- The largest employer in the country would go out of business leaving people who are willing to work out of a job including some people who may not be qualified to do anything else.
- Those who work there for a part time income would not be able to maintain the standard of living they currently have.
- People across the united states would have to pay more for the products they buy causing them to have a lower standard of living, including those who make minimum wage as it is.
- Those who depend on Walmart for an income including those working the cash registers and stocking the shelves would be left to depend on welfare or some other social program to survive. That would do wonders for their self-esteem and desire to work.
- Certainly the government would have to come up with some kind of new program to support former Walmart employees.
- Walmart might be coerced into providing health insurance and paying more to their employees meaning they would have to raise prices on their products. Of course that means the employees they just gave a raise to would have to pay more for the products they buy. Probably lowering their standard of living because Walmart would also have to pay for their health insurance instead of paying the employee that money.
Since when did health insurance become a right? I don't have health insurance, it's a scam anyway. I am so sick of hearing people whine and cry foul because the company they work for doesn't' give them health insurance. Work for a different company or shut up!! You don't have a "right" to health insurance and you don't have a "right" to be wealthy.
Jesus would shop at Walmart because the people there need to be employed. They need money to survive. Jesus would shop there because the people working there are not doing anything unethical. Jesus would shop there because he is more concerned about their spiritual health then their physical or financial health. He might even heal people while shopping. Jesus would shop there because it is more difficult for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven then for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. Of course all things are possible with God.
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8 comments:
I am a pragmatist when it comes to these issues. And I am not about to get my identity from a boycott of anythng. However, you left out some important considerations about trans-national corporations, justice and the call to care for creation.
In fact your post has got it wrong (as does the slogan of the group you are taking to task). The question is not "whose side is Jesus on?" The the question in scripture is: "Is Walmart on Jesus side?"
My guess is walmart doesn't care about the gospel as a transnational corporation. They do not give to the church. They do not preach the gospel. They do not seek justice and pursue righteousness.
So why do you as a church planter care about Walmart? You are called to reach people, walmart haters and lovers. Not divide over the issue of Walmart love or hate.
This is the wrong hill to stake a claim on, let alone die on.
grace and peace,
Shel
While I have tremendous respect for the wonderful employees who work at Wal-Mart, the chain's corporate policies are not at all friendly to employees. It's been known for being one of the worst places to work. Among other things, Wal-Mart has a policy of hiring mostly part-time employees to avoid having to provide any fringe benefits (not that health-care is a right, but it's nice for companies to provide health insurance if they can).
In addition, Wal-Mart's policy of importing practically all of its merchandise from China is anti-humanitarian, anti-American, and even anti-Christian. Many products that come from China are produced in forced labor camps by political prisoners who earn little or nothing for the work they do. China is also known for its horrendous persecution of Christians, so I find it hard to believe that Jesus would shop at a store that imported so many of its products from a country whose government hates Him and systematically tortures and kills His followers.
China is a direct military threat to this nation as well. According to a retired Army chaplain I know, all of our military intelligence indicates that China has plans to invade us at some point in the future (I've also read this in several news publications that I believe to be credible sources, including World Net Daily).
So one could argue that when we shop at Wal-Mart, we are helping to prosper a regime that is anti-God, anti-Christ, and anti-American and we are also supporting a store that cares little for its employees.
Thanks for the comments!! Let me clarify a couple of things:
First, I am not taking a stand for or against Walmart itself. I am aware of the alligations against Walmart. Many of them may be true including that fact that they gave money to a pro-homosexual group. It may not be a good company to work for. That said it seems to have no trouble finding people to take the jobs. Hiring part time employees to avoid providing benefits is something almost every company does. Including small businesses I have worked for.
The stand I am taking is against people (especially other pastors as is the case here)who feel the need to attack a company like Walmart who serves to strengthen the economy in which we live while invocing the name of Jesus in a way that I believe is inappropriate (this comment box needs spell check. Actually I need spell check)
Second, they do have programs that benefit faith based charities.
Third, whether they buy products from China or not is really irrelevant. Every store similar in nature to Walmart (At least that I am aware of) buys products from China. You probably have many products in your home that are either from China or have parts in them that are from China. That certainly doesn't mean we should boycott your house.
Fourth, just because I am a church planter does not mean I should recuse myself from all topics that don't directly deal with evangelism. What has the world come to if we can't enjoy a little opinion and disagreement once and a while. This issue is not nearly as devisive as you might think. I have friends who think I am dead wrong on a lot of issues including this one (they still talk to me and some of them talk to me because I disagree with them). Besides this issue does speak to Christianity since it is "Christians" who are trying to force Walmart to practice business according to what they believe and it is "Christians" who have invoked the name of Jesus in this campaign against Walmart.
I love the comments though, they are informed and thought out.
John, you are right that many stores like Wal-Mart import products from China (and other countries that use slave and/or child labor), but I don't think that makes the issue irrelvant. Jesus cares deeply about how human beings treat each other gave very clear commands along those lines; therefore, to say He would do business at a store which has trade policies that exploit people (especially the poor) does not seem like an accurate statement.
While it is difficult to find stores that do not import products from China, it is not impossible. I try to avoid purchasing things made in China whenever possible. I will even pay a higher price for something made in America if I can afford to. That doesn't mean there is nothing in my house that was made in China or that I am saying all Christians should boycott Wal-Mart. But maybe we should think twice about shopping there if we have better alternatives.
When I consider that Jesus was a businessman at one point (He was a carpenter by trade before He began His earthly ministry), I imagine He must have used business practices that reflected the values of righteousness, justice, fairness and mercy. He would not have exploited His employees and probably would not have done business with companies that had inhumane business policies. Of course, this is just my opinion, so take it for whatever it's worth.
Julie,
You are right, Jesus probably did practice business as you described. It is porbably a good thing to avoid products from China for the reasons you describe. That said, I don't think most of the employees at Walmart are being exploited. Perhaps there have been a few occasions, but my guess is that is true with most companies.
My main complaint is making Walmart the target of what I would consider to be unfair accusations (in many cases) and using the name of Jesus to do it.
I agree, John, that many companies probably have some practices that exploit their workers. But the problems with Wal-Mart are known to be endemic, not just occasional. See "Wal-Mart Owes $78.5 Million in Back Pay, Jury Finds" (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=amtZsRkGU1p0&refer=news). I've read a number of similar articles documenting Wal-Mart's abysmal relations with its employees. I am not saying that Wal-Mart is the only company guilty of exploiting its workers; what I am saying is that some complaints against Wal-Mart are justified.
At the same time, there are some things about Wal-Mart that are to be commended, including its policy of allowing Salvation Army bellringers to raise money outside the store (unlike Target, which has banned them from the premises).
By the way, what accusations have been made against Wal-Mart in the Name of Jesus that you believe are unfair? I don't believe you mentioned them in your original post.
This has been an interesting discussion! Thanks for your willingness to consider another point of view.
I want to weigh in on one thing about this post. I worked as an electronics technician for Wal-Mart at a 1.5 million square foot warehous making more money than 99% of the other people in my job field in the area we live in. I worked for them while I was a church planter. When I left there I was making almost $18/hour, and the average wage where we are at is about $10/hour and if you get a $12/hour job you are excited. When we are beating Wal-Mart down we need to look at all the jobs not just store clerk jobs. Wal-Mart does have a lot of low paid employees, but CLERKS at other stores make about the same as Wal-Marts clerks.
Secondly, I quit Wal-Mart March 18, 2005. The company is extremely jacked up, and not a great place to work. However, at least when I worked for them, they offered inusurance to every employee full and part time. So beat 'em up or love 'em whatever you want, but make sure if you are beating them up you beat them up over stuff that is true. Again two years ago insurance was available to ALL employees.
I personally do not boycott Wal-Mart, but I try to buy stuff elsewhwere if I can. I have actually lead a lot of people to Christ on Wal-Mart property, both while shopping there, and while working there. In fact I wrote a story a couple of years ago called Jesus Shops At Wal-Mart and Eats At Waffle House. If you ever wanted to read it just email me at jdbreedlovejr@bellsouth.net It is not the world's best story, but it is pretty good and it is 100% true.
Thanks for setting me straight about the insurance aspect, Pastor Jerry. I'm glad to hear that Wal-Mart is now providing insurance to all employees regardless of how many hours they work; the article I read about the lack of benefits for part-time employees was older than 2005, I believe. I was also encouraged to learn that Wal-Mart does pay good wages to some employees.
I was glad to hear how God used you at Wal-Mart to lead people to Christ. When I worked as a telemarketer, it was the only job I could find at that time, and I had some reservations about one of the companies whose products I was required to sell (it wasn't anything serious or systemic; the company had just not treated me well personally when I was a customer). But God used me and several other Christians who worked there to reach our fellow employees with His love.
I guess the whole boycotting issue is similar to the issue the Early Church grappled with concerning eating meat sacrificed to idols; some could do so with a clear conscience while others didn't feel that same freedom. Yet Paul exhorted that neither group should be looked down upon by the Body.
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