The American Family Association has started a petition calling for a boycott of Target this year. Why?
Because they are banning the words “Merry Christmas” from their stores.
Imagine that: a capitalistic, secular, corporation wanting to cater to a larger audience, not wanting to alientate other religions (including Islam, the fastest growning religion in the world.)
I am shocked and appalled.
Wait, no I’m not.
I LOVE IT! One step away (er, one store away) from the crass commerciliaztion of a very important religious celebration.
Thank you Target, for unwittingly helping our country, and our religion move away from materialism, and more more towards the heart of what our holiday is all about.
Christmas is not about stores, marketting, trite holiday wishes placed next to a $19.99 ($66.61?) DVD. It’s about our world being invaded. The third most important thing that ever happened to this world.
AFA, pick your battles.
[tags]target, holiday, christmas, religion, christianity, materialism[/tags]
November 23, 2005 at 12:07 pm
I doubt Target’s motivation for the ban is the desire to avoid commercializing Christmas. And did they ban “Happy Hanukka,” “Happy Kwanza,” or “Happy Ramadan?” Would it not make more sense to ban obscene or excessively violent video games instead of a Christian blessing? One of the beauties of capitalism is being able to choose to support companies who don’t discriminate against Christians.
Pardon my rant. No comments I make on blogs should ever be taken personally. :)
November 23, 2005 at 12:53 pm
Amen. Easter ain’t about no bunny foo-foo either!
November 23, 2005 at 1:11 pm
If Target is going so far to remove Merry Christmas they might as well remove all mention of gift buying for the season, as they so boldly stat on their home page.
Last year they banned the Salvation Army from ringing bells and this year it is removal of the words “Merry Christmas,” next year, I hope they remove selling anything associated with the “season,” like ornaments, trees, candy canes (you know those just tell about Jesus too,gasp!). If they are going to try and make some sort of point by doing those 2 forementioned things, they might as well just go all the way, kiss “season” profits good bye, and not decorate their store for any holiday.
You know, Happy Halloween offends some Christians and you don’t see those words getting removed. Ba-hum-bug!
November 23, 2005 at 2:30 pm
I agree with you Matt — even though anti-comercialization of the actual Christian holiday was I am sure not their motive, I think the result is actually good.
I love the “secular” aspects of the “holiday season” very much, but I have actually felt guilty before for not having enough desire to stay “true to the meaning of the season” or whatever.
If I could do anything, I would actually rather have Christians celebrate the birth of Christ at a totally different time of year, with celebrations and tradtions that were focused on that…
And then do what we now think of as the “Christmas” or “Holiday” season activities like we now do them — as an excuse to decorate your house, buy and give gifts, make cookies, hang out with family, eat fattening foods, and have cute little snowmen on everyting….and be able to do it with no remorse that we are over commericalizing what is supposed to be a Christian holiday.
November 23, 2005 at 2:35 pm
Kirsten – I agree with you. I think there is value in the nostalgia of the Christmas season. It is a good excuse to take time off of work and get together with family and party.
What I don’t understand is why Christians get so upset that the world is trying to marginalize Jesus. They’ve been doing it for 2000 years! Should we expect anything different??
Now, we can, as Megan says, choose to not spend our money at such an establishment, but where would that get us? And then also, where would we purchase ANYTHING???
November 23, 2005 at 3:37 pm
Target probably wouldn’t mind loosing my business, but if everyone who was irritated by their new policy took their money somewhere else, the policy would likely end up being reversed for the sake of the bottom line. I do think it is important to be aware of where your money is ending up and whether or not it is going toward a cause you support. Walmart’s website lists the organizations to which they make major contributions. (http://walmartstores.com/GlobalWMStoresWeb/navigate.do?catg=435&contId=4433) One of the organizations happens to be the Young Men’s Christian Association.
November 27, 2005 at 10:08 pm
I don’t especially care… either way. Target is a private business they may do this if they feel it will make them more money…
Christmas as it should be in Matt’s Idealized world (and mine for that matter) is DOA… run over my a commertial semi… and not likely to be revived.
At least I still go visit my family and will be happy :-D
December 2, 2005 at 11:50 am
Does the Christian faith have benefit only to those that hold it or is their a protecting and preserving (salt and light) affect that it has on the society that we live in? I do rejoice at any distancing of Christ from commercialism, but I mourn the future of our country at it’s distancing of Christianity from our culture. As for me and my family, we will avoid Target and similiar stores this season as we did last year. It’s a small way that our money is directed by our values and faith. I encourage others to do the same.