So the whole Chick-fil-A scandal is still getting people talking, huh? I thought I'd kind of missed the boat on this one after taking some time out in the home-land Devon last week, but I'm ever so pleased to have come back to find out more ridiculous accusations against the company!
For those of you who aren't yet familiar with the case, basically, Chick-fil-A are an American fast food chain who have servere right wing views when it comes to homosexuality. According to a recent report published by Equality Matters, as a company they have donated over $2 million to anti-gay groups in 2010, inlcuing Marriage & Family Foundation ($1,188,380), Fellowship Of Christian Athletes ($480,000), National Christian Foundation ($247,500), New Mexico Christian Foundation ($54,000), Exodus International ($1,000), Family Research Council ($1,000) and Georgia Family Council ($2,500).
A fact which they're very proud of actually!
Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy addressed what the publication describes as his franchise's "support of the traditional family" by saying "Well, guilty as charged." He went on to note, "We are very much supportive of the family- the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that...we know that it might not be popular with everyone, but thank the Lord, we live in a country where we can share our values and operate on biblical principles."
Good old God!
Needless to say they've faced a massive backlash as a company. The Jim Henson Company pulled their toys from Chick-fil-A's kids meals, and then, in a hilarious turn of events, instead of owning up to the fact that The Jim Henson Company stopped doing business with them because they're all bigots, the chicken sandwich company have been accused of making fake Facebook accounts to defend their honour! Here is the Facebook convo that tripped them up:
Apparantly "Abby Farle" is a Facebook account that was made 8 hours previous to this conversation by a chicken PR intern with a stock image of a teenage girl as her profile picture. Mega lolz!
In any case, I thought it might be a good idea to take a look at what the Bible does have to say about marriage... What fun!
So, in the bible there is that sort of biblical marriage that relies on mother-son incest. Because if Eve was the only woman, then where did Cain find his wife to populate the world with humans?
Then there's another sort of Biblical marriage that forces a rape victim to marry her rapist (Deuteronomy 22:28-29).
Then of course, comes the sort of traditional biblical definition of a family unit that includes a king and his 700 wives.
And then there's Levirite marriages- where a woman is widowed without a son and it becomes her brother-in-law's job to knock her up (Gen. 38:6-10).
I also found these 15 different ways of getting a wife Bible-style, if you're stuck?:
1) Find an attractive prisoner of war, bring her home, shave her head, trim her nails, and give her new clothes. Then she’s yours (Deut. 21:11-13)
2) “Lay hold on” a virgin who is not betrothed to another man, and have sex with her, but afterwards pay her father a sum of money. Then she’s yours (Deut. 22:28-29)
3) Find a prostitute and marry her (Hosea 1:1-3)
4) Find a man with seven daughters, and impress him by watering his flock - Moses (Ex. 2:16-21)
5) Purchase a piece of property, and get a woman as part of the deal - Boaz (Ruth 4:5-10)
6) Go to a party and hide. When the women come out to dance, grab one and carry her off to be your wife - Benjaminites (Judges 21:19-25)
7) Have God create a wife for you while you sleep.Note: this will cost you a rib - Adam (Gen. 2:19-24)
8) Agree to work seven years in exchange for a woman’s hand in marriage. Get tricked into marrying the wrong woman. Then work another seven years for the woman you wanted to marry in the first place. That’s right. Fourteen years of toil for a wife -Jacob (Gen. 29:15-30)
9) Cut 200 foreskins off of your future father-in-law’s enemies and get his daughter for a wife - David (1 Sam. 18:27)
10) Even if no one is out there, just wander around a bit and you’ll definitely find someone - Cain (Gen. 4:16-17)
11) Become the emperor of a huge nation and hold a beauty contest - Xerxes or Ahasuerus (Esther 2:3-4)
12) When you see someone you like, go home and tell your parents, “I have seen a woman; now get her for me.” If your parents question your decision, simply say, “Get her for me. She’s the one for me.” - Samson (Judges 14:1-3)
13) Kill any husband and take HIS wife. (Prepare to lose four sons though)- David (2 Sam. 11)
14) Wait for your brother to die. Take his widow. (It’s not just a good idea, it’s the law!) - Onan and Boaz (Deut. or Lev., example in Ruth)
15) Don’t be so picky. Make up for quality with quantity - Solomon (1 Kings 11:1-3)
No need for internet dating now, is there guys? Bet you're glad you read this!
But something tells me these aren't the "Biblical definition of the family unit" that Cathy speaks of? Either he doesn't think that anyone else can read a Bible, or he's been embarrassingly misinformed by the Christian church.
(Would they?! ;])
Who knows.
In any case, I would advise not going to a Chick-fil-A, lest you unfortunately get raped in the car park before being forced to marry your rapist...
Nice to be back!
L.
