Boycott This!
Posted by Shelli Altopp Miller at 11/17/2009 7:57 PM 
Categories: Holidays, Shelli Altopp Miller
Tags: holidays spirituality seasons
Categories: Holidays, Shelli Altopp Miller
Tags: holidays spirituality seasons
Someone forwarded an email to me urging me to boycott Gap, Old Navy, and Banana Republic during the months of November and December. The email originated from the American Family Association (check out http://action.afa.net/ for more information). Apparently these businesses are on the naughty list for watering down the reason for the season. The AFA website stated this boycott is "part of our ongoing campaign to encourage businesses, communities, and individuals to put Christ back into Christmas".
My sister-in-law, the priest, also received the email. Her response was, in a nutshell, that a culture of consumerism has never been considered Christian. I ask, "Why hold businesses to a Christian standard?" A business may employ Christians but the business itself is not Christian. Businesses exist to make money.
My husband said, "The reality is that Christmas is for Christians"; December 25th is the day Christians celebrate Christ's birth. Christians celebrate many different ways but in the United States, it's pretty much expected that there will be lots of spending involved. I tell my own kids the reason we give each other gifts is twofold. First, we give because Christ gave the ultimate gift to us - his life. Second, we give because we imitate the wise men who gave gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the Christ child. In essence, December 25th is a birthday celebration where we all get cool party favors. And businesses love us for it. They also love everyone else who jumps on the emotional bandwagon fueled by snazzy music, colorful lights, pretty wrapping, festive foods and drinks, parties, chubby people in red velvet suits, and the scents of evergreen, cinnamon, and gingerbread. Businesses do everything in their power to evoke the warm fuzzies that ply open our purses and let the cash flow freely and the credit even further.
Christmas is for everybody - everybody who wants to participate. Christ's message was and always will be all-inclusive. This is why I have a problem with the AFA boycott: It's divisive. I'm boycotting divisiveness indefinitely. On AFA's website, one person commented that instead of boycotting, Christians should visit those stores every day and wish the employees a Merry Christmas. Now that's the spirit!!
My sister-in-law, the priest, also received the email. Her response was, in a nutshell, that a culture of consumerism has never been considered Christian. I ask, "Why hold businesses to a Christian standard?" A business may employ Christians but the business itself is not Christian. Businesses exist to make money.
My husband said, "The reality is that Christmas is for Christians"; December 25th is the day Christians celebrate Christ's birth. Christians celebrate many different ways but in the United States, it's pretty much expected that there will be lots of spending involved. I tell my own kids the reason we give each other gifts is twofold. First, we give because Christ gave the ultimate gift to us - his life. Second, we give because we imitate the wise men who gave gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the Christ child. In essence, December 25th is a birthday celebration where we all get cool party favors. And businesses love us for it. They also love everyone else who jumps on the emotional bandwagon fueled by snazzy music, colorful lights, pretty wrapping, festive foods and drinks, parties, chubby people in red velvet suits, and the scents of evergreen, cinnamon, and gingerbread. Businesses do everything in their power to evoke the warm fuzzies that ply open our purses and let the cash flow freely and the credit even further.
Christmas is for everybody - everybody who wants to participate. Christ's message was and always will be all-inclusive. This is why I have a problem with the AFA boycott: It's divisive. I'm boycotting divisiveness indefinitely. On AFA's website, one person commented that instead of boycotting, Christians should visit those stores every day and wish the employees a Merry Christmas. Now that's the spirit!!
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