Where Would Jesus Shop?
Yesterday I stopped at a Target store to make a payment on my Target card. In line at the customer service desk next to me, a woman was returning a large box, a Power Rangers toy of some sort. She said, in a quivering, hesitant voice, that she was returning it because “Target doesn’t allow its employees to say ‘Merry Christmas,’ and I think that’s a shame.”
The clerk informed her that she could return the toy, but in fact none of the employees at the store had been told that they could or could not say “Merry Christmas.” The woman became bolder, less nervous, as she proclaimed that Christmas was nowhere to be found in Target – it’s all “Happy Holidays,” no mention of Christmas. The clerk informed her, in what I thought was a very calm and professional manner, that that wasn’t true, either – which infuriated the woman. She raised her voice and said “It is written! I have read it! On the internet!”
The clerk processed the refund and the woman huffed out of the store, glaring at everyone around her.
Out of curiousity, I stepped into the store for about 60 seconds and counted ten displays that said “Countdown to Christmas” – just in the front section of the store alone. Target was using Christmas to sell, among other things, shampoo.
Questions for Theological Reflection:
1. Where would Jesus shop? Would he be picky about where he bought his Power Rangers toys? Would he buy Power Rangers toys in the first place? How do Power Rangers fit in with evangelical Christian beliefs?
2. Was the angry woman upset because she thought Christmas was not being sufficiently commercialized at Target? Shouldn’t it be preferable for Christians to shop at a store that doesn’t use Jesus’ birth as a marketing technique?
3. As it turned out, Target was just as commercialized about Christmas as the angry woman wanted it to be. But she held on to her beliefs about Target in spite of the fact that they weren’t true. She couldn’t be dissuaded by facts, although she apparently believes whatever is “written” on the internet. What does that say about Christians in general, especially the ones who are railing about “the war against Christmas”?
posted by Darrell Grizzle | 4:56 PM
5 Comments:
1. Could you imagine if you died and people 2000 years later argued with one another and based their modern day lifestyle choices on what you would have done if you were in their situation? WWDD?
What I find kind of ironic is that the fundamentalist Christians in the U.S. - in the days just before the Civil War - would have absolutely nothing to do with Christmas trees and presents! They thought it was sacriligious.
"Shouldn’t it be preferable for Christians to shop at a store that doesn’t use Jesus’ birth as a marketing technique?"
Ooooo. Spank! I want that on a t-shirt. :)
Fundamentalist Christians seem to be all about increasing market share.
I had a moment yesterday when i realized that commercialization was out of control.
The last time this happened, I was watching a Georgia football game on tv and saw the nike logo on uga's sweater.
Today, my anti epiphany occured at Kroger. There was a three pack of chap stick, with product tie in for the Narnia movie.
I suspect Jesus, if he were still around, might say something like render unto Target what is Target's and render under Christians what they lay claim too. And that he might continue to teach that the Kingdom is at hand and seekable, in spite of the fact that nobody seems to have been listening much for the last couple of millenia. Oh and I suspect he wouldn't give a prodigal son that it was Christmas, preferring to continue his usual rounds of socialising with the least acceptable in our respective communities as they seem to have a better grasp of the "at hand" stuff anyway.
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