OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — A local server was thanked for good service during a recent meal at an Overland Park restaurant, and also received an anti-gay message with no tip. KMBC 9 News found out about the incident on Facebook, where customers at the Carrabba’s Italian Grill at 106th Street and Metcalf Avenue are rallying to the server’s support. Here’s what happened: A server went to pick up a check from a meal, and found a message on the back of the bill. It read: “Thank you for your service, it was excellent. That being said, we cannot in good conscience tip you, for your homosexual lifestyle is an affront to God. May God have mercy on you.”
It may have been a long time since my Sunday School introduction. I may not believe in God, but even I know that Christianity is supposed to be about things like compassion, charity, and tolerance. Somewhere along the line, too many folks decided to interpret Christianity as a way to express their self-defined superiority over those whose lifestyle or beliefs they fear and/or despise. That so many so-called “Christians” are so fixated on homosexuality that they’re willing to treat homosexuals as second-class citizens betrays an epic hypocrisy and self-righteousness. It also displays an epic ignorance of the teachings of the Jesus Christ they profess to revere.
The most recent example of self-righteous hyper-religiosity comes at the expense of a waiter. The waiter’s sexuality has nothing to do with anything regarding the quality of food he served or the level of service he provided. The “tip” left for him reveals the capacity of those who claim to honor the teachings of Jesus Christ to engage in some truly un-Christian hatred and hypocrisy.
This isn’t meant to be an attempt to paint all Christians with the same brush, but I’m surprised that so many of those who actually endeavor to live Christ-like lives remain silent in the face of such misguided hypocrisy and un-Christian behavior. So many of those who try to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ do so with an admirable degree of quietude and diligence. They don’t work overtime attracting attention to their self-absorbed religiosity. They understand that works surpass faith as an indicator of the depth of their faith. What they too often don’t do is to call out those who use their faith as a club with which they bludgeon those whom they happen to hate and/or fear. What Would Jesus Do? Evidently, He’d remain silent in the face if virulent ignorance and homophobia.
To his credit, the waiter seemed content to consider the source of the hatred and discrimination directed at him. Sometimes it’s best to allow idiots to hoist themselves on their own petard. The waiter had the class and dignity to allow the actions of the haters to speak for themselves. He should be commended for his maturity and capacity for forgiveness…which is more than can be said for the “Christians” he served.
