There has been a lot of attention on chicken sandwiches and marriages. More importantly, owners of a large chicken franchise that utilizes its profits to support political causes they desire to support and whose views they endorse. It seems to have come to a shock to some that your money may be used to support causes or views which you may not endorse. Call it the law of unintended consequences, but Dollar Almighty does have a way of going in directions many would like for it not to go.
My question? How many marriages have a chicken sandwich purchase saved?
It is truly ironic in the fullest sense when the leading group with divorces (Evangelical conservative "Christians"), is full of defense and bluster about defending the "sanctity of marriage." Something Jesus said comes to mind... something about specks and logs... I can't remember...
Another question. If marriage needs to be "protected," why have I not heard a word about a statewide divorce ban? Many divorces are filed as "no-fault." Should it not be made more difficult to walk out of such a serious commitment?
Please do not misunderstand me. People who are in destructive relationships and are in life-threatening circumstances should not be required to remain with a destructive or dangerous person. Domestic violence is real, and should never tolerated.
A larger issue than marriage is here. I would call it "bumper sticker" causes. "We Support Our Troops." "I love my country, but do not trust my government." And the list could continue. You encounter them literally on the road, in windows. It is usually a pointed one-liner that puts in stark terms a complex issue into a simple punch line.
It is easy to put a sticker espousing patriotism on a personal car. It is more difficult to visit a Veterans Administration Hospital to see the actual victims of foreign policy and international war. And unfortunately there is a pattern of overwhelmed, understaffed, and underfunded treatment of returning "heroes" throughout the VA system.
It is easy to show up at a popular fast food place to stand for "marriage." It is more difficult to sustain a long term relationship with someone who is unwilling to keep it.
Our society and culture loves a quick and easy fix. Our world thrives on get it now, get it quick, get it done solutions. The problem with this get-it-quick solutions is that they rarely satisfy in the long term. Besides, if the problem was truly simple, it would be simply solved. My experience with relationships between human beings is that things are always more complicated than they seem. It is easier to forward an e-mail that says you love Jesus, God, country, candidate, but it is more difficult to actually live it.
And that is where I always try to live my beliefs and values. Not on the back of my car. Nor on a shirt sleeve or through my wallet. But from within my heart, informing my life and its work.
There will always be things to get angry about. And anger is not wrong, it's an emotion. But emotions tend to go somewhere. Too many people are angry about the wrong things. A bad referee call, slow restaurant service, long lines. I have noticed in life that those who rarely get bothered by such fleeting events are those fully alive and involved in fighting true injustices in our society and world: hunger, homelessness, addictions.
I hope whatever meaningful relationship you are in, it takes more than buying a chicken sandwich to defend.
