A family-owned Christian grocery chain’s religious and political message in a weekly circular for stores in Arkansas and Louisiana has some people leveling charges of racism and bigotry and others defending it as constitutionally protected free speech. “Heaven has a wall, a gate and a strict immigration policy,” the Mac’s Fresh Market ad said. “Hell has open borders. Let that sink in.”
All hell broke loose, in a manner of speaking. Some people pledged to never spend another dime at the Southern grocery chain. Others praised chain owner Reggy McDaniel and they’ll never shop anywhere else.
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Patch reached out to McDaniel, who did not immediately return a voicemail message asking for comment. But McDaniel told other media that he is unapologetic and doesn’t plan to stop putting similar messages in his ads.
“If I used a political message, and I’m very aware it’s political, to highlight Jesus Christ, then I’m guilty of it,” McDaniel told news station KALB in Alexandria, Louisiana. He said he was prepared for some of the backlash, but not the accusations of racism.
“That’s my meaning of the whole thing is are people prepared to go to heaven or are they not,” McDaniel said. “I thought it was a perfect time because everybody is talking about the border, some people want it, some don’t want us to have one.
“The only thing I was shocked about was that it’s racist. I have never in my life been accused of being a racist. I’m 70 years old; I haven’t evolved into one.”
Mac’s Fresh Market goes by various names in its three-state area, which also includes Mississippi. Jack Digby, the manager at Mac’s Cash Saver in Camden, Arkansas, told Little Rock television station KARK that he stands behind McDaniel and his right to place whatever ad he chooses.
“They’re just making a political spin out of it and getting the wrong idea of what it really means,” he said “I am for this company and I am for God. There’s nothing wrong with what that statement says.”
McDaniel said that in America, people “have the privilege of shopping where they want to,” but he appreciates customers’ business.
Benjamin Joyner, one of McDaniel’s defenders, said on Facebook that no hate was implied in the grocer’s message and the facts of the “law of the land” have been twisted.
“The gates and wall of heaven are the Blood of Jesus Christ,” Joyner wrote. “No one enters there illegally, except according to His Law, by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord.”
He went on to say “a wall along our southern border should bear the same, barring those who would enter illegally our country, and allowing all who would enter legally according to the Law of the Land.”
But not all people who identify as Christians agreed with McDaniel.
“I always find it funny that mere mortals have such an amazing understanding of how Heaven works,” Facebook user Brian Morgan “I consider myself to be a Christian too, but if I’m going to make a statement about Heaven, it would be to say that it has no immigration policy as you state, because the definition of immigration is when a person or persons move from one place to another because of better opportunities. So your statement is false because we do not make the decision to go to Heaven. It is, as most believe, a reward for being faithful and living a good life.”
Some people used the Bible to bash the message in the circular, including Facebook user Althea Joan, who quoted Leviticus 19:33-34 from a translation of the passage from The Message, an online app. It generally follows the words written in the King James Version of the Bible.
“When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them,” the post said. “The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt.”
“Last time I checked, love thy neighbor was a commandment,” Johnathon Ryan Carney wrote. “You must be a ‘cafeteria Christian.’ You only choose the rules in your faith that you want to believe in.”
Facebook user Pete Abbotsford said he will “never, ever” refer customers to Mac’s Fresh Market. “How about we build a wall around your store and protect people from your racism and fake religion,” he wrote. “You are what’s wrong with Louisiana.”
Others were more lighthearted. “Next time you visit heaven and hell, please send pictures,” Gilbert McCarthy wrote.
And Michael Walker spoke for the non-believers.
“People who believe in heaven and hell are delusional,” he wrote. “People who use heaven and hell for xenophobia are delusional and obnoxious.”
Here is one of the Facebook posts shwoing the message.
Photo via Shutterstock