Should CEO’s Keep Their Religious Convictions To Themselves?

Catches your eye, doesn’t it?

The article is from Business Week: (http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-07-26/god-and-gay-marriage-what-chick-fil-a-could-learn-from-marriott#r=read) and is titled: “God and Gay Marriage: What Chick-fil-A Can Learn From Marriott.”

It’s a good and interesting article and it definitely left me thinking. Here are two business owners, both have similar personal views but take totally different approaches when applying their beliefs to their businesses. Marriott opts to separate his personal beliefs from business, saying, “We have to take care of our people, regardless of their sexual orientation or anything else. We are an American Church. We have all the American values: the values of hard work, the values of integrity, the values of fairness and respect.”

Dan Carey (President of Chick-fil-A) recently made some controversial remarks “by saying he supports the ‘biblical definition of a family’ and believes Americans have a ‘prideful, arrogant attitude’ about gay marriage that risks ‘inviting God’s judgment on our nation.’” [Businessweek]

So what do we do? How do we act within our own businesses, workplaces, and towards others in general? In times like this, I think it is important to refer to the 10 Commandments and when in doubt, live by those. If we live by the Commandments, then the reality is we’re putting it in God’s hands. As an individual, you may not agree with how others are living their lives, but you are suppose to love them. In addition to reviewing the Commandments, it’s important to reference Mark 12 (below Exodus 20:1-21)

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From Exodus 20:1-21

And God spoke all these words:

¹⁸ When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance ¹⁹ and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.”

²⁰ Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”

²¹ The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.

From Mark 12:28-34

²⁸ One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

²⁹ “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.^{[e] 30} Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’^{[f] 31} The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[g] There is no commandment greater than these.”

³² “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. ³³ To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

³⁴ When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

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We’ve addressed this in a similar way before, God wants us to give him the glory. He wants us to share His word through the marketplace. We are suppose to be messengers. But messengers through judgement, discrimination or greed? No way. We all no that’s not what God and His kingdom are about! Let him be the only judge. Glorify Him and spread His message that way!