MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — The new CEO of Mozilla has resigned from his post after an online dating company and other homosexual advocates threatened to boycott the company over a past donation in support of Biblical marriage.

Brandon Eich, co-founder of Mozilla and inventor of JavaScript, stepped down just two weeks after being promoted from his previous position as chief technology officer. Eich’s departure centered around backlash regarding a $1,000 donation to California’s Proposition 8 efforts in 2008. While the matter became public knowledge in 2012, homosexual advocates resurfaced the complaint last month after becoming aware of Eich’s promotion.

Eich responded by creating a blog post aimed at employees that “express[ed] … sorrow at having caused pain.” He vowed to work with “LGBT communities and allies, to listen and learn what does and doesn’t make Mozilla supportive and welcoming,” and reiterated the company’s “anti-discrimination policies.”

However, last week, the online dating site OkCupid joined those who expressed opposition to Eich’s appointment and called for a boycott of the Firefox browser, created by Mozilla.

“Mozilla’s new CEO, Brendan Eich, is an opponent of equal rights for gay couples,” it posted in a message to Firefox users. “We would therefore prefer that our users not use Mozilla software to access OkCupid.”

While he originally refused to resign under continued pressure from opponents, Eich announced on Thursday that he was stepping down from his post.

“I have decided to resign as CEO effective today, and leave Mozilla,” he said in a statement released by the company. “Our mission is bigger than any one of us, and under the present circumstances, I cannot be an effective leader. I will be taking time before I decide what to do next.”

Executive Chairwoman Mitchell Baker also released a statement where she inferred that the company disagreed with Eich’s position on marriage, and that officials should have addressed homosexual activists sooner.

“We know why people are hurt and angry, and they are right: it’s because we haven’t stayed true to ourselves,” she stated. “We didn’t act like you’d expect Mozilla to act. We didn’t move fast enough to engage with people once the controversy started. We’re sorry. We must do better.”

“Mozilla believes both in equality and freedom of speech. Equality is necessary for meaningful speech. And you need free speech to fight for equality,” she continued. “Figuring out how to stand for both at the same time can be hard.”

However, some are now expressing dismay over how Eich was treated, stating that those who speak of tolerance are actually the most intolerant.

“‘Tolerant’ does not mean ‘I am obliged to agree with you,'” one commenter wrote. “Gay activists demanding tolerance expect advocacy as proof of tolerance. This is the kind of societal browbeating that encourages the kind of zealotry we witnessed with this man. ‘Live and let live’ has been replaced by ‘I’ll destroy you if you don’t toe my intellectual line.'”

“Boycotting an entire company and threatening the livelihood of all of its employees because [you] disagree with a personal donation made by its CEO before he was ever hired is not tolerance,” another stated. “America are supposed to defend our right to disagree, not strive to bankrupt an entire group simply because of one individuals opinion. It is an attitude of zero tolerance from the same people hypocritically accusing this CEO of intolerance.”

Become a Christian News Network Supporter...

Dear Reader, has ChristianNews.net been of benefit and a blessing to you? For many years now, the Lord has seen fit to use this small news outlet as a strong influential resource in keeping Christians informed on current events from a Biblical worldview. With much compromise and many falsehoods in modern-day Christianity, we strive to bring you the news by keeping Christ and His word in focus. If you have benefited from our news coverage, please prayerfully consider becoming a Christian News supporter by clicking here to make a one-time or monthly donation to help keep the truth of God's word widely and freely published and distributed. May Christ continue to be exalted through this work!