Chik-Fil-A . . . A Cult By Pure Definition

Jeebus!  These people are just downright creepy - and scary:
 

The fast-food purveyor seeks loyal employees and operators who believe serving chicken is God's work. Careful screening of new hires keeps it out of trouble.

 "We tell applicants, 'If you don't intend to be here for life, you needn't apply,'" says Cathy, who opened his first restaurant in 1946.That's not the only company mandate. Chick-fil-A's corporate mission, as stated on a plaque at company headquarters (and by Cathy), is to "glorify God." It is the only national fast-food chain that closes on Sunday so operators can go to church and spend time with their families; franchisees who don't go along with the rule risk having their contracts terminated. Company meetings and retreats include prayers, and the company encourages franchisees to market their restaurants through church groups.

The Forbes article goes into much more depth on the pious business activities of these people:

http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2007/0723/080.html


After reading that article -- tell me it isn't a cult based on the standard dictionary definition:

cult

noun, often attributive \ˈkəlt\

Definition of CULT

1  : formal religious veneration : worship

 

2  : a system of religious beliefs and ritual; also : its body of adherents 

3  : a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also : its body of adherents 

4  : a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator <health cults>

 

5  a : great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book); especially : such devotion regarded as a literary or intellectual fad b : the object of such devotion c : a usually small group of people characterized by such devotion

Frankly, The Gadfly could care less whether the CEO and his brain-washed offspring have a hateful, biblical world view when it comes to gay people - they certainly have a right to their views as defined in our constitution.  The Gadfly, however, most certainly cares that they are using their economic might to proselytize their employees and demand obeisance to a perverse version of their own Dark Ages religious beliefs.

And since by all accounts, that is exactly what they are doing, it is only fair then that those of us who wholly disagree with them have the right to criticize them publicly and organize boycotts of their products accordingly.  It really is no different than the original Tea Partiers of the 1770's Boston boycotting tea imported from The East India Tea Company and eventually driving that company out of business by refusing their product.

You see - if there is one concept that these religio-whacko people always fail to grasp -- it is that this freedom of speech and freedom of religion stuff, which is enshrined in OUR constitution (much to the fundamentalist nut's chagrin I'm sure), is a two-way street.


----TFG