[Vision2020] boycotting & religion

Mon Nov 19 09:40:40 PST 2007

Carl,

Of course you are correct! In market-based 
systems, the freedom of choice in the market is 
essential.  And every individual is free to and 
should exercise that choice.  But for individuals 
or groups to persuade others to shop or not shop 
at a particular store, only to advance their own 
political or religious agenda is hostile behavior 
and will usually provoke a market 
failure(s).  Such actions usually result in 
"trade wars" wherein both sides retaliate in a 
"tit for tat" strategy - further segmenting the 
market.  If such actions persist, the market will 
adjust - usually a new party enters the business 
niche and the combating groups disappear.  In 
this particular battle front, it would appear 
that the sides are becoming more clearly defined 
- the "for lack of a better " description MCA 
group versus the Christ Church group.  Both have 
their supporters, both have their detractors.  At 
the end of the economic turmoil, neither side 
will prevail, both sides will lose - perhaps 
several Christ Church businesses will falter, 
perhaps some MCA businesses will falter.

For the Moscow area, rich with diversity, it is 
difficult to entice a majority of folks to 
participate in the trade wars - they are just too 
busy with their own lives, agendas, 
etc.  Interestingly, the new participants in the 
market will likely prosper - most consumers don't 
want to get caught up in those ideological 
disputes. Those consumers have lots of 
alternatives for their shopping dollars.  Perhaps 
there are many in town that are waiting for both 
boycott lists to be published so that ... well, 
you can draw your own conclusions.

Bottom line, you are absolutely right Carl - you 
should shop where you want to shop.

At 07:29 AM 11/19/2007, you wrote:
>Jeff, if the bottom line is that an individual 
>is loath to see 10% or more of his dollars spent 
>at a certain business be tithed to a church run 
>by a man who that individual believes to be a 
>total whack job, does not that individual have 
>every right to personally refuse to spend his 
>money there?  That's all this is to me.  And I 
>don't shop at those places for that very reason.  CW
>
>
>----------
>Date: Sun, 18 Nov 2007 22:15:48 -0800
>To: vision2020 at moscow.com
>From: jeffh at moscow.com
>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] boycotting & religion
>
>The following was posted by Dr. Campbell on Nov 6, 2007:
>"I don't determine people's religious beliefs 
>before I shop. Give this up. Iâ€™m a
>Christian, too, just like the Kirkers."
>"I happen to know of some businesses downtown that are owned by Kirkers
>and I do not frequent them."
>
>Hmmmmm! Must be divine intervention - or 
>cognitive dissonance. Perhaps someone willing to 
>be prejudiced, as long as it doesn't require too much effort.
>
>Nonetheless, all rather confusing.
>
>At 08:46 AM 11/18/2007, you wrote:
>Paul,
>
>You are incorrectly describing Keelyâ€™s position and talking past her.
>
>First, where does Keely say anything about boycotting Christ Church
>businesses? She is merely talking about her personal choice of where to
>shop, which you note is her business.
>
>Second, I don't know of anyone who is critical of Christ Church affiliated
>people merely because of their religious beliefs. Keely made this point below
>but you ignore it.
>
>Third, how can you call the belief that slavery 
>was OK a religious belief? How
>can you call the belief that Islam is a religion 
>of hate a religious belief? I could go on.
>
>Fourth, please tell us what you think about some 
>of the recent political actions
>of members of Christ Church -- the sign suggesting that three candidates are
>bigots, and Dale Courtney's involvement with an anti-levy ad, where he used
>the name of a dead man instead of his own name. In light of these and other
>actions, how can you continue to think that Christ Church is merely a church?
>
>Best, Joe
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Sat, 17 Nov 2007 15:07:50 -0800
>From: Paul Rumelhart <godshatter at yahoo.com>
>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] boycotting & religion
>To: keely emerinemix <kjajmix1 at msn.com>
>
>Keely,
>
>I don't like the idea of boycotting people based on their religious
>choices.  You think that Doug Wilson is arrogant and evasive.  I can see
>that.  They believe that he is helping them to interpret the Bible and
>their religion in a way that they believe is true.  Boycotting people
>who believe this and tithe to the church *is* boycotting for religious
>reasons.  The fact that you find this particular religion more odious
>than most is beside the point.  I could care less about the 10% that
>they give to the church.  Why deny them the 90% you otherwise would have
>given to them?
>
>You've made a choice to not give money to people who give a small amount
>of it to Doug Wilson, and that's fine.  Why urge others to do so en
>masse?  Let people make their own choices.  My choice, for example, is
>not to care what religion the people I do business with follow, nor what
>the character of the people are that they give some of their money to.
>
>I don't like the divide that is growing ever larger between the people
>of this church and others in the community.  I don't think it's healthy
>for Moscow.  I disagree with both the boycotting of Christ Church-owned
>businesses and the practice that I've heard mentioned of Christ Church
>members being urged to patronize only those same businesses.
>
>I disagree with their theology as much as or possibly even more than you
>do.  When it comes down to it, they are just a bunch of everyday Joes
>trying to make a living.  I propose going out of our way to welcome them
>into the community, while holding an extremely firm line on forbidding
>them to change any of our laws to favor the ideals of their church.  I
>propose this, actually, for people of all religions - not just Christ
>Church members.
>
>Paul
>
>keely emerinemix wrote:
> >
> > I've been reading some of the Daily News letters to the editor and
> > comments from my letter regarding Francis Foucachon's objection to
> > boycotts "based on religion."  He is horrified by the Christ Church
> > congregant-owned list, and it appears a lot of folks are angry about
> > my publicly stating that I won't patronize businesses owned by Doug
> > Wilson's followers.  They call is "religious bigotry."  It isn't.
> >
> > I would remind people that I am a Trinitarian, evangelical Christian
> > with a high and conservative view of Scripture, so it certainly, in
> > this case, isn't about Christ Church's religion.  I care absolutely
> > not at all about the religious beliefs, or lack thereof, of those who
> > own businesses in our town.  I care about their behavior, and it is
> > properly called "behavior" to follow and support financially a man who
> > has, in the name of the religion he and I both share, elevated
> > arrogance and evasion, not to mention prejudice, to an art form.  My
> > behavior in response to the behavior of following such a man?  I'll
> > act in a way that ensures that not a dime of my money goes to support him.
> >
> > It really is that simple.
> >
> > keely
>
>
>
>=======================================================
>  List services made available by First Step Internet,
>  serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
> 
><http://www.fsr.xn--net-0daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa/>http://www.fsr.net 
>
>           mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>=======================================================
>
>
>
>----------
>Get the power of Windows + Web with the new 
>Windows Live. 
><http://www.windowslive.com?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_Wave2_powerofwindows_112007>Power 
>up!
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/vision2020/attachments/20071119/f20070a5/attachment-0001.html 