The Thin Edge

In our recent trip to visit friends and family in the United States, we found ourselves neck-deep in a heated conversation about whether Christians should patronize businesses that support equal rights for gays and lesbians in the marketplace. Particular emphasis was placed on Wal-Mart’s decision to join the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce several years ago. My friends also refuse to purchase automobiles from Ford Motor Company and gasoline from Texaco because those companies have adopted policies that certain right-wing Christian organizations have deemed a threat to traditional Judeo-Christian family values. They receive irregular “Action Alerts” from the American Family Association (AFA), giving them advice on who to boycott and how to bring economic pressures to get such companies to change their ways.

One such alert was titled “General Motors Supports the Gay Agenda” based on GM’s decision to advertise Cadillac automobiles in publications aimed at a homosexual audience and their advertising sponsorship of a film on the gay television channel LOGO. Don Wildmon, Founder and Chairman of AFA, encouraged two things in his alert: (1) sign AFA’s online petition to be forwarded to General Motors, and (2) send AFA a donation “if you think our efforts are worthy.” It seems to me that the AFA might have a vested interest in the proliferation of these “alerts” if it’s putting money in their bank accounts.

I have never supported the concept of Christian boycotts and petitions. My reason centers primarily on Paul’s apostolic directives to the church in Corinth:

I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.” (1 Corinthians 5:9–13, ESV)

Paul is clarifying his previous letter to these Corinthian believers. He had instructed them to shun those whose lifestyles could be described as “sexually immoral” but he was talking about fellow Christians, not those who make no claims to follow Jesus. Basically, if we refuse to associate with the sort of people he describes—sexually immoral, greedy, swindlers, idolaters—then we would have to leave this world! The apostle goes on to ask the rhetorical question, “For what have I to do with judging outsiders?” He’s not asking for information, but rather strongly stating the obvious; and then he boldly declares that God alone is judge of those outside our circle of Christian fellowship. We have no business judging them!

The Christian activist movement can only operate when an environment of fear can be created and maintained. We already look stupid enough without telling our non-Christian friends that we can’t meet them for coffee at Starbucks, or shop at Wal-Mart, or buy our gasoline at Texaco, or engage in free enterprise with dozens of other corporations on the hit list of some watchdog “ministry” that stands to gain from stirring up dirt on anyone they can. Don’t get sucked into the spiral of scare-mongering that will distract you from living the Christian life among those who don’t know Jesus Christ. Walk with Him and associate with sinners, just like He did.