Target Announces Support of Same-Sex Marriage

Yet another business has caved to the ever-increasing pressure to support same-sex marriage. Target department stores, which up to this point hasn’t stated its position on the issue of homosexual behavior, announced earlier this month that it supports gay marriage. Of course, Target is a secular company that has never claimed to base its thinking on God’s Word so they obviously develop their company worldview based on their own reasoning.

In an article from Time, Target’s Executive Vice President Jodee Kozlak explained,

This position is particularly challenging for a large organization that operates nationally, such as Target. . . . Current laws—in places like Wisconsin and Indiana that are addressed in this brief—make it difficult to attract and retain talent . . . We believe that everyone—all of our team members and our guests—deserve to be treated equally. And at Target we are proud to support the LGBT community.

Now, I’ve written many times before that there’s a fierce war going on in our culture, and Target’s affirmation of same-sex behavior is just another sign of our Western culture’s overall decline away from a more Christian worldview that once permeated societies. Target’s decision is not surprising as we see more and more people who have exchanged the truth of God’s Word for a lie (Romans 1:25).

Of course, it’s important to note that there is no neutrality when it comes to such issues. Either you begin with God and his Word as your absolute authority or you begin with man and his ever-changing opinions. Those who have man’s fallible opinions as their starting point and demand tolerance for their worldview are actually being intolerant of those who have God’s perfect Word as their starting point. By supporting same-sex marriage, what Target doesn’t realize is that, rather than being neutral, it is actually taking a stand against Christians who believe the truth of God’s Word and that true marriage is only between one man and one woman.

And Target is not the only organization that’s been taking sides on sexual morality recently. Radio Shack, according to the American Family Association, released two television ads “designed to portray young boys engaging in sexual situations”—all as a way of promoting the company’s new electronics insurance plan, the name of which includes an implied expletive.

Sadly, this kind of perverse sexual humor and immorality is rampant in our culture—even among some Christians! Secular businesses like Target are just that—secular companies.  So it’s not surprising to see a company like this (and this is just one among many) that will change its views according to the changing cultural climate concerning the issue of gay marriage. Of course, God’s Word does not change—but secular companies don’t build their worldview on God’s Word. Because man’s word does change, those who build their thinking on that foundation will continue to change and so will societal attitudes. It’s a reminder of this verse:

In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. (Judges 21:25)

This is why it is so important to be salt and light in a culture that embraces sinful behavior (Matthew 5:13–16). As our nation continues to openly embrace sinful behavior, this kind of acceptance of immorality (as the norm) will only increase. The only thing that will stop this rapid decline is the regenerating power in the hearts of people of the gospel of Jesus Christ. As believers, we need to stand boldly against this erosion of scriptural authority and proclaim the truth of God’s Word and the gospel to a declining church and culture.

Now, it’s not that we are to go out and try to change the culture! God’s Word says that we should preach the gospel and make disciples. It’s hearts and minds that will change a culture. As more and more people build their thinking on the rock of God’s Word, then their “salt” will have a positive affect on the culture as a whole. But if more  people build their thinking on the shifting sands of man’s word (fallible human opinion), the contamination will spread further and the culture will be increasing hostile to the things of God.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,

Ken

This item was written with the assistance of AiG’s research team.