It’s that time of year again, it is boycott season!

Recently Bud Light partnered with an Internet personality that is a biological male who identifies as a female to do an ad campaign. This seems to have backfired as the company apparently didn’t know that their main customers would be opposed or enraged with that. I’m not a beer drinker, but I could have told you that most people I know who are prone to pick up a six pack for the weekend would be mad if they saw those ads. Another corporation that has a target on their backs from both sides is Target. Many politically and morally conservative people were upset about the store selling shirts for children that promote sexual relations between people of the same sex.

After many called for a boycott of the store, Target reportedly lost over 10 billion dollars in market valuation. After pulling the items from their stores, they were then hit by boycotts from those on the opposite side that were angry with the children’s clothes being pulled. Threats of violence and bombs were even made.

Well, just when you thought it was over, calls for boycotts continue, but in the most unlikely of places. Those on the political far right-wing are randomly calling for a boycott of Chick-fil-a. Why you might ask? Because of something that happened two years ago that they just found out about.

Two years ago Chick-fil-a promoted a long-time employee to be their vice president of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion). They promoted a black man to that position, which makes sense in that a minority would be better equipped to spot the inequalities or discriminations.

Those on the far-right took issue with that and pointed to Chick-fil-a’s website with claims of “having gone woke”.

Apparently being an “equal opportunity employer that values diversity, equity, and inclusion,” and making employment decisions with a “non-discriminatory basis,” and being “committed to maintaining work environments free from any form of harassment” are offensive and considered “woke”.

Chick-fil-A’s site says, “When we combine our unique backgrounds and experiences with a culture of belonging, we can discover new ways to strengthen the quality of care we deliver: to customers, to the communities we serve, and to the world.”

I don’t know about you, but as a morally conservative Christian, this sounds like it is taken straight out of the New Testament teachings for how Christians should live out their faith.

Christ & the apostles frequently taught about showing no favoritism, no discrimination, equality, and equity to all. They taught that despite cultural or racial backgrounds, believers should all come together as one body of Christ and model what he taught.

After all, Christ was God, he was VERY different than us, but he chose to lower himself for a time to so that we might know him better and to offer us all the free gift of everlasting life with Him that we accept by simple faith. Our status, income, resume, good deeds, citizenship, race, gender, or attractions do not make us any more desirable to Him. We are all equally sinners in his eyes, and he equally offers us all grace. And he teaches his followers to show that grace and love to others.

“I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.” – 1 Cor. 1:10

“Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.” – 1 Peter 3:8

“For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” – Romans 12:4-5

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” – Galatians 3:28

“My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” – James 2:1-4

While some companies might use terms such as “inclusion”, “diversity”, & “inclusion” to mean other things, it doesn’t seem like an openly Christian company who seeks to glorify God by how their employees are treated and how their employees treat their customers means anything other than the words they have listed. With their long track record, I don’t see them as having any alternative or ulterior motive or agenda. But what do I know? I just have a degree in Public Relations and work in marketing. So go right ahead, boycott the company you have defended and stood in solidarity with for so long.