Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. (Ecclesiastes 11:1)
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. (Luke 6:38)
Charity and Philanthropy are always an expression of free speech and sometimes an expression of freedom of religion. As such, they are protected under the First Amendment. No person or organization should ever be challenged by another person or organization for the exercise of their First Amendment rights as long as it does no harm to civil society. You may not agree with their charity or philanthropy but it is their money and they may distribute it as they see fit. After all, millions of veterans have died to protect their right to choose and their First Amendment rights.
Perhaps this is the wisdom in the Savior’s injunction in the Sermon on the Mount when He said, “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1) Anonymity in charity and philanthropy always reaps a greater reward.
The Wall Street Journal and the electronic news media have been reporting that “Chick-fil-A, Inc. said it would limit its focus on charitable giving starting next year [2020] to education, homelessness and hunger, following criticism of donations to groups that had a history of opposing same-sex marriage or were criticized as anti-gay for other reasons.”
It is the Patriot Pen’s position that individual and organizations should be free to exercise their charitable giving according to their beliefs be they Christian or otherwise. Groups who object need to remember there is no requirement for them to give any thing at all. An individual or organization can be tolerant of opposing beliefs while only giving financial support to organizations that would use their benevolence as they deem appropriate. Further, Chic-fil-A nor any other individual or organization should ever be called to accounts for ceasing donations to a group that has changed their belief position from that of the donor.
Christians, who support traditional marriage of one man and one woman, have as much right to support organizations that agree with them as the LBGTQ community has to give to organizations that support same-sex unions. Those who support pro-life have no obligation to support Planned Parenthood or other pro-choice organizations and vice-versa. Nor is their any requirement for Republicans or Democrats to support the opposite political philosophy or opposing candidates against their personal wishes. In all these choices an individual or organization should be left to their own conscience and personal beliefs. As stated above, millions have died to preserve this right to them.
May God Bless and Save the United States of America —
Our Constitutional Republic !
