Focus on the Family‘s President Jim Daly says Chick-Fil-A “have in no way deviated from that deeply held and biblically inspired passion,” and are still funding anti-gay organizations. Focus on the Family (FOF) is a 35-year old anti-gay “pro-family” organization that falls short of being classified as an anti-gay hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, but is a recipient of Chick-Fil-A’s charity.
“Some people were quick to criticize the 66-year-old chicken chain for ‘caving’ to political pressure. Focus on the Family President Jim Daly said that’s not what happened,” according to Focus On The Family’s Citizen Link website:
“Dan and Bubba Cathy are my Christian brothers and good friends. They and their company have long shared Focus on the Family’s commitment to helping build strong and thriving families — and they have in no way deviated from that deeply held and biblically inspired passion while working with the city of Chicago to open Chick-fil-A restaurants there,†Daly said.
“I feel bad the Cathys are having once again to endure media accounts mischaracterizing their values and charitable efforts — and, unfortunately, I know how they feel. Focus on the Family has for 35 years been dedicated to saving and strengthening marriages, helping couples raise happy, resilient kids and encouraging and empowering men and women to advocate for God’s truth with Christ’s heart. And still, in stories like some of those about Chick-fil-A’s efforts to expand in Chicago, we are described as being ‘hateful’ toward certain groups of people.
“How is an organization that helps save one marriage every six minutes and helps parents navigate through a crisis involving their children every 90 seconds deemed ‘anti’ anything but ‘anti-family breakdown’?†he concluded. “That’s a question we would hope the media begins to ask with more regularity of those who disagree with us and with Chick-fil-A for bringing our Christian values to bear on the work we do in the public square.â€
Focus on the Family’s founder is James Dobson, who follows in the evangelical shoes of Billy Graham, Jerry Falwell, and Pat Robertson. And while FOF isn’t a hate group, Dobson is also the founder of Family Research Council, which is an anti-gay hate group.