Sunday, October 30, 2005
On walking the walk -- and Wal-Mart
Another provocative Prayer of Confession from Mayflower Congregational Church in Oklahoma City:
"Lord of Life, help us to be on guard against looking and sounding religious without actually being religious. The world is full of religious pomp and circumstance, but starving for true compassion. We should take Jesus at his word, and quit bowing and scraping long enough to lend a hand. As for honorary titles, beware. We are what we do, not what we are called. In Christ's name, Amen."
Scripture reading: Matthew 23:1-12.
From the church bulletin:
Does Jesus love Wal-Mart's low-wage workers?
"I work for Wal-Mart, writes Edward, a United Church of Christ member in California.
"If you have studied their practices," he continues, "you will know how unrealistic they are. Unequal pay for men and women, poor insurance for high costs, imported products at about 80 percent of their merchandise. For one of the giants in the retail world, they have not shown any real care and concern for their employees. Please consider looking into this. You will be as distressed as many of us are."
Read more from Edward and the what the church's minister for labor relations and community economic development -- !!! I LOVE THIS CHURCH !!! -- what the church's minister for labor relations and community economic development suggests right here.
--ER
"Lord of Life, help us to be on guard against looking and sounding religious without actually being religious. The world is full of religious pomp and circumstance, but starving for true compassion. We should take Jesus at his word, and quit bowing and scraping long enough to lend a hand. As for honorary titles, beware. We are what we do, not what we are called. In Christ's name, Amen."
Scripture reading: Matthew 23:1-12.
From the church bulletin:
Does Jesus love Wal-Mart's low-wage workers?
"I work for Wal-Mart, writes Edward, a United Church of Christ member in California.
"If you have studied their practices," he continues, "you will know how unrealistic they are. Unequal pay for men and women, poor insurance for high costs, imported products at about 80 percent of their merchandise. For one of the giants in the retail world, they have not shown any real care and concern for their employees. Please consider looking into this. You will be as distressed as many of us are."
Read more from Edward and the what the church's minister for labor relations and community economic development -- !!! I LOVE THIS CHURCH !!! -- what the church's minister for labor relations and community economic development suggests right here.
--ER
Comments:
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You know, I think these Sunday posts of yours are among the best "advertisement" for Christianity I've seen on the web--right up there with frog's posts and the stuff over at Body and Soul.
Amen! (both to the post and to Dr. B's comment.) I live in one of those towns where, depending on what you need to buy, there isn't always an alternative to Wal-Mart. For example, it's the only grocery that carries garbanzo beans, coconut milk, and fresh fish, and it's one of only two places in town that carries petite-sized clothing that *doesn't* look like something my grandmother would wear. I make very long lists of items to get on my trips to OKC, but sometimes a thing needs to be gotten immediately.
What's truly frightening, though, is that Wal-Mart's wages are fairly typical for this area and there are many people in this community who can't afford to shop elsewhere--including Wal-Mart's own employees. It's a never-ending spiral made all the worse by the employees' lack of health insurance.
What's truly frightening, though, is that Wal-Mart's wages are fairly typical for this area and there are many people in this community who can't afford to shop elsewhere--including Wal-Mart's own employees. It's a never-ending spiral made all the worse by the employees' lack of health insurance.
Well, with all the religious hot air coming from so many places, Jesus hardly gets a word in edgewise. When you get right down to it, He stands in such sharp relief, it is true refreshment for the soul. Which used the be the whole point.
--ER
--ER
The only solution to Walmart's low wages is a fair and equitable minimum wage nationwide. That is where the pressure should be applied. Not at Walmart. Not even Walmart can change Walmart now. Walmart will not respond, it has no soul. It does not need votes to stay in business. But most of our Congressmen do have souls and all need votes. Go for a fair minimum wage, and a safety net type national health plan. Walmart will follow, because it has to.
# posted by 
: 9:58 PM
: 9:58 PM
Brilliant, anonymous.
Since you are the only one who has suggested that, why don't you elaborate. Or were you just spouting off again?
--ER
Since you are the only one who has suggested that, why don't you elaborate. Or were you just spouting off again?
--ER
Drlobo, I agree, neither big business, nor the oh-so-wonderful free market have consciences. Neither, apparently, do the GOP leadership of Congress, which is why they all get along so splendidly.
--ER
--ER
Nobody is ever forced to work at Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart can pay whatever they care to pay. If you don't want to shop at Wal-Mart, don't - there are other avenues, even if they aren't as 'convenient'.
Get a grip.
Get a grip.
It's nice to see a Church standing up for people's rights instead of petitioning to take their rights away
Nobody is ever forced to work at Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart can pay whatever they care to pay.
Ah, the "race to the bottom" argument. In a lot of places, Wal-Mart is the biggest employer. Saying "no one has to work there" completely ignores reality; don't you think that if people could get jobs with health insurance, jobs that don't force them to work unpaid overtime, jobs that give them opportunities for advancement, they would?
But you're right: Wal-Mart can (and does) pay whatever they care to pay, because we live in a society that doesn't give a rat's ass about enforcing regulations designed to give workers a fair shake.
Ah, the "race to the bottom" argument. In a lot of places, Wal-Mart is the biggest employer. Saying "no one has to work there" completely ignores reality; don't you think that if people could get jobs with health insurance, jobs that don't force them to work unpaid overtime, jobs that give them opportunities for advancement, they would?
But you're right: Wal-Mart can (and does) pay whatever they care to pay, because we live in a society that doesn't give a rat's ass about enforcing regulations designed to give workers a fair shake.
You want God out of government but want the government and "big bidness" to act like they follow God. Make up your mind. You don't get to have it both ways. Ditto Rem.
# posted by : 12:23 PM
: 12:23 PM
Actually, I CAN have it both ways. I don't even understand this assertion. Feel free to elaborate.
But actually, I don't give a hoot in hell whether a corporation, which is not a person despite what the law pretends, "follows God." There is no sould there to save, and there is no conscience there to prick.
I do think that any Christian worth the salt of the world should have something to say about how such big bidnesses run themselves, since they have such a deep and wide effect on society as a whole.
And, when Wal-Mart gets its own damn constitutional amendment, I'll be open to any argument that says it's silly, or wrong, for Christians to act together to put pressure on business to do the wrong thing. I mean, right-wing Christians do it ALL THE TIME, for stupid stuff that really doesn't amount to a hill of beans. Cultural obsessions and stuff.
--ER
But actually, I don't give a hoot in hell whether a corporation, which is not a person despite what the law pretends, "follows God." There is no sould there to save, and there is no conscience there to prick.
I do think that any Christian worth the salt of the world should have something to say about how such big bidnesses run themselves, since they have such a deep and wide effect on society as a whole.
And, when Wal-Mart gets its own damn constitutional amendment, I'll be open to any argument that says it's silly, or wrong, for Christians to act together to put pressure on business to do the wrong thing. I mean, right-wing Christians do it ALL THE TIME, for stupid stuff that really doesn't amount to a hill of beans. Cultural obsessions and stuff.
--ER
"I do think that any Christian worth the salt of the world should have something to say about how such big bidnesses run themselves, since they have such a deep and wide effect on society as a whole."
OK you had your say about how Wal Mart runs their business. Now what? They are under no obligation to make you happy. They are not breaking any laws and that is the only area society gets to have a say. Anything else is Wal Mart's own business.
OK you had your say about how Wal Mart runs their business. Now what? They are under no obligation to make you happy. They are not breaking any laws and that is the only area society gets to have a say. Anything else is Wal Mart's own business.
# posted by : 12:57 PM
: 12:57 PM
Anonymous! I am so blind! Of course. I've "had my say"! So, I'll just shut down this blog and go on my merry way.
And you're wrong. This vaunted, oh-so-holy market place is where the real action is.
Fact is, I drive four miles to get to a smaller chain grocery store that does EVERYTHING topiss me off, rather than go to a Supercenter that is right next door -- unless, of course, there is something that only Wally World has. Hey, I like menudo.
"Now what"? I keep on keeping on. You do likewise.
--ER
And you're wrong. This vaunted, oh-so-holy market place is where the real action is.
Fact is, I drive four miles to get to a smaller chain grocery store that does EVERYTHING topiss me off, rather than go to a Supercenter that is right next door -- unless, of course, there is something that only Wally World has. Hey, I like menudo.
"Now what"? I keep on keeping on. You do likewise.
--ER
Anonymous, why are you always trying to get me to shut up? Why do you keep coming back> Why don't you just go away? Argue with me. Don't find a hundred different ways to tell me to keep my opiniosn to myself, when the whole damn reason for this blog is to post my opinions.
--ER
--ER
I'm not telling you to keep your opinion to yourself. I'm just pointing out that it isn't up to you to tell Wal Mart how to run their business. You make it seem like they should run it like a government program just because Jesus wants us to take care of each other. I'm glad you go out of your way to shop elsewhere. At least you can't be called a hypocrite.
# posted by : 3:28 PM
: 3:28 PM
OK. I was a little quick to get defensive. Sugar high. Halloween. Candy. Bought. At-at-at-at Walgreens-greens-greens. Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz ...
But, of course I can still tell Wal-Mart how to run their business. If enough people create enouigh bad press, Wal-Mart might change some things. Samer for voting with your pocketbook.
I still don't get the idea that we're all just supposed to take it because they're Big and Legal. Big, I mean Super Big, if it means monopoly, is usually bad -- and that used to be as American a notion as apple pie and the flag.
And "Legal" is a floor for the least acceptable behavior -- not a guide for best practices. If Wal-Mart is just legal, well, that's the least it can do.
I'm not anti-Wal-Mart. I am anti-we-should-just-let-them-take-over-because-our-Lord-and-Saviour-the Free-Market says they can.
I am not a friend of an unfettered market, in case anyone hasn't figured it out. I am four-square FOR reining it in. Otherwise, it will runj amok and devour everything that gets it in its way.
Profit is not the only way to judge the success of a business. Tug.
--ER
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I still don't get the idea that we're all just supposed to take it because they're Big and Legal. Big, I mean Super Big, if it means monopoly, is usually bad -- and that used to be as American a notion as apple pie and the flag.
And "Legal" is a floor for the least acceptable behavior -- not a guide for best practices. If Wal-Mart is just legal, well, that's the least it can do.
I'm not anti-Wal-Mart. I am anti-we-should-just-let-them-take-over-because-our-Lord-and-Saviour-the Free-Market says they can.
I am not a friend of an unfettered market, in case anyone hasn't figured it out. I am four-square FOR reining it in. Otherwise, it will runj amok and devour everything that gets it in its way.
Profit is not the only way to judge the success of a business. Tug.
--ER
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