Let's Buy Jesus!, Religion & Consumer Products Options

[Comptine]

I was shopping at Urban Outfitters and was browsing their non-clothing section. I look around and see a giant pink thing. Upon closer inspection, it was a giant, pink Jesus. The little place tag in front of the item said Eight Ball Jesus. So I shake it and flip it over. Sure enough, it was an eight ball. When I put it down, I felt as if I disrespected one of the most important religious figures in Christianity (I'm not religious). Also, when I browsed through the tees at Urban Outfitters a little later, I found a tee that proclaimed 'Jesus is My Homeboy!'

I've been noticing lately how much of our consumer products are geared towards religious people (Not just Christianity. There was an Eight Ball Buddha and a Jew Unit shirt). Starbucks even started to print phrases from the Bible on their coffee cups.

If you are religious, are you happy to see your religion on products or do you feel as if it's disrespectful? If you aren't religious, do you feel uncomfortable about the influence of religious views?

[*disco infiltrator*]

But their religion is their identity. That's who they are, that's what they believe and know as truth, that's what they want others to follow in as well; why not have something to help spread it and identify themselves with the rest of the group? It happens in many, many other things in our culture {emo, preppy, goth, race, nationality}. It's not offensive to make shirts saying, "Italitan Guys Are Hot", such as one I have, but it is to make shirts about Jesus? Is it only because it's Jesus? Why does it matter that people make money off of it; our entire foundation is built on money. We pay for EVERYTHING, and if people want to identify themselves with a certain religion, then they're probably going to have to pay for that too.

[illumineering]

But their religion is their identity. That's who they are, that's what they believe and know as truth, that's what they want others to follow in as well; why not have something to help spread it and identify themselves with the rest of the group? It happens in many, many other things in our culture {emo, preppy, goth, race, nationality}. It's not offensive to make shirts saying, "Italitan Guys Are Hot", such as one I have, but it is to make shirts about Jesus? Is it only because it's Jesus? Why does it matter that people make money off of it; our entire foundation is built on money. We pay for EVERYTHING, and if people want to identify themselves with a certain religion, then they're probably going to have to pay for that too.

You're missing my point. If your notion of "following spirituality" is tied to the purchase of items that create brand identity, that is not spirituality. It is consumerism. Just because people are lemmings and identify themselves by external appearances and what they own does not make it ok. Following a set of spiritual and religious beliefs is not about "buying" anything. If you think you're someone because of what you wear or own, every PR and marketing firm from Madison Ave. to LA will be cashing another round of bonus checks in the near future.

A foundation built of money will fall. Enron, World Com, Adelphia, Tyco...
All of these companies freely adopted your belief that it's all about the money and wrecked thousands of lives. Oh yeah, remember Jim and Tammy Fae Baker? They also espoused the value of money.

I hear Jim's got a new church, I hear he's soliciting donations for his new Rolls Royce that God says he needs for the Mobile Ministry. He'll be giving away autographed prison apparel for every $100 donation. I guess he took the Heidi Fleiss correspondence course on Fashon for Felons. $1000 will get you the Martha Stewart Jailhouse Jeweled Accessory Ensemble. Yeah, I guess it's all about the money. So, I was wrong.

[Spirited Away]

You're missing my point. If your notion of "following spirituality" is tied to the purchase of items that create brand identity, that is not spirituality. It is consumerism. Just because people are lemmings and identify themselves by external appearances and what they own does not make it ok. Following a set of spiritual and religious beliefs is not about "buying" anything. If you think you're someone because of what you wear or own, every PR and marketing firm from Madison Ave. to LA will be cashing another round of bonus checks in the near future.
A foundation built of money will fall.  Enron, World Com, Adelphia, Tyco...
All of these companies freely adopted your belief that it's all about the money and wrecked thousands of lives.  Oh yeah, remember Jim and Tammy Fae Baker?  They also espoused the value of money. 

I have a question there, what about the Catholic Church? It weathered the rise of calamitous events with money. For centuries its power comes from money and believers, and the former weilds much more influence over any other possible factor. For example, money used to buy forgiveness, and though we all know no righteous God would condone this act, there are people who did believe in it. They actually thought that money can buy grace with God. I think, we must consider that this "buying" spirituality does exist today still. I completely agree with you that the buying of faith wrong, but there are people who believe that it's right. In their minds, toting a "Jesus is my homeboy" T-shirt is the same as showing love for God.

[illumineering]

I have a question there, what about the Catholic Church? It weathered the rise of calamitous events with money. For centuries its power comes from money and believers, and the former weilds much more influence over any other possible factor. For example, money used to buy forgiveness, and though we all know no righteous God would condone this act, there are people who did believe in it. They actually thought that money can buy grace with God. I think, we must consider that this "buying" spirituality does exist today still. I completely agree with you that the buying of faith wrong, but there are people who believe that it's right. In their minds, toting a "Jesus is my homeboy" T-shirt is the same as showing love for God.

I don't think the Catholic church has weathered the storm at all. Enrollment at Catholic schools is declining so rapidly, they are closing the doors of many of them. (At least in the Pittsburgh/Buffalo area.) There have been deep declines in the numbers of people attending church as well. The financial reprocussions of the priest scandals has yet to fully be determined as many cases have yet to be tried.

If you google these keywords, you'll see what I'm saying. They generate 3.6 million hits.

catholic church financial trouble

I'm not saying that buying spirituality doesn't exist. I'm pointing to the consequences of it. If people are blind enough to accept it, priests will continue to molest children and a new Jim Baker will rise up to collect money under the guise of religion in order to live a life of luxury and entitlement.

[Spirited Away]

I don't think the Catholic church has weathered the storm at all.  Enrollment at Catholic schools is declining so rapidly, they are closing the doors of many of them.  (At least in the Pittsburgh/Buffalo area.)  There have been deep declines in the numbers of people attending church as well.  The financial reprocussions of the priest scandals has yet to fully be determined as many cases have yet to be tried. 
If you google these keywords, you'll see what I'm saying.  They generate 3.6 million hits.
catholic church financial trouble
I'm not saying that buying spirituality doesn't exist.  I'm pointing to the consequences of it.  If people are blind enough to accept it, priests will continue to molest children and a new Jim Baker will rise up to collect money under the guise of religion in order to live a life of luxury and entitlement.

Yes, it is declining but only after nearly 2000 years of sovereignty. By weathering certain events, I meant the likes of Jews in Europe, the Reformation and Henry VIII... etc. In other words, considering how Eron and World Com ended up, the Catholic Church still have long ways to go before reaching such an end if at all, thanks to its foundation of wealth. I guess I should consider that one of such reason is due to the faith of the people in the Church and that Eron and World Com did not own that completely. But again, money is usually the deciding factor. I guess I wanted to say that any foundation will fall eventually as nothing lasts forever, but to me, having money does help to procrastinate the end.

And I agree with the effect and consequences you've brought up, though we will not see the consequences of the Church meeting an end like Eron in our lifetime.
never mind. i agree.