Why I will Still Buy Apple
So, Tim Cook “came out of the closet” today. It was as open a closet as I’ve ever heard of. It has been pretty much public knowledge for years now that he is a homosexual. This is sad because a soul is involved and it is sad because the high profile nature of Cook will give more credence to the "normalization" of that which God calls "against nature." But I use Apple products and will continue to. Yet I already hear some of my friends at the pencil sharpener ready to vow to never use Apple products again. This bugs me for three reasons:
1. It underscores an attitude that IS in fact homophobic. Did I just say that? Before you unfriend me (by the way, “it doesn’t work like that”), let me explain. Sin is sin. Homosexuality is sin. But so is co-habitation, adultery, use of narcotics, drunkenness, profanity, abuse of others, belittling others, and using others for your personal profit. And while God does not judge on a scale - if He ever decided to the scales would be favorably tipped in Cook’s advance over Jobs. While Cook is a homosexual he is also a nice, giving, caring individual And Jobs - well - his cruelty, greed, refusal to give to ANYTHING, foul mouth and bullying are legendary. To NOW not buy an Apple product because Cook’s a bad guy shows more about YOU than him. It confirms or validates what some think of Christians: That we just don’t like homosexuals. We are called upon to love them. These people have souls. It is my mission not to judge them but to save them. And I find it easier to walk through open doors than closed ones.
2. It bugs me that just because Cook was "honest" about his lifestyle of sin does not mean that Microsoft, Dell, Gateway, etc are pure companies let by godly people. Sometimes boycotting a company works - most often it doesn't. More often than not the "picketers" end up giving amore of black eye to their position than aiding it. This is similar to the "guilt by association" game some wish to play. If we picket every organization that is involved in something we don't like we will end up hermit crabs. After my brother-in-law was killed by a drunk driver on his way back to Freed-Hardeman where he had decided to become a gospel preacher I decided I would not go anywhere that sold alcohol. So, I wouldn't go to restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations that sold alcohol. But why just that sin? What about those who sold tobacco products? My ability to buy gas was becoming practically impossible. And if I found such a mythical locale it would probably be run by someone of a religious nature. So...what beliefs did they have? Were they taking part of the money that I spent there and giving it to a church that taught a false gospel? How would I find out? And, even if they were Christians - what about the employees? Were they paying people with the money I spent there who would take "my" money and pay people who were living ungodly lives. And what about the vendors they bought their products from? I could go on, but I think you get the point. Cook was a homosexual before I bought my first Apple product - I didn't but it for that reason and if I stopped buying from them now I'm not sure where I'd get the next device to write articles and record videos with which I communicate eternal Truths. Small disclaimer here - boycotting can be more effective on a local level in a small town, but even then we should be careful about the message we communicate.
3. Because we are to be in the world not of the world. Paul put this better than I could: “I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world” (1Co 5:9-10). It should not shock us when sinners act like sinners. We will have, in fact, MUST have interaction with sinners - if for nothing else to have an opportunity to impact them.