Chick-fil-A Trading Integrity for Profitability

Recently, Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy told an interviewer he regrets his company’s pro-marriage stance it took two years ago.

Calling the decision to support traditional marriage “a mistake,” Cathy indicated Chick-fil-A’s priority going forward would be courting a new generation of consumers–one who, if you read between the lines, he must feel supports same-sex marriage.

In a move that’s sure to offend both sides, Cathy said that while his personal views on same-sex marriage have not changed, he does not intend to take a public stance on the issue. To put it another way, gay activists who have been boycotting Chick-fil-A have every reason to continue doing so, and conservatives who celebrated Chick-fil-A for their courageous stance for traditional marriage may decide they would just as soon take their business to Popeyes or KFC.

This back-peddling from Mr. Cathy is incredibly disappointing, and it betrays a failure to grasp the significance of Chick-fil-A’s actions these past few years.

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Obamacare, Nebuchadnezzar, and Religious Liberty

What does the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego have to do with the Obamacare mandate that forces religious employers to pay for contraception, sterilization, and abortifacients? John Stonestreet with the Chuck Colson Center makes the connection.

Listen:

[audio:http://www.breakpoint.org/images/content/breakpoint/audio/point/2014/TPT504092014.mp3|titles=John Stonestreet – A Choice from Justice Nebuchadnezzar]

“A freedom that comes with a tax or punishment isn’t freedom at all,” Stonestreet says. “Inalienable rights aren’t bought.”

When the government tries to tax or penalize someone for exercising a fundamental right, the government is encroaching on liberty. In the case of religious employers who find contraception, sterilization, and abortion morally objectionable, the government is issuing a clear ultimatum: Either compromise your deeply-held religious convictions, or pay a stiff fine.

To put it another way, employers are free to operate their businesses according to their moral convictions if they’re willing to pay the government. In the case of Hobby Lobby–one of the companies suing over the contraception mandate–this “conscience tax” would amount to millions of dollars per year.

Courts have ruled private corporations enjoy constitutional liberties such as free speech and freedom of the press. Why shouldn’t they also have religious liberty? And why should religious business owners be taxed for obeying their convictions?

There simply is no sensible way to justify it.

Starbucks, American Express Still Support Planned Parenthood

In 2012 we published a list of companies who support Planned Parenthood. Today we are expanding that list with additional information we have found.

Corporations commonly match employees’ gifts to charities; if an employee gives money to a charity, the employer will give the same amount of money to the same charity. However, companies often decline to match gifts to organizations that engage in controversial activities (e.g. abortion).

Nevertheless, a surprising number of companies match employees’ donations to Planned Parenthood. If someone who works for Starbucks, for instance, gives money to Planned Parenthood, Starbucks will match their gift.

It isn’t just Starbucks, either; American Express, Allstate, Bank of America, AT&T, Chevron, Microsoft, Charles Schwab, and Kraft Foods are just a few of the companies supporting America’s largest abortion provider.

Many pro-lifers prefer not to do business with companies that back abortion. If that’s you, you’ll want to check out the lists below: