Where Would Jesus Shop?
Seems Pastor Joe Phelps of Louisville, Kentucky is urging everyone to boycott Wal-Mart because they aren't acting right when it comes to healthcare, among other concerns. (And if I remember correctly, the New Testament guarantees affordable healthcare to everyone.) Joe is part of the Wake Up Wal-Mart group that urges people to waste their energy fighting the One True Beast. I hear you can buy a few items for $6.66 at Wal-Mart too. Joe's brief message is below.
And now, in the interest of equal time, a word from Jesus:
Back in the day, I frequented whatever market was closest to the crib. There was this one, Cornelius and Jonah's Discount Emporium, which was just around the corner from where the disciples and me were hangin' in Capernaum, and it was rumored to have really poor manager/employee relations as well as being a blatant polluter of the wells in the south of town. But what could we do? C&J's had the best prices, they were open all night (except on the Sabbath) they had humble roots and a market presence that simply trumped everyone else. Sure, some Mom and Pop shops got the shaft, but when you need olive oil and a grail at 3AM, where are you gonna go?
All that to say, with all respect to Pastor Joe Phelps (whom I met at a Vacation Bible School when he was a youngster and haven't seen or heard from since) I think to deny your congregation quality at an affordable price is to be a Pharisee and a hypocrite. (I hear from the Phelps kids that the child labor laws in the Phelps home aren't so hot either.)
Maybe Pastor Joe is running for the Kentucky State House soon? I appreciate his looking out for the "least of these" and attempting to "do unto others as we would have them do unto us" but Joe, my man, the poor single mother from the seedy side of Louisville deeply appreciates Wal-Mart's ability to help her put a few small gifts under the shabby Christmas tree for her kids.
You want to make a difference and help kids and poor folks? Louisville needs you, Joe. Healthcare and China's child labor laws are not your problem right now.
Labels: Joe phelps, kentucky baptists, Wal-Mart
Sent into orbit at
10:55 AM
5 Comments:
Amen Brah... I'm right with you on this one.
By
Bill Graber, at December 17, 2006 at 1:07 PM
Speaking from the other side of the pond, I get confused by issues like this. If every shopper's main priority is low prices then the catch is that somewhere down the line someone will be exploited. If you criticise this type of capitalism, then you'd better be squeaky clean yourself.
And applying religious arguments to shopping... I just can't understand how that would ever work.
I'm going to lie down now. My head hurts.
By
SchizoFishNChimps, at December 18, 2006 at 11:40 AM
Ever noticed how broadcast graphics can be decidedly political looking? Looks like they were designed in Microsoft Word. With that big horsey dropshadow. Reminds me of QuarkXpress from about 1995. And can't they get a couple new fonts? Some nice geometric stuff like Avenir or Century Gothic? Plus that fuzzy red keyline is pretty uninspired.
Someone oughta turn these guys onto a place like Imaginary Forces or Digital Kitchen.
By
James-H, at December 20, 2006 at 2:09 PM
I'll make this short and sweet. One of the reasons people think this is a silly attempt to get a mega corporation to make changes in their company policies is that Pasotr Joe is taking about something other than sex or politics. Most Christians don't think about the social implications of the practices of the people they do business with.
By
Sister George, at December 21, 2006 at 4:09 AM
Georgianna:
The reason this raises eyebrows (and snickers) is because it can never work. And it hurts the people that Christians should be concerned about.
If we investigated the policies of every company with which we did business, we'd boycott everything. The only way around this is to become Amish-like in your market-dealings. And even then, I've seen Mennonites at Wal-Mart.
Pastor Joe's passions can be better directed elsewhere is all I'm saying. This seems like a waste of time and resources.
I suspect you are one of the many who've reached this site searching the term "Pastor Joe Phelps," and since your blogger profile is set to "private" and your comment begins with a qualifier that suggests you disagree with this post, I'd like you to please convey the following to Pastor Joe: You're on the right track with the social justice thing. It sure beats other arenas Christians have stumbled into. But Wal-Mart is not the enemy. That's too easy a target (Ha - get it - Target.)
By
RFB, at December 21, 2006 at 8:32 AM
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