By James Parsons
M4L Guest Contributor
March 1, 2015
Every time I hear some right-winger cry in fear that Sharia Law has come to the US, I laugh. More often than not, the fear of Sharia Law comes from Christian Conservatives whose religious fanaticism make them quite devoted to Chick-fil-A. But, what these fanatics don’t realize is that Sharia Law isn’t a new concept in the US. It isn’t even a new practice at their beloved Chick-fil-A! You heard right….Sharia Law has long been practiced at Chick-fil-A since Truett Cathy first opened The Dwarf Grill back in 1946. I don’t make these accusations as a simple consumer of chicken sandwiches and chicken nuggets. I boldly announce, as a former award-winning Chick-fil-A Operator, that Sharia Law is practiced at Chick-fil-A. So, I come from the inside to let you know, Sharia is alive and well at your friendly neighborhood Chick-fil-A!
But, what is Sharia Law? In the most general sense, Sharia means a moral code and religious law one holds within their respective religious understanding. As Truett Cathy used to tell all us Operators, “After I opened the Dwarf Grill, we stayed open 24 hours to serve all the Delta workers working all around the clock. But, when Saturday came around I decided I would close down on Sunday…and I have never wavered from that decision and Chick-fil-A will never waver in the future.” So, from Truetts first Sunday of business until today, Chick-fil-A has implemented Truetts personal Sharia as a guide for business; closed on Sundays.
Not only does Chick-fil-A implement their own Sharia, but they also cater to other people’s Sharia. “Say it ain’t so, James?” Within the Christian faith, there is a particular sect call Apolistic faith. One of the most visible signs of an Apolistic believer comes from women wearing long skirts and keeping long hair. When hiring someone from the Apolistic faith, does Chick-fil-A enforce their own religious perspective that women can wear pants since Truett’s faith doesn’t demand such a Sharia to wear long skirts? Of course not. Chick-fil-A caters to the Apolistic faith by offering a uniform which includes long skirts. It’s a rather nice and polite accommodation.
It’s with this understanding that I laugh everytime I hear some right-winger proclaim Sharia has come to America; because all religious people live under their own Sharia and implement it in accordance to their own jurisprudence. This isn’t a new idea. But when a Muslim girl asks that Burger King accept her particular Sharia to wear a hijab while working there, the conservative blogosphere blows up with accusations that Sharia Law has entered the United States. Or, we see our Facebook page blow up with accusations of Sharia Law when a Mosque has requested that all female Junior High students must wear a hijab if they are to enter into that Mosque during a school field trip.
Sharia Law isn’t going to over take our lives in the same way an Apolistic believer isn’t going to implement a rule to make all females wear skirts because Chick-fil-A is accommodating with their uniform requirements. It just doesn’t make any sense… but this is what the right-wingers want us to believe. This is simply a teenage girl asking that her religious perspective be lived out while making some cash; OR, a religious institution asking that Junior High students be respectful when entering into their religious institution. And just like Chick-fil-A, our Sharia as Christians should demand us to cater to the need of other Sharia Laws out of respect. This isn’t a new idea. But, ignorance has made this simple concept something to be feared; and a way to make Muslims an enemy to our Faith instead of a partner to our hospitality.
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