Apple's gay CEO slams Indiana's Religious Freedom Law, yet opens stores in Saudi Arabia
"As reported by CBS News on March 30, 2015, "Supporters say it protects a person or business owner from government persecution when following their religious beliefs. But opponents say the measure gives businesses a free pass to refuse gay and lesbian customers on religious grounds." (from article HERE)
[It does sound potentially ambiguous - leaving the possibility for misuse. But Indiana's new law is already an old federal law, and the same law already in effect in 21 other states.]
"high profile pro-LBGT advocates have slammed Pence and the Indiana legislature. One of the more prominent would be Apple CEO Tim Cook, who the Gawker.com news portal tagged in 2011 as "The Most Powerful Gay Man in America."
As reported by CBS, Cook took to the editorial pages of The Washington Post slam the RFRA as he believes it "goes against the very principles our nation was founded on." Not done yet, Cook also opined "On behalf of Apple, I'm standing up to oppose this new wave of legislation wherever it emerges. I'm writing in the hopes that many more will join this movement."
However, Cook made no mention of Apple Inc. expanding to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia last year. As reported by Arabian Business on Dec. 20, 2014, Apple opened two new stores in Riyadh and Al Khobar. According to Apple's official website, the corporation has well over 14 retail stores within the Kingdom, as well as numerous other stores the width and breadth of the Muslim World. A number of the same Muslim-majority nations also adhere to Islamic Shari'a law which clearly states homosexuality to be illegal.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia takes it a bit further. Saudi Arabia executes homosexuals. Publicly executing homosexuals isn't the only Shari'a compliant move taken in the oil rich nation. Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah, the powerful Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, declared in 2012 that it is "necessary to destroy all the [Christian] churches of the region." Not finished with calling for the death of homosexuals or bulldozing churches, the Sheikh also gave the official thumbs-up for 10-year-old girls to be married off against their will."
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It is hardly a news flash to point out the Saudi Arabia is no bastion of tolerance or freedom of expression. They are not "progressive" for the LGBT community. So if the Apple CEO is more than happy to make profits in a nation that decapitates and crucifies homosexuals, his angst against Indiana really isn't over supporting civil rights or gay rights. It would seem that it is more directed against Christian values. Because if he were concerned with far more oppressive laws on the same topics in the Muslim world, he would be altering Apple's business practices in Saudi Arabia. One could argue that Cook's hypocrisy stems from the belief that he holds sway over American public opinion and CAN influence laws in America, but that it would be pointless to try to influence Sharia law in Arabia. One could also argue that, if this were not directed at Christianity, Cook could at least publicly make a statement similar to my previous sentence (in italics.) Since to my knowledge, Cook makes no such statement, and only shows outrage against Indiana's Christians - and to my knowledge, Apple continues to expand business in the Muslim world - I must conclude that his primary concern is to weaken the influence of Christian values in America. Which is understandable - if one has a lifestyle the Bible condemns....
But my larger concern is not just on a prominent spokesman like Tim Cook. It is a pervasive trend in which American Christianity is under assault. Who would have expected Christian influences to be systematically removed from schools, courthouses, the military, and other institutions? It is slow and gradual - not as alarming as it would be if a dictator tried to accomplish it all overnight - so many people may not recognize it as fulfilling biblical end times prophecies. But Christianity is under assault, right now. It is more blatant in the Middle East; no one is beheaded and crucified in America for their Christian beliefs yet. But there is a systemic attack, while Christians as a whole seem to do very little to stand up for themselves. What should you be doing?