Commercial Christianity

I just had to stop at a Bible Bookstore for a baby dedication gift and am leaving in an almost panic attack.

I totally see the need for a place that sells Christian books, CDs, and even inspirational gifts that remind us of our faith. I am not trying to knock the need nor the establishments that fulfill the need. But, it has been a number of years since I have been in such a store thanks to the Internet and I am walking out overwhelmed by not only the stuff available (why are T-shirts with the American Flag on them considered Christian?), but also the pushy nature of the salespeople who had never heard of classic Christian literature but who I could hear coaching each other on the up-selling items as I walked to the register and then kept me there an additional 5 minutes trying to get me to buy things to send to soldiers and needy children, and to sign up for their mailings and punch cards. I was made to feel like a miserly creton for not adding $50 worth of charity to my bill and had to justify myself too! On top of that, I couldn't even set my purchases or purse on the counter because so much stuff was being shoved at the consumer in a last ditch effort to get money.

Maybe I am having an off day, or maybe the immaturity of the sales staff set me off, but I am overwhelmed and deeply saddened by display of "faith" I saw today. It doesn't have to be that way, right?

I mean, I found what I was looking for and even some more really great books. But, the way in which this stuff is "like the world" was really off-putting. Because, in actuality, knowing that it is Christian stuff trying to be like the world makes it cheap to me. My heart is unsettled...

Just read in one of the books I bought, Hearing God by Dallas Willard:

"Today there is a desperate need for large numbers of people throughout our various social groupings who are competent and confident in their own practice of life in Christ and in hearing his voice. Such people would have the effect of concretely redefining Christian spirituality for our times. They would show us an individual and corporate human existence freely and intelligently lived from a hand-in-hand, conversational walk with God. That is the biblical ideal for human life."

I think, part of what disturbed me about my experience this afternoon is that I don't want to be defined by the group of people excited by the Consumer Christianity Message. I want to be part of the group who are "freely and intelligently" living from a conversational walk with God.

I totally agree with you, Melissa..... my mother in law has been saying how put off she is by "Christian" stores.... and it is off putting.

I have been thinking a lot lately about how it is easy to make religion what you want....and then to make people feel that your ideas are truth. And in large groups, people that do that can make people who are just trying to live for God in their own way, really uncomfortable.

Like Rob Bell said - "The word 'Christian' is a great noun and a lousy adjective.'

I love how they take something popular and swing it for jesus. I saw one representing the twilight movie called the light or the ever popular "jesus" inside.

there was a south park where cartman led a "christian" rock band. in one conversation he said take a love song and change the love to jesus its that simple. or that was the jist.

Andrew peterson had a shirt that said. They will know we are christian by our t shirts. I remember seeing wwjd braclets next to the energy pills a the gas station.

I just stopped going to the stores because i was so ticked, they are on my list for things that bother me about religion today.

when i see all the mess they sale and push that is junk, i want to turn their tables over.

jmc

I think that commercial christianity has taken it to far. But like Melissa said, where else can we get things like this?
Is it annoying, yes. Is it over the top and a bit much? Absolutely.

But you know what, there are also legitimately people that are afraid of church and are the first of their family and friends to meet Jesus. They are people that have life changing encounters and they come into the stores looking for some sort of resource to help them understand this bible they're reading for the first time or even for help understanding which version of the bible to read.
Is there a ridiculous amount of bible translations? Of course there are. I mean seriously it's ridiculous. But there are people that only have a King James Bible. For some people that is a terrible bible, they just can't understand it. Could the Holy Spirit help them understand? Sure. But you know even the NIV/ESV etc translations are damn hard to understand sometimes.

I think that it's really easy to hate on christian bookstores and I'm right there in line for that especially having worked at one. Melissa, I know that those employees were keeping you at that register and asking you to buy all those extras because a broken and damaged management system is requiring them to do that to keep their job. Because I'm totally that employee when I work at the bookstores.
But you know, I also know people that have bought thost $5 items by the register and added them to their christmas/bday gifts to someone and it helped them open up to a relationship with Jesus.
Not to mention the thousands of children that are sponsered through World Vision and Compassion through those stores. While it's weird and a little creepy that they are a "measureable goal item" the end result is that these kids are sponsered and get food, clean water, health care, education etc..

It's very easy to proclaim that commercial christianity is akin to money changers in the temple, and I'm not even saying that isn't a little bit true...but don't throw out the baby with the bath water...I mean we all like t-shirts.

Yeah, that is what was hard for me, to some degree, Bethany. All the things were good, and like the child sponsorships, would bring good to the world, but they were being used as tools to get my money and I was forced to justify my actions to strangers (by saying, "sorry, I already sponsor a child" which I do, but don't like to talk about necessarily) and walk away being made to feel slightly guilty because I did not purchase any of their add-ons. I knew they were pushing so hard because they HAD to, and I while I was annoyed at being hounded, I felt bad that I hadn't helped them out in some way.

There are crazy amounts of resources (like Bible Translations) available to us today, and if variety helps people find Christ, that's great. And if that is a person's first experience, I am glad the stores exist. But, I just hope and pray that those same new believers find Christ, and not just paraphenalia further down the road.

Oh absolutely, they can't maintain their community through bookstores but it is a unique resource that doesn't really exist elsewhere.

I think my bigger issue is with bookstores actually in a church selling things at a profit. I mean, I know that churches need funding and all but still.