McDonald's Draws Criticisms Over Pro-Gay Move

Christian Post Correspondent

Wed, Apr. 09 2008 07:37 AM ET

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McDonald’s has come under attack recently over what critics claim to be a high-profile endorsement of homosexuality.

Last month, the vice president of communications for the nation’s largest fast-food chain joined the board of directors of the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), an organization “dedicated to expanding the economic opportunities and advancements of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender/Transsexual (LGBT) business community.”

"I'm thrilled to join the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce team and ready to get to work," Richard Ellis said regarding the move in a released statement.

"I share the NGLCC's passion for business growth and development within the LGBT community and I look forward to playing a role in moving these important initiatives forward,” he added.

Among the groups that have lashed out against the recent move has been the American Family Association (AFA), which has encouraged pro-family citizens to write in to McDonald’s with complaints, condemning the action.

McDonald’s, however, has denied that the appointment of its vice president of communications to the board of the NGLCC constitutes an endorsement of homosexuality, arguing that the AFA has wrongly overblown the issue in its newsletters attacking the company.

"There are numerous other Fortune 500 companies that serve as corporate partners with NGLCC," the company stated in a series of emails addressing customer complaints.

“While one McDonald's employee is affiliated with the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), McDonald's is in no way 'aggressively promoting the homosexual agenda' as suggested in the [AFA] newsletter,” the company said.

The AFA, however, is not convinced.

"To refer to Richard Ellis, who is the vice president of communications for McDonald's, as 'one McDonald's employee,' as if he is a teenager flipping hamburgers, is disingenuous at best,” AFA said in a statement responding to McDonald’s.

"Giving money to and partnering with a homosexual lobby organization is certainly an enthusiastic promotion of the homosexual agenda,” AFA said.

Don Wildmon, founder and chairman of AFA, has suggested that a boycott on McDonald’s products was a “possibility" if the company would not rectify its actions, according to Baptist Press.

Founded in 1977, and based in Tupelo, Miss., the American Family Association (AFA) is among one of the largest Christian activist organizations dedicated to the promotion of “the biblical ethic of decency in American society.”

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Jesusis1

Wed Apr 16, 2008 7:26 am
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hautechick,
You posted: You assume that it is love to tell someone "GOD HATES YOUR SIN" because you consider it a key to salvation. Where in the Bible does Jesus give rank to those who condemn others?

This is a contradiction on your part. We as Christians are to condemn sin. Not the person. If there is any rank to be given by Jesus it would not be to those who condemn others but to those who condemn sin. Yes, it is love to tell someone who is committing sin to tell them that what they are doing is wrong or sin. If someone was doing something that could lead to their death would you not tell them?

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Matthew 18:15-17
"If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. "But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED. "If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

hautechick

Mon Apr 14, 2008 2:07 pm
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<<Just because I disagrees with another persons choice of lifestyle does not mean I hate them. I disagree with choices my wife makes, but that doesn't mean i hate her, you should learn the difference between disagreement and hatred... >>

But are you on the internet spreading gossip, misinformation and rumors about your wife? No. But you are doing the things which I listed, against gay people. You assume that it is love to tell someone "GOD HATES YOUR SIN" because you consider it a key to salvation. Where in the Bible does Jesus give rank to those who condemn others?

blue1018

Mon Apr 14, 2008 11:12 am
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Well Slacker, I just find it sad that conservatism has been so deeeeeeply embedded in American culture that people are willing to ‘boycott’ McDonalds instead of boycotting measures that are tenfold more important.. Focusing their time on silly articles like this and perhaps not realizing that McDonalds' food is gross anyway.

followchrist

Sun Apr 13, 2008 4:30 pm
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In Corinthians 6:9, 10 tells us God says homosexual is a sin with lots of other things that are sins also in these verses. When any company moves to ok sinful things as ok with them, they go against God. I for one will stop going to McDonald's if they don't change on this. I say this in love for them. It is for their own good and ours too.

Slacker

Sun Apr 13, 2008 4:45 am
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"that is almost sadly immature. one should boycott Macdonald's because of its promotion of unhealthy eating or obesity or fried fatty foods... but just because its vp of communications sits on the board? And McDonald's shouldn't rectify anything, they should not be for or against any social issue aside from FOOD! "

It isn't just one man sitting on the board it is the VP of communications for Mcdonalds, sitting on the board, if he would have went to the board as a person off the street A: they wouldn't have put him on the board because he doesn't have enough cout and B: Mcdonalds wouldn't be backing his play (so to speak), but because he went as the VP of communications it is the same as McDonalds giving him the "thumbs Up". It would be the same as if I went as and employee of my company rather then a person off the street. This is the same reason that most companies have Spokesperson's, so that they can discount what anyone else says and back on one company "line". McDonalds is backing the play of their VP of communications by allowing him to sit on the Board as a Employee of Mcdonalds, so Yeah I believe a boycott is in order of McDonalds because it wouldn't be any different then if I boycotted starbucks because they wouldn't serve black people.

If Mcdonalds is willing to sacrifice the money they get from Christians for the Money they get from Gays more power to them, Christians make up quite a bit more of the population of this country then do Homosexuals, so if McD's is willing to loose money to prove a point, then so be it...

Slacker

Sun Apr 13, 2008 12:47 am
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To Seven

"i beleive that jesus would say , the greatest commandment is to love one another have you all forgot or you just dont know"

Just because I disagrees with another persons choice of lifestyle does not mean I hate them. I disagree with choices my wife makes, but that doesn't mean i hate her, you should learn the difference between disagreement and hatred...

1man

Fri Apr 11, 2008 6:46 pm
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I think that's his point, if you have to ask....Paul when dealing with a man caught in sexual sin derided the church's attitude toward him and gave commandment that he should be turned over to satan for the destruction of his flesh until he repented, no fellowship with the unrepentant believer.....shame on those who were puffed up......I think he means that we should do what the bible says and not support a company that aligns itself with an anti-christ message by loving it enough to let it know that it is wrong.