From Colossians Remixed:
Every time we step into a Wal-Mart or Niketown or Gap or Winners and exclaim over the great deal we get on an article of clothing, or how trendy we now look, we've made sweatshop workers our slaves. Every time we buy coffee that isn't shade grown and fairly traded, we've made those coffee producers and their children into our slaves. Every time we have purchased a product - any product - that says Made in China, or Indonesia, or the Philippines, or Sri Lanka, it is pretty likely that we have made someone our slave...The truth is we have many choices...Our point is that when there are options available - whether various consumer choices or lobbying - to decide to do nothing is itself a choice. The Gospels call it the wide and easy path. But we can choose another path. There are ways to proclaim and enact Paul's word of release to slaves, women and children.
Thanks for posting this, Darryl. Very poignant for me today.
I guess if we were all made aware of the origins of the goods we buy, we could make more educated choices.
I have to tell you, however, that financial considerations carry a lot of weight. I refuse to buy Nike's because of the high prices as much as who makes them. BUT, it is hard to turn away from a pair of running shoes from Wal-Mart that only cost less than $50.
Have you ever tried to buy a "Made in Canada" T-shirt lately? I have..... I couldn't find a store in my area that had any.
A story in the news recently about Canadian Flag lapel pins points out that even the Government buys Chinese made goods, -- not that I think that is a good practice, mind you. As a matter of fact, even the "official" Canadian Flag I received from Ms. Copps had a "Made in China" label. Go figure....
This is hard...is this really the wide and easy path that leads to destruction Jesus was talking about? I don't want to miss a good point trying to be made here, but there seems to be a weight attached to this that can lead to a certain type of bondage...does this apply to where I buy gas too? It would seem to make sense. How about where we vacation? Where does it stop? We live in a sinful world, are we not going to find injustice of some kind in every organization in this world (even in Christian ones)? Is it just between choosing between better and worst evils? Worst of all, I'm afraid this can (I'm not saying it's the intent here or that it does for everyone) but it can lead to making me feel better than others because I don't do what they do, while,potentially (not necessarily) not impacting the world I live in.
You're right, this can become a new type of legalism. Most of us are nowhere near that danger, though. This isn't even on our radar, and I think this type of statement helps us think through something we might have neglected.
I said to Charlene last night that all my objections to their statement are similar to the ones that slave owners would have used, mainly about being realistic and accepting that we don't live in a perfect world, where will it end, etc.
Vacations and the rest of life? Yes, I think this would have an effect.
Thanks for posting this. It was good for me to read. I just went out and bought the book. I am looking forward to it.