Back in April, Wells Fargo introduced an ad campaign that featured the stories of a number of people preparing for new financial situations; to the company’s credit, one of the spots included a lesbian couple learning sign language before adopting a daughter with a hearing disability. It’s a sweet ad, understated and assured of the fact that two women and a child in need can make a home together.
Unfortunately, not everyone saw it that way. Franklin Graham, the son of evangelical diva Billy Graham who currently controls much of his ailing father’s organization and brand, announced in a Facebook post over the weekend that the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association will be divesting from the bank in protest of the ad. Additionally, he called on Christians who share his views to boycott all businesses “who promote sin and stand against Almighty God’s laws and His standards.” Here’s the post, which namechecks jeweler Tiffany & Co. as well, in full:
Have you ever asked yourself—how can we fight the tide of moral decay that is being crammed down our throats by big business, the media, and the gay & lesbian community? Every day it is something else! Tiffany’s started advertising wedding rings for gay couples. Wells Fargo bank is using a same-sex couple in their advertising. And there are more. But it has dawned on me that we don’t have to do business with them. At the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, we are moving our accounts from Wells Fargo to another bank. And guess what—we don’t have to shop at Tiffany & Co., there are plenty of other jewelry stores. This is one way we as Christians can speak out—we have the power of choice. Let’s just stop doing business with those who promote sin and stand against Almighty God’s laws and His standards. Maybe if enough of us do this, it will get their attention. Share this if you agree.
Though it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find a corporation that’s not at least paying lip service to LGBTQ equality, you’ve got to respect Graham’s commitment to his principles. I wouldn’t want to limit my purchases to Hobby Lobby, but then again, I wouldn’t make consumer decisions based on hate—a particularly nasty sort, when examined in contrast to the quiet dignity of the ad in question. I seem to remember a song that went “they’ll know we are Christians by our love” from my church-going days, but I guess that one is no longer popular. Too bad.
