FRC Urges Retailers to Resist Pressure to Discriminate Against Customers With Traditional, Biblical View of Marriage

News provided by

Aug 24, 2011, 12:25 ET

WASHINGTON, Aug. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In recent weeks, online political activists have engaged in a misinformation campaign that seeks to bully retailers such as Walgreens, Petco, and Netflix into discriminating against customers and charities based on their religious beliefs, specifically the traditional and biblical view of marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080930/FRCLOGO)

The online activists are targeting CGBG, a charity support group with a mission and partner network that includes more than 170,000 charities representing a range of religious, non-religious, educational and other groups. The online service helps users support their favorite charities by shopping on the web; a portion of every online purchase is designated for a charity of the buyer's choice. Online activists opposed to a traditional and biblical view of marriage have pressured retailers to end their participation with the charity support group. In response, FRC is urging its supporters to contact these retailers urging that they resist pressure to discriminate against customers with a traditional, biblical view of marriage.

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins issued the following statement in response:

"Retailers should beware of online activists who spread misinformation to pressure retailers to discriminate against customers and charities with Judeo-Christian moral views, including marriage as the union of a man and a woman.

"In response, FRC is joining a coalition of Christian groups in urging retailers to remain neutral in the current cultural battles. This will enable them to focus on growing their enterprises instead of forcing consumers to make purchasing choices based on corporate political agendas. Faith-based consumers should not face discriminatory actions by retailers simply because they are exercising their freedom of religion.

"Those companies which are easily swayed by this small but vocal group of activists risk alienating not only millions of consumers but also shareholders, charities, and churches.

"We are asking people of faith to contact these retailers and respectfully request that these companies demonstrate their respect for the religious freedom of their customers by maintaining neutrality on cultural issues and ignoring the demands of these online political activists," concluded Perkins.

Go to www.frc.org/resistdiscrimination for more information on this campaign to protect faith-based customers from discrimination.

SOURCE Family Research Council