Another Low in Christian Activism

I find the recent controversy regarding Lowe’s Hardware Store’s decision to pull advertisements from the TLC television show “All American Muslim” more than a bit baffling. After apparently caving in to pressure from certain Christian groups who think the show puts too much of a positive spin on Islam, Lowe's is now facing boycotts from Christians, Muslims and Jews who are speaking out against the decision to pull the ads.

According to the ChristianPost.com, "On Saturday, demonstrations in front of various Lowe’s locations across the country [sought] to raise awareness against the perceived bigotry behind the chain’s decision."

I'm sure the powers that be at Lowe's are more than a little confused and scrambling to come up with a damage control plan.

“We stand against Lowe’s decision. We feel corporations have the right to make their own decisions regarding their advertising. But when you are basing that decision on a fringe group and their hatred and bigotry then that’s wrong. They (Lowe’s) buckled,” Abed Ayoub, legal director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, told The Christian Post. “We’ve seen Christian groups as well as Jewish and other interfaith groups come out and stand up against this bigotry. It’s been a very diverse show of support.”

Ah, the irony. Corporations do have the right to make their own decisions regarding their advertising (and which members of Congress they choose to fund to further their agendas), and as Americans, we have a right to boycott those companies with which we disagree. But honestly, for the religious community, is this the best use of our time and resources? Remind me why we care so much about this issue?

If it starts a conversation about bigotry against Muslims which leads us, as a nation, to stop demonizing them, then that's one thing. But I don't see that as where this is heading. It just seems like more of the same pointless religious effort to meddle in private enterprise, and even law-makers are putting in their two-cents' worth.

Poverty is on the increase. Unemployment numbers are stubborn. Funding for organizations like Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for children is on the chopping block. Many children in the foster care system need good homes. Veterans are coming home from Iraq with physical and psychological scars and few job prospects. The list goes on, all the while the Church seems to have trouble mobilizing to address much of anything other than collective outrage over the lack of Christ in Christmas and now Lowe's advertising spending habits.

It's embarrassing, at best. It's blasphemous at worst.

I realize I'm veering away from my recent efforts at remaining positive, so I'll end by saying, let's begin to put this much time and energy into addressing issues which matter, issues Jesus might actually care about. Doesn't that seem like an appropriate gift to give him on his birthday?