Buddha's on the shopping list
Alan and I dropped into a supermarket near us to get some food for Alpha tonight and happened to go into the household section of the store. We noticed that among the items you could purchase to decorate your living room were statues of Buddha and what appeared to be other Hindu gods. It was no surprise that there were no crosses statues of Christ or even fish symbols there for purchase.
I thought it might be an interesting exercise to write to the store headquarters and comment and see what the reaction is. The gist of the letter I am sending is below:
"This afternoon whilst shopping in the Boroughbridge store I was interested to see Buddha figures on sale in the household section. In our multi-cultural society this is no surprise to me but I was also concerned as I didn’t at the same time see any products on sale that reflected any other faiths.
I recognise that you are a supermarket and not a religious artefact store so I don’t expect to necessarily buy articles symbolising my faith from you. However if you are prepared to sell the icons of one faith I could also expect to be able to buy those of my own faith, which is Christian as well.
I would like to encourage you not to avoid the issue or react to letters like mine by going down the route of not stocking anything with a remotely religious connection. As we approach Christmas I would love to be able to purchase Advent Calendars, Christmas cards and decorations that depict the Biblical nativity from your store. I would urge those who make policy decisions to either begin or continue to stock products that are as obviously Christian as some of the products in your stores in the period leading up to Halloween were obviously pagan.
Yours sincerely
Carol Young
I am actually quite cautious of Christians shouting about our rights and going on about "We're supposed to be a Christian country." Such sentiments can often come from a fear of having our privileges torn away and our comfort zone disturbed than a concern that Christ's name is being belittled or the gospel being silenced. However I am also aware that Christians are not the only evangelists. If we our streets are not filled with the proclaimation of the gospel there is not a void for long. Some other so called gospel will and in most places in our nation, already has taken its place.
God bless
Carol
Alan and I dropped into a supermarket near us to get some food for Alpha tonight and happened to go into the household section of the store. We noticed that among the items you could purchase to decorate your living room were statues of Buddha and what appeared to be other Hindu gods. It was no surprise that there were no crosses statues of Christ or even fish symbols there for purchase.
I thought it might be an interesting exercise to write to the store headquarters and comment and see what the reaction is. The gist of the letter I am sending is below:
"This afternoon whilst shopping in the Boroughbridge store I was interested to see Buddha figures on sale in the household section. In our multi-cultural society this is no surprise to me but I was also concerned as I didn’t at the same time see any products on sale that reflected any other faiths.
I recognise that you are a supermarket and not a religious artefact store so I don’t expect to necessarily buy articles symbolising my faith from you. However if you are prepared to sell the icons of one faith I could also expect to be able to buy those of my own faith, which is Christian as well.
I would like to encourage you not to avoid the issue or react to letters like mine by going down the route of not stocking anything with a remotely religious connection. As we approach Christmas I would love to be able to purchase Advent Calendars, Christmas cards and decorations that depict the Biblical nativity from your store. I would urge those who make policy decisions to either begin or continue to stock products that are as obviously Christian as some of the products in your stores in the period leading up to Halloween were obviously pagan.
Yours sincerely
Carol Young
I am actually quite cautious of Christians shouting about our rights and going on about "We're supposed to be a Christian country." Such sentiments can often come from a fear of having our privileges torn away and our comfort zone disturbed than a concern that Christ's name is being belittled or the gospel being silenced. However I am also aware that Christians are not the only evangelists. If we our streets are not filled with the proclaimation of the gospel there is not a void for long. Some other so called gospel will and in most places in our nation, already has taken its place.
God bless
Carol
posted by Rehoboth at
9:13 AM
2 Comments:
I had a similar experience here in Canada...but it wasn't so much that other faiths weren't represented, as it was the disrespect given to another's faith, that you could buy 'Buddha' in the shopping market.
My cousin walked by a section of Buddhas at Walmart one day, and nearly burst into tears. "Is nothing sacred?" She said.
It seems our consumerist culture is fine with spirituality, as long as it remains decorative in our lives, rather than the thread that holds everything together. We are fascinated by cultural 'otherness', as long as it remains of superficial importance to us.....(I don't imagine they would find any devout Buddhists purchasing their decorative trinkets there.)
By
Aurora, at 10:01 AM
Thanks for your take on this.
There is a sense in which the sale of crosses as items of jewelry simply trivializes its meaning. So maybe I am wrong to suggest that Christian symbols be available as decoration either on a person or in a home. I just felt that every other philosophy and faith is given promotion whilst Christian values and traditions are often being side-lined through fear of giving offence and not being politically correct.
Anyway I am still awaiting a reply to my letter.
God bless
Carol
By
Rehoboth, at 12:36 PM
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