People Will Not Go To Hell For Buying a Hammer From Home Depot but the False Teachers....

[IbelieveinJesus]

Hey guys. I haven't been on RR mb in quite awhile so I don't know the "culture" here anymore.

Anyway, am I reading right that most of you are professing Christians, but don't seem to have a problem supporting companies that support causes that God unquestionably says are an abomination?

I believe homosexual behavior is a sin, and stand strongly against the "Gay Agenda," but I also don't investigate the public policy positions of every person or organization I do business with.

I accept that in this world I will likely have issues with just about everyone on something, and what dictates where I buy a large sack of Miracle Water Saver Potting Soil has a lot more to do with price and convenience, than it does their stand on gay marriage, global warming, marginal tax rates, immigration, or any number of other issues.

-Ted

[Hootmon]

Good post, Ted

[twisty58]

I'm not personally a fan of boycotts. If I boycotted every organization that was "of this world"... surviving would be pretty much impossible. Home Depot, for example, may support homosexuality in some way or other... I don't have first hand knowledge of that... but when I need some lumber or nails, or a hammer, or some contractor trash bags, they're one of the few places where I can acquire those things, and they give me a military discount... which I appreciate. The employees helping me may or may not be brothers/sisters in Christ, just like at any other establishment.

If I was one to boycott, I should probably first boycott myself for all my failings... I'm eternally fortunate that Christ's gift to me didn't come with strings attached!

Beautiful, wise words, TT!

[turalura]

I boycotted Home Depot because of all their press coverage of their Gay Pride parades and how they have little children on the floats throwing condoms to the crowds of people. HD also made small carpenter aprons for the children to wear.

That is going way beyond decency. We have Lowe's stores everywhere in NC as this company started here. So, that is where we shop.

[srogue]

Are you suggesting that before we can shop at any store, we need to determine and approve the religious, social and political leanings of the owner and where they make contributions? Now if we're talking about going to a church, then yes, I'm concerned about where they stand and what they do with their money.

Hyperbole. Of course not, and I don't think that would be totally possible anyway to know everything about every company or business.

Lets break this down from the corporate level, and bring it down to a personal level. For example, lets say there is a guy who owns one of the many lawn mowing service in town. He supports causes that are harmful either to you, your beliefs, or society, and contributes to causes that are against most of what you believe. Lets say he is using profits from his lawn service to construct a strip club next door to your house. I think most people would think it would be silly to continue to give him money for his services, which he turns around and uses against you, or against what you believe.

But to your question, of course not, we don't have to investigate every companies religious, political, and social leanings before we shop there, however I think it would be part of due diligence to at least try and find out where your money goes after it leave your hands, and I do make it a habit to support Christian companies and businesses in my area, including eating at Chick-fil-a now and then, because they are a company of Christians and also I like the taste of their food...

On the other hand, if I were to come across information that a company/person/business that I regularly patronize, was giving money to organizations or causes that I found totally objectionable, I would feel highly compelled to find an alternative for that service or product.

[srogue]

If I was one to boycott, I should probably first boycott myself for all my failings... I'm eternally fortunate that Christ's gift to me didn't come with strings attached!

Tall Timber, I agree about Christ's gift.

Let me first clarify or recast what I am saying. I'm not advocating boycotts. I'm advocating Christians not use God's money to buy from companies that use the money to attack Himand His people.

However, the difference here between admonishing ourselves for our failings, and a company, is that we all sin, and if it were a company who made a poor choice, and repented, that would be like us, as Christians, falling on our knees asking God for forgiveness. However, if someones calls themselves a Christian, but not just sins, not just doesn't repent either, but actively encourages and promotes sin, then we have a duck acting like a dog... or a company who I will personally not contribute more money to, so that they can wage a cultural war against me.

[srogue]

Its more like "protesting" these companies accomplishes little, and it also can damage the many believers who may work at these companies.



I don't even know what your message is, except a swipe at those who won't do what you want them to do. Fly by accusations aren't all that becoming of a believer. People here are grownups, they can take opinions and debate cordially, you should consider it. The OP pointed out subtle problems. These para church groups will rant and rave over this worlds companies, yet will support wolves. Kinda ironic.

If people don't want to shop at HD over this, I don't have an issue, I doubt many here have an issue either. They'll likely not find another place to go, judging at the current state of employment in the US. This is the world, you live in it, you shop in it, you can't avoid it.

There are quite a few instances where protests have been cause for change. Then again with the modern liberal church leanings, we as Christian's aren't supposed to be socially or politically active right?

I asked a question, made a statement about checking the validity of someones message with what the Bible says, and also stated I hadn't been here in awhile, and I guess that makes for fly by childish accusations... but whatever. Juvenile insults aside, as I said in a previous post, I don't belittle someone for shopping at a place, but if they know that a business supports ungodly moments and forces, than as Christians we should try to avoid that. If I know my brother is giving money to someone who is out to hurt us, I for sure am going to say something... to be silent is unbecoming a believer too.

You are right though, sometimes it is unavoidable. Which in that case there is nothing you can do. To think I am saying that is wrong, is silly. But to knowingly patronize a company, when there is an alternative isn't ideal. Besides, the left in this country feels boycotts work, they do it all the time, why is it wrong for Christians to do the same?

As for the para church organizations being criticized.. good. Just like we can criticize companies that promote iniquity. We should be able to do both right? If a para church organization is doing something unBiblical or wrong, call then out for it. I don't have a problem with that, as I said, test everything you hear like the Bereans.

ps. go ahead and call me fly by again if you wish since it took a long time to reply, but I work, go to school, and have a full plate at the moment

[srogue]

Makes me wonder if the Apostles did all that before buying their daily bread.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and bet they made their own, or bought from brothers or sisters. I don't venture to think they went to the local persecutor to procure provisions...

But in all seriousness, that was a very different time then too. In today's corporate climate, there is anonymity. Back then, you knew your baker, your tent maker, your carpenter...

[Hootmon]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and bet they made their own, or bought from brothers or sisters.

They moved around a lot. They would have had to buy it from whomever was selling it locally. I suspect that the main and possibly only requirement was that it be kosher.

[srogue]

Actually, come to think of it, Paul addressed this very issue: could believers buy/eat meat that had been offered to idols? Could they eat meat, or only vegetables? Rom. 14, I Cor. 8. Yes to both, as long as their conscience didn't bother them. So we find a principle. If it bothers your conscience to buy from outfits that you find questionable, then for you, it is wrong. Believers may come to different conclusions in these gray areas--areas of life not specifically addressed in Scripture. But neither of us is to judge the other for the freedom or lack of freedom we have, and neither is to impose our freedom or lack of freedom on other believers. Paul actually says the one who has freedom is the stronger brother, and the one who believes his freedom is limited is the weaker brother, Rom. 14:2, I Cor. 9-10.

That said, there are indeed Christian organizations that I choose not to give to, because I don't believe in what they do with their money or how accountable they are in handling it.

I think this is a good verse, and a good application. It goes with what I was saying about, if you don't know about a companies dealings or leanings, then it isn't something we should feel accountability or guilt over, but if we learn of something and it bothers our conscience then yes, we should not support them, be they a "christian" ministry, or a hardware store.

[Tall Timbers]

Tall Timber, I agree about Christ's gift.

However, the difference here between boycotting ourselves for our failings, and a company, is that we all sin, and if it were a company who made a poor choice, and repented, that would be like us, as Christians, falling on our knees asking God for forgiveness. However, if someones calls themselves a Christian, but not just sins, not just doesn't repent either, but actively encourages and promotes sin, then we have a duck acting like a dog... or a company who I will personally not contribute more money to, so that they can wage a cultural war against me.

Buried between the lines of that post I was implying that if we are to boycott companies that support any kind of moral wrong, in this day and age we'd most likely need to live as hermits out in the woods and fashion or own tools for hunting and cultivating. We could eat at Chick-Fil-A safely, from what we've heard recently, but we couldn't be so sure about their suppliers... and if I were to boycott one company, such as Home Depot, shouldn't I boycott them all? And then look at our government... We should renounce our citizenship and try to find a government that doesn't support some immorality in this day and age... I'm thinking we'd need to find an uninhabited island somewhere that isn't claimed by any country, and buy it, but only after investigating the current owners positions relative to moral issues.

We live in this world, we are a light unto this world, Christ's light. He'll remove us from this world when it is time. In the meantime, we need food, clothing, and shelter, and we need to live in a world that is hostile to us and our beliefs, evermore-so. Most corporations are of this world and support whatever they need to to sell as much stuff or services as they can. If I need a hammer, I only have a few choices in my town, and I'm fairly certain that none of the sources is any more pure than the other. So I'll look for the best hammer for the best price and acquire it.

[OnceWasLost]

I'm not personally a fan of boycotts. If I boycotted every organization that was "of this world"... surviving would be pretty much impossible. Home Depot, for example, may support homosexuality in some way or other... I don't have first hand knowledge of that... but when I need some lumber or nails, or a hammer, or some contractor trash bags, they're one of the few places where I can acquire those things, and they give me a military discount... which I appreciate. The employees helping me may or may not be brothers/sisters in Christ, just like at any other establishment.

If I was one to boycott, I should probably first boycott myself for all my failings... I'm eternally fortunate that Christ's gift to me didn't come with strings attached!

Excellent!

[NoProvision]

Video ....

This is exactly the kind of weird drama that kept me from picking up my Bible for many, many years.

[srogue]

Let me just say this. All the things we have, all the money we have, is not ours. It is God's. We are to be good stewards of his money. At this point we simply need to state the obvious. While every private company has the right to spend its money any way it wants, active support for anti-Christian causes by these companies reflects an underlying worldview that is contrary to our Christian faith. In other words, they are actively working against those of us who call ourselves Christians. And if that is the case, we ought to consider very carefully whether or not we should support them by buying their products and services.

To rise to the level of calling an organized boycott, the company would need to be doing something truly evil. However, as Christians on an individual basis, choosing who to purchase from and who not to is not a boycott but it is good stewardship of God's money. Giving money to companies that turn around and happily and fully support organizations that support abortion, gay marriage/rights, that suppress or oppose Christians is not being a good steward of The Lord's money.

Again, my choosing not to patronize a strip club, a casino, home depot, or whatever company isn't a boycott. It's me being a good steward. If I unknowingly support a bad business. Like that verse about meat to idols.... I don't believe God holds it against me.

Have a good one.

[Steve53]

.... I don't believe God holds it against me.

But you do beleive God will hold it against you if buy from a company that supports a position you don't agree with?

How so? In what manner will God; "Hold it against you?" Please be specific. *



* My question is not merely rhetorical either, it's designed to get you to think about the condemnation you would spread around so freely.

We await your response.