Today it is so common to see people boycotting companies for various reasons. Either they are doing something that the person does not like, or the company is NOT doing something that the person likes. You can not make everyone happy all the time. Some companies will vary their policies based on public opinion, and others will hold firm with their beliefs no matter what public opinion says.
The following post from 2013 came up in my memories today. There had been lots of debate over boycotting two companies. I had seen arguments on both sides. Both sides were getting very heated, and if you went to one or the other, some were praising or condemning your actions. I wrote this post to share that each person must choose for themselves. who they support with their money. It is not up to us to decide for other people. You can present the facts, but each person must decided for themselves. We are commanded by God to “love one another”…not just if they agree with us.
After seeing much debate over coffee this week, I thought I might add my 2 cents. (if you don’t want my 2 cents, then just skip over an don’t read)…
I think that boycotting a company simply because they support something that I don’t agree with is silly. I am sure I don’t agree with something in almost any company (even Christian book stores). However, if a company boldly states that they do not want to serve or take money from people like me (those who support traditional marriage), then that is where I would draw the line. They are going out of their way to tell me that they do not want my money. I posted the link the other day, without comment, so that people can make their own informed decision. It seems that Starbucks has good coffee and the debates have upset many people that they are being “attacked”, and others are boycotting them. (It is hard to boycott a company that I already have no desire to visit, since I do not drink coffee.) My personal opinion is that if a company boldly claims to not want my money, then they should not get my money.
On the other hand, Chick-fil-A was aggressively attacked by people who do not agree with them for answering a question that the answer was very already well know. They also made a point that to state that they welcome serving people who do not agree with them. In that case, I will go out of my way to support such a business that does not waiver its principles just to keep customers who do not agree with them.
Bottom line is that everyone makes decisions on who to support with their money and who not to support for whatever reason. For example, I personally will not buy bakery bread from Giant any more after finding a roach baked inside a loaf of french bread. If you still want to buy bread from Giant, go ahead and buy bread from Giant. I bought bread from there for many year. I will not think less of you for buying bread there. I am sure that the roach in my bread was an isolated instance, and that they take precautions to ensure that their factory is pest free…but they will not have my bread money. Making an informed decision is up to each person. I have many friends that I do not agree with on bigger issues than where to buy coffee, chicken or bread. We make choices every day. If you still drink Starbucks, or hate Chick-fil-A, or buy bread from Giant, I will still be your friend and treat you just the same.
Just a quick search on my phone brought up 19 times that God tells us to “love one another” in the New Testament. That is 19 times without conditions.
These things I command you, that ye love one another. John 15:17