Patronize this.
I was leaving church yesterday, and driving home. As I turn the corner in downtown that leads to my straight shot out of downtown, a young man walks across the street. I think nothing of it, until I notice his shirt. Now this is a shirt I’ve seen before and thought not a lot about it, except when a girl wore one to class at the Baptist university I attend.
The shirt reads, “Legalize Gay.” Now when she wore it to class, I thought, she’s just trying to provoke someone, and that’s silly. I carried on in my day, and thought nothing more of it. Yesterday, however, I noticed this shirt, and I immediately thought of a graphic designer friend who would get a kick out of doing a parody shirt, “Legalize God.” I sent him a link from the website of the creators of the shirt, a company whose stance is to be activists for homosexual lifestyle and rights. This company also publishes their catalogues with semi-nude models of both genders, and provocative clothing items. The discussion I’m getting at here isn’t on gay rights or gay bashing. My thought is, do we patronize companies like this, as Christians?
Let me explain, because of course most Bible believing Christians would immediately think, I’m asking whether to by the shirt or not. This company doesn’t just make the shirt “Legalize Gay.” They’re responsible for a movement that is positive in the consumer industry in the United States. You see, they make their own clothing, from the fabric to the print to the packaging and distribution, all in the United States. Great for the economy, right? In fact, I am wearing a pair of undies designed by them right now. Ultra comfortable, lightweight, and soft.
I’ve been involved in churches where T-shirts we made/designed/distributed for certain events have been printed on their shirts. I know this church isn’t alone, and I’ve been to camps where the camp shirt was also printed on it. The reasoning, let’s make shirts that are comfortable and people will actually wear them. There is nothing I hate more than getting a camp/church event shirt that has a pretty cool print on it, or has a message I agree with, and it’s printed on a Hane’s Hefty-T. So big, not soft, and doesn’t fit well. Awful, I might as well have just skipped that whole week of camp, or not gone to the church event. AWFUL.
Conversely, my eyes light up, because I can see an American Apparel shirt from 30 feet away, and get excited, because I know, 1) I’m getting one. 2) It’s gonna caress my body like no other shirt will. 3) It’s gonna look cool while doing so.
The question is, and one I’m wrestling with right now, do we patronize businesses that we know are working against what we’re trying to do as a church. I’m wrestling with it because they make a dang good product. It’s a bit more expensive, but quality is everything in a consumer driven society, and thus my expectations of other products are higher too.
I know there was a big debacle about Chicken Fil A. (Yes, I know it’s Chick-Fil-A, but I like to use the whole word Chicken.) I won’t get into that, but Christians everywhere came in droves to support a business that supported their values.
Immediately some will say, “We GOTTA support CHRISTIAN BUSINESSES!” I agree, if they’re proclaiming the word of God, great go for it, support them. But let’s be sure our hearts in the right place.
On the other hand, do we shun the companies that make great products because it would be counter-productive for our causes? What about Hollister, or Abercrombie & Fitch, whose presence in current teen/young adult fashion is undeniable? Their ads and catalogs are filled with semi-pornographic images as well. But teens in churches wear their items daily.
I don’t have the answer, or the suggestion for the answer. Again, I’m still wrestling with it. I buy their undies, and enjoy the heck outta there shirts. But this could be for any business, if you want it to be. This is where I need you to chime in. Tell me your thoughts, concerns, maybe pose an answer to the question.
I feel, however, that we’ll never nail this down completely.
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