Boycotting list

By: American Decency Staff

I received the following email recently which I believe has implications for all of us who truly are followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. Who is on our boycott list? Gilda wrote: I tried to find out who is still on the boycott list, but evidently I'm not able to get to the link properly.  I tried to click on the "Boycotts" link repeatedly, but nothing came up. Several years ago you initiated  boycotts of Wal-Mart, Target, and Walgreens.  I've not shopped at either of these since the boycotts were called. In the April Frontline magazine, there was some information about readers who shop at Wal-Mart and Walgreens.  Nothing was said about a boycott of those stores.  Is the boycott of the stores I mentioned still on? Gilda Michigan We continue to encourage the boycotting of Victoria’s Secret and Abercrombie & Fitch, Family Video, Godaddy.com and Yum Brands (Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, KFC, Long John Silvers, A&W) Victoria’s Secret Reason: – VS’s catalogs and TV advertisements and online advertisements feature images that are sexually provocative.  In addition, Victoria’s Secret’s so-called fashion show is pornographic. Abercrombie & Fitch Reason:  A&F pushes the envelope significantly less that several years ago since the days when they published a pornographic catalog that targeted teenagers yet they on occasion  they still feature large, lewd posters in their stores that are inappropriate in a clothing store that caters to youth. Family Video Reason: masquerades as a family video outlet when it is in fact anti-family.  Family Video rents X-rated movies. Yum Brands Reason: Yum Brands places greed before time-honored standards of decency, morality, and America’s young people.  It’s leaders also evidently cannot be trusted to keep their word.  (2) Despite having been contacted numerous times by this ministry and by thousands of their customers, Yum Brands ignores sincere requests not to sponsor programs that degrade and destroy.  Yum Brands continues to be an aggressive and regular sponsor of programs like “American Dad,â€Â “Family Guyâ€Â and the “Cleveland Show.â€Â Godaddy.com Reason: Each SuperBowl the company trots out a similar ad consisting of buxom women tearing off their blouses to reveal cleavage pouring out of a GoDaddy emblazoned tank top and urging viewers to go to their website to see more. With no attempt at creativity, GoDaddy goes for the gutter and takes viewers with it.  Godaddy’s website is also replete with sexual provocation. There are varieties of companies that have been boycotted by us and others whereby the boycott has been called off. Sometimes boycotts, in my opinion, have been prematurely called off.  I cite the following as examples: Disney: Reasons cited prior to the removal of the boycott The world’s largest family entertainment company has extended insurance benefits to the live-in partners of homosexual employees, but not unmarried partners of heterosexual employees;  allowed homosexual celebrations in its theme parks;  and via its partner ABC/Disney continually broadcasts television programs that undermine Judeo-Christian principles of Biblical decency. Wal-Mart: Reasons cited prior to the removal of the boycott 1. Wal-Mart gave $60,000 to the homosexual activist group “Out & Equalâ€Â 2. Wal-Mart voluntarily asked, and received permission, to join the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC). 3. Wal-Mart sells books like “What God Has Joined Together: The Christian Case for Gay Marriageâ€Â Though Wal-Mart did bring some remedy to the above concerns:  See: http://walmartstores.com/pressroom/news/6093.aspx “…Wal-Mart does not have a position on same sex marriage and we do not give preference to gay or lesbian suppliers. Wal-Mart does have a strong commitment to diversity among our associates and against discrimination everywhere. …â€Â I am not a final authority on boycotts. But, I do believe there is a real place for them in our Christian lives.    I believe there are certain companies that stand out as being unworthy of our financial support. I have named a few of those that are very obvious.  However, this list could be/should be much larger. However, few people are going to be willing to engage in boycotts that cover too much ground.  I’m sure that’s one of the reasons leading ministries are generally quite slow in developing an active boycott list. On a personal level, however, one can and, I believe, should act upon their individual Christian consciences.   I believe that it is important for us to use discernment in all that we do and that includes where we are spending our dollars.  Consider the following quote regarding  our consciences: “ …. Conscience is a most important part of our inward man and plays a most prominent part in our spiritual history.  It cannot save us.  It never yet led anyone to Christ.  It is blind and liable to be misled.  It is lame and powerless and cannot guide us to heaven.  Yet conscience is not to be despised. Happy is he who never stifles his conscience, but strives to keep it tender!  Still happier is he who prays to have it enlightened by the Holy Ghost and sprinkled with Christ’s blood. …â€Â [Taken from J.C. Ryles, Daily Readings, April 14] I am thankful for Gilda.  And, I hear from people like this all the time.  Just as they won’t buy from a porn store, there are numbers of other businesses where they won’t shop.  And, I am in that camp as well.  Will I go to Disney?  No.  Movie Gallery? No.  And many others because it is clear that this company or that company is affiliated with dark affiliations. I’ll have more to say about the whole matter of boycotting in the days ahead. For now, here is a list of companies that have been on our boycott list in the past and a few of them still are.  They may be off so-called official lists but I keep my antennae up regarding them. Wal-Mart McDonalds Pepsico Disney Godaddy.com Abercrombie & Fitch Victoria’s Secret Movie Gallery Walgreen Yum Brands K-Mart Waldenbooks Levi Strauss Family Video Let me hear from you.  I ‘d like to hear your thoughts. ================= Your support is important to our ability to make a difference: donate online at https://secure4.afo.net/ada/main.php?f=donate/display9 American Decency Association Bill Johnson, President P.O. Box 202 Fremont, MI 49412 ph: 231-924-4050 www.americandecency.org http://www.twitter.com/billwjohnson

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