Conservative Christians are attacking Chick-fil-A for sponsoring an LGBT Christian film festival.
A conservative Christian has created a Change.org petition demanding Chick-fil-A explain why it is sponsoring Level Ground, an organization that hosts an annual LGBT Christian film festival.Â
“Per our research and findings, Chick-fil-A is a sponsor of ‘On Level Ground’ …Â which is ‘a movement’ that ‘creates space for dialogue about faith, gender, and sexuality through the arts,'” the petition reads.
And it attacks the Level Ground’s sponsors, claiming they “promote an agenda which is contrary to Chick-fil-A’s corporate stance on Christian values regarding marriage and stewardship.”
“In light of these findings, we ask that Chick-fil-A issues an official response regarding this sponsorship, along with any statement your team feels is necessary to clarify Chick-fil-A’s corporate stance regarding previously stated Christian values on marriage and stewardship.”
Conservative media outlets are sharing in the petition creator’s outrage.
“SHOCK AS IT’S REVEALED CHICK-FIL-A IS SPONSORING A ‘CHRISTIAN’ LGBT FILM FESTIVAL,” reads one headline. “The LGBT Mafia is making a full-court press for their case that God accepts actively, out of the closet homosexuals and homosexuality,” the article reads, calling Level Ground a “Sodomite film festival.”
“Why Is Pro-Marriage Chick-fil-A Sponsoring an LGBT Film Festival?,” asks another.
“Media Mum? Chick-fil-A Drifting Away from Traditional Values, Toward Gay Agenda,” charges a third.
As usual, the conservative christian “news” media machine deals in outrage, not research or investigative journalism, so they didn’t bother to do any work, they just reported on the petition, and then on those who reported on the petition.
Meanwhile, over a Vox’s food website Eater, an explanation direct from Chick-fil-A.
It turns out, Chick-fil-A is not sponsoring an LGBT Christian film festival (although perhaps they should.) The sponsorship comes from one local Nashville, Tennessee franchise owner. “The operators make decisions on local sponsorships,” Chick-fil-A told Eater.
Last year, as NCRM reported, one California Chick-fil-A franchise owner was lambasted by conservative Christians for sponsoring a fundraiser to support anti-bullying efforts, and for sponsoring Level Ground in 2013.
And no, Chick-fil-A hasn’t changed its stance on LGBT issues, they’re still anti-gay. They’ve just agreed to stop funding anti-gay groups and have stopped, at least for now, voicing ugly anti-LGBT rhetoric.
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Image by Generic Brand Productions via Flickr and a CC license
Hat tip: The Advocate