycotts weren’t part of the disciples’ instructions. Jesus didn’t say, “Go get people to follow me. And by the way, if some of the people who don’t follow me bother you (like those annoying homosexuals or companies who try to sell cars to them), boycott them and try to wreck their businesses until you make them act like they follow me, even though they don’t yet. That’ll get their attention. Then, maybe you can get them to follow me.”
Boycotts are easy. Any idiot can throw those tantrums. What’s harder is actually making friends with people who are broken and who don’t like God because they don’t like the people who represent him. …
I want to be a guy who changes people’s minds about God and inspires them to consider getting to know him.
