Boycott Boycotts?
I’ve been thinking quite a bit about some about the church’s role in interacting and (ideally) influencing the larger, surrounding culture. For the most part, the modern American church does quite a poor job at this.
There are generally a couple of approaches taken when the church wants to exert influence. More often than not, these are through political avenues. Sometimes “Christian” organizations will pour money behind candidates and lobbyists that share our “conservative” agenda (whether or not they actually share our faith may be another issue entirely). But, politics seems to follow culture rather than lead it and I wonder if all of the time, effort and money poured into political causes is simply a band-aid trying to cover up the sore reality that many professing Christians simply don’t live like Christians. The result is that we have to look to politics to acheive what millions of Christians living like Christians could acheive quite naturally (I’m neither a Post-millennialist nor a theocrat).
Other times, we might picket certain institutions or call for an economic boycott. The more I think about this approach, the more I liken it simply to bullying. While in Seminary I had to be a part of the Teamsters Union. During several elections, it was made clear who they wanted you to vote for. If you didn’t share those political views, it wasn’t uncommon to be called “anti-American,” “anti-worker,” anti-all-sorts-of-things. In short, the Union bullies people to try and persuade them by denigrating them. I worry that many Christians use this same approach in trying to influence the culture.
After all, what are economic boycotts other than the proverbial “flexing of the muscle?” When a corporation does not share our “values,” then we flex the ol’ pocketbooks to make them come around. But honestly, can we expect fallen men and women to share biblical values? What good does it do to force companies to hold to standards they don’t believe in? Of course they support homosexual civil unions, they’re not Christians! Wouldn’t a more prudent and likely, more successful approach be to have active Christians in the boardrooms of these companies?
Perhaps the most famous recent “Christian” boycott was that of all things Disney by the Southern Baptist Convention. In June of 1997, SBC leaders voted to boycott Disney for their “anti-Christian and anti-family direction.” Of particular concern was (is) Disney’s support of the homosexual agenda. The boycott was recently rescinded to little notice fanfare. SBC officials claim to have cost Disney millions; a claim Disney flatly refuses. What’s more, Disney has apparently not changed their policies, begging the question of the boycott’s effectiveness. As a sidenote, the boycott made no mention of the quite common influences of New Age philosophy and outright witchcraft present in many Disney features.
A more recent boycott has been enacted against Ford motor company. This particular boycott was scheduled to run for one year and included, according to a recent Baptist Press article, the American Family Association (AFA) “and more than 30 other conservative groups.” The boycott calls for “Christians not to buy cars from Ford or its seven other brands: Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin and Mazda”. At issue once again is a company’s support of homosexual agendas but also at issue (though not being discussed) is whether or not economic boycotts actually work and if they’re truly the right approach.
I understand the argument that Christians would not directly donate money to the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force or like-minded organizations and that by supporting Disney, Ford and even Walmart we are indirectly giving our money to such institutions. But I’m not so sure the American economic situation makes things so black and white. For example, if I were an employer and I knew that one of my employees was a Muslim apologist, I could not cut off his salary because it went to the advancement of Islam (yes, I know there are some religious exemptions, but these are not the norm). What’s more, the cries to boycott Walmart have been limp at best because, let’s face it, they have low prices.
Both Disney and Ford claim to be unhurt by the economic boycotts and chances are that more Christians drive Ford cars than don’t and more Southern Baptists went to Disneyland, watched a Disney movie or ABC television during the boycott than didn’t and more Christians still shop at Walmart than don’t. What’s more is that it seems that most if not all of the car companies support similar causes, Ford just gives more money than the others. Are we going to boycott all cars until a “Christian” car company comes along?
There are several related questions here. When your drain blogs, do you call the “Christian” plumber to support Christian business or do you call the “unsaved” plumber so that you can have an opportunity to witness to him? I think you call the better plumber, regardless of his faith.
One of the questions I’ve been wrestling with related to these issues is whether or not we can bully fallen men and women into adopting biblical morality. While I do believe that we ought to exert political pressure on our governments on issues such as abortion, same-sex unions, environmentalism, aid to the poor, and other issues, I’m not so sure we can exert the same pressure on private companies. In a sense, that’s exactly what we’re trying to do, bully companies into our way of thinking.
I know I sometimes sound like a broken record, but the more I think about these issues, the more I’m convinced that the Gospel is the most effective weapon we have for cultural change. First, living it and then preaching it. Think of all the employees, executives and board members with Disney, Ford and Walmart who probably claim, on some level to be Christian. I would venture that we’re talking of numbers well into the thousands. If they actually lived the Gospel in everyday life we wouldn’t be having this conversation; at least not to this extent. Instead, we live a weak Christianity and carry big megaphones while waving our checkbooks.
The reason we so often have to resort to political measures is because our lives carry so little impact. If all of those who professed to be Christians in America, if everyone on every church roll, if everyone who’s ever walked the aisle or “rededicated” their lives at a summer camp actually lived by the power of the Gospel, we would certainly be having a much different conversation.
- Read a recent Baptist Press article about the Ford boycott
- Read The Transformation of American Religion: How We Actually Live Our Faith by Alan Wolfe
- Read The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience: Why Are Christians Living Just Like the Rest of the World? by Ronald J. Sider
Great post. I don’t think it’s the place of Christians within culture to impose Christian morality on those who aren’t Christian. It doesn’t make sense. Our beliefs are foundational to our morality- we cannot expect those who do not believe in Christ to live the same way, or think the same things. Trying to force them to is going to do more harm than good.
It’s always encouraging to me to see Christ and living life genuinely in light of the gospel lifted up as the answer, rather than politics or moralism. Thanks!
I would venture to add that one of the greatest contributors to the effectiveness of believers in the public arena is Biblical illiteracy. And one of the greatest perpetrators of Biblical illiteracy are churches themselves. It’s scary how some pastors in Evangelical churches have positioned themselves between their congregation and the Bible. What’s even scarier is that congregations let them get away with it. Come check out an article that I have written on the subject at http://www.twoinstitutions.org
Brother,
Amen, amen, and amen. What a ridiculously ineffective way to bring social change. And what a terrific way to kill our witness. I’m with you. As a student at Southern, during the boycott, I actually visited Disneyland with my wife on a Sunday.
That’s it; I refuse to buy a Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover, or Aston Martin this year.
Just kidding, cool post! I thought this topic would resurface with the recent story about Disney allowing same-sex “weddings” on their premises. Things are so interconnected in the world that we’re kidding ourselves if we think we can only exchange money with people that share our values. Boycotts just end up marginalizing our testimony to the world. When they do hit the bottom line, do we think it’s the Board of Directors who suffers? No, it’s the lower level workers who get laid off, including many Christians.
Brent has good words about making an impact by living gospel values instead. Imagine a Christian Disney employee who is known for excellence inside the company and then respectfully refuses to don the Minnie Mouse costume to perform at a gay “wedding”. This person has a track record of working hard and treating other employees well (even gay ones). I’m betting that Disney would keep that person and it would be an opportunity for non-Christians to see gospel values in action, instead of seeing Christians as uncaring megaphone types.
I’ll have to fess up as one who has fallen in line and boycotted organizations in the past. However, I have been really turned off by some of the Christian groups’ tactics such as Focus on the Family. The only difference I can see between some of their methods and Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow-Push Coalition extortion techniques is Push does it in the name of fairness and equality and Focus does it in the name of Christ.
Once you take a few minutes to think about it, it is very irrational and silly to think that a corporation run by heathens is going to be receptive to anything that a Christian has to say. The Bible clearly states that the unsaved are unable, and therefore unwilling, to discern spiritual matters because they are dead in their sins and trespasses and can’t respond to anything spiritual unless God first acts, which would mean as Christians that prayer is going to be a much more effective weapon than boycotts. In Mark 9, the disciples were unable to drive the demon out of the boy. When they asked Jesus why they were unable to drive it out, Jesus responded “This kind can come out only by prayer.”
Great post Brent… This is something I’ve been thinking about for some time. Any way you look at it, political and/or economic protest is a poor substitute for living a Christlike life. One has the power to change surroundings… the other does not.
One of the church’s greatest failures in regards to the way it interacts with culture is that every person/company that holds a position contrary to the church’s has been labeled as the enemy. Consequently, we’ve made ourselves completely irrelevant. We have the truth, but will anyone ever want to hear it? We’ve too often fashioned ourselves as a beligerent movement… and that is not speaking the truth in love.
A few thoughts:
Profession of faith and possession of faith are not the same. Many rabbits think they’re skunks.
Do a quiz. Ask professing believers what it means to ‘live out the Gospel’. See what responses you get.
If the criteria for doing business with someone is whether or not they are sinners then I don’t think you’d do much commerce. In fact, it one were to be consistent with a boycotting mentality they’d have to have a sin gauge of sorts and apply it to every one they buy from. This is simply silly.
Our church leaders need to teach the skills needed to study Scripture rather than just lamenting that no one does it. Many are not ‘in the Word’ because they have no idea what that even looks like.
Transparency in leadership helps the sheep to live out their lives more honestly. Since most pastors are merely hirelings they put on masks so that their ‘jobs’ are secure.
I’ve spoken on this topic quite a bit as a pastor and as a teacher, noting that “Christian boycotts” are a violation of 1 Cor. 5. They are an attempt to “judge” the world for its worldliness by “shunning” it. The Apostle Paul makes it plain that to “judge the world” would require us to “go out of it,” noting that such would be impossible. He reiterates that judgment / church discipline is to be carried out against those who claim the name of Christ Jesus but refuse to live in a way that honors that claim. A massive problem within the contemporary church is that we so readily judge the world and refuse to judge ourselves.
Hey Brent,
This note is to let you know that I’ve awarded you the Thinking Blog Award for blogs that make you think. If you’d like to participate in this award:
1. Simply add the graphic to your blog and link it back to The Thinking Blog.
2. Write a post awarding 5 of your favorite blogs that make you think.
3. A link back to the person’s blog who awarded you would be appreciated =)
That’s all there is to it! I’m presenting this award to you because your blog make me think on a regular basis. Be blessed and pass it on!
The graphic can be found here.
That is also the link to the post detailing the award which you should link your award to.
Here’s the link to my post mentioning your blog:
http://www.mandikaye.com/2007/04/10/thinking-blogger-award/
Blessings,
Amanda
“As a sidenote, the boycott made no mention of the quite common influences of New Age philosophy and outright witchcraft present in many Disney features.”
I always thought that an odd omission as well.
I would say that it’s not an either or situation where one boycotts or does nothing productive. One can do both.
I would say that the effectiveness of a boycott is a valid concern, but at the end of the day whether or not I boycott something has little to do with the difference I make.
For example, if I knew the owner of grocery store A was a committed Satanist who was the primary bankroller of their synagogue in town, I would not shop there.
I’m not saying it’s possible nor even obligatory to determine where the fruit of our money goes, nor that we can or should only support “Christian” businesses (whatever that means), but just as I wouldn’t give a man on the street cash if I knew he was going to spend it on blow, I wouldn’t want to give cash to those who will use it to attack the church.
Sometimes that will happen without our knowledge. I understand that. But just because I can’t make an ultimate difference or can’t change the world, doesn’t mean a person can’t make any difference.
It’s tough, because on the one hand no business should get our money.
But a person who decides to buy a Dodge instead of a Ford because of the boycott, doesn’t mean he’s a hypocrite if he stays in a Marriott. If he thinks he shouldn’t do the latter, then he is, however.
As an SBCer, I participated in the boycott, but never thought it would have any effect. But, more important to me was the deviltry in the movies, than the other slooge.
In short, boycotts are likely ineffective and I would say that anyone putting all of his/her eggs in that basket with regard to social change is naive.
No, we can’t expect the heathen to act like Christians or have “Christian values,” but I’m wondering at times if we can even expect such from the professing Christians!
But, I do think every Christian should prayerfully steward every penny of the Lord’s money. We may have to pay taxes to Caesar and other undesirables, but we don’t have to like it.
I can’t prevent my government money going to fund abortions in keeping with the law, but I’m not going to send the abortion doctor a check either. And I don’t think many would do that.
It’s not a simple issue, it seems to me, where it doesn’t matter where the money goes, but nor should we be naive to think that life can be easily navigated in a fallen world so that our money is never put in play by the “bad guys” for their bad purposes, as we define them.
“One of the questions I’ve been wrestling with related to these issues is whether or not we can bully fallen men and women into adopting biblical morality.”
Yeah, I think the answer has to be we cannot. We just don’t have that kind of juice/influence. In the Puritanical colonies they could, but that doesn’t mean they should have.
So, I would say we can’t and even that we should not.
“The reason we so often have to resort to political measures is because our lives carry so little impact.”
I think that’s true. Changing a place of business is much easier than growing in holiness and being agents of God’s grace in a world that desperately needs Christ.
Thanks, Brent, for making us think on such things.
We can always count on Gunny for some good slooge! Good things to consider, bro!