Showing posts with label Boycotting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Boycotting. Show all posts

Should Christians Participate in Boycotts?

Every so often an issue with a company rises up in the public domain that the 'so called' Christian world gets riled over and demands a boycott.  The boycott would be a retaliation of an unjustice aimed at Christians or against God's Word and the Christian would no longer be a patron of that particular company.  It seems that the biggest Christian boycotts are of companies that support homosexuality (same sex marriage - gender identity etc), abortion and those who refuse to use the word Christmas.
We would agree that God's word says homosexuality is a sin, abortion is a sin but the secular companies who won't use the word Christmas are correct!  They shouldn't, neither should a Christian.
Read an article that exposes pagan Christ-mass for what it really is.
http://spiritandtruthdiscernment.blogspot.com/2013/12/is-celebrating-christmas-christ-mass.html

While it is a notable thing (if one is truly a believer) to want to defend the Word of God in a biblical way, boycotting is not commanded in God's word.  Actually those who should be boycotted (avoided) are disobedient Christians who are in unrepentant sin!  God's Word doesn't tell us to moralize the world by retaliation, we are to judge the body of Christ and those inside it.

I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
(1 Corinthians 5:9-10)
If Christians were to judge and moralize the world we would have to leave it. No, the world (lost, unbelievers) are doing just what they do as they are not claiming to be of Christ.  Who should be judged are those inside the body...

But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. (1 Corinthians 5:11-13)

Read an article here about biblical separation and what it really means:
http://spiritandtruthdiscernment.blogspot.com/2014/11/division-from-family-and-other-believers.html

Another issue with a boycott is that it does nothing to further the gospel.  Christians are commanded to be the salt and light sharing the gospel and making disciples (Mark 16:15) of the lost, not trying to coerce them financially to being moral.  

Believers are also to redeem the time (Ephesians 5:16) not waste time discussing the sins of the world and organizing boycott events because of them.

Often times boycotts are aimed at the higher level, the wealthy owner, but Christians forget there are many people employed who are not well off and in fact struggling to make ends meet working for that company and a boycott could cause them to lose their job before the impact even hits the owner.  

Some people are worried that if they give their money to a company that supports anything un-Christian that they are supporting whatever that owner / company is promoting. Would that be like Jesus telling the pharisees to give to Caesar what is his, all the while knowing that the Roman soldiers would kill him?  Today we give to Caesar (just like Jesus did) and our government is supporting many sinful activities, this does not mean we support them doing it, it means we are obedient to God's Word and give to Caesar what is his and God what is God's.

There is, however, a conscience issue here and we need to be sensitive to those who choose to avoid a company, or those who decide not to.  Example: A grocery store in your town has an owner that decided to give money to support a homosexual project.  One Christian may choose to shop elsewhere whereas his brother may decide to continue his patronage there.  Let each one decide for himself.

But, you may want to ask yourself ...
What sins would cause you to boycott a company?
Homosexuality?
Abortion?
What about the harlot looking clothing most department stores sell?
And the vile video games they sell?
The idolatry of sports, hunting they promote.
What about lust of the eyes, pride and glory in the unneccesary items man can do without?
The secular music they play?
Unbiblical books?
Pagan holiday offerings?
Potential gluttony with unhealthy foods?

Walmart, where most everyone shops today, has all of these. Gas stations, grocery stores, auto parts, fast food/restaurants, convenience stores, shoe stores, department stores, auto manufacturers, furniture stores etc....  Try to name one store that does not have anything sinful (or sourse) any items from a company that doesn't promote sin.  Let us know if you find any.

Where does one draw the line on which sins to boycott?  What does the world see when Christians boycott over a few pet sins and ignore the rest?  Sometimes the world sees hypocrisy even better than the Christians so be prepared to answer biblically why you avoid some sins and not all the rest.  We would be interested in hearing that from you as well.

Often the biggest proponents of boycotts are 'Christian' radio hosts who are in themselves hypocrites as they are unbiblical.  Example, VCY is a big radio show that Christians like to listen to, read our testing on them and see that should be separated from biblically.
http://bewareoffalse-unbiblicalteachers.blogspot.com/2014/10/vcy-radiotv-and-its-unbibical-issues.html

If you are claiming to be a born again Christian (John 3:3) , have repented and become a new creation (1 Corinthians 5) and are walking in obedience to the Word of God (John 14:15) then you are not a citizen of this world any longer (Philippians 3:20) and the cares of this world should fade in comparison to doing the will of the Father.  What the world does is expected as they are not children of the light; but we who walk in the light must focus on shining that light to them through preaching a biblical gospel
(read or listen to that here: https://www.dontperish.com/the-gospel.html ) and calling them out of the dark through God's Word.  Not through financial coersion of boycotts, nor through word of mouth slandering their business and the person running it.  We should pray for their repentance, not get swept away or ensnared in the gossip and cares of the world and have our eyes taken off Christ.

If you feel in your conscience that you must avoid a company then simply do so with your own convictions and do that quietly unto God not man, and do not judge the person who has a differing conviction than you...and vice versa.

Now, in the essence of boycotting those places that do not adhere to God's Word, take a look at your religious body.  If you are part of denominational / Evangelical /  on-denominational Christianity today (meaning you go to church on Sunday) we challenge you to test them to God's Word and we will guarantee that most of you will have to boycott those places.

Here's a simple test of a few of the many sins that protestant Christianity participates in.
https://www.dontperish.com/10-point-biblical-test.html

If any organization should be boycotted from it's the unbiblical religious places we see on almost every corner in America.  If you are seeking truth you will see through the lies and run from them, not the world.

Let us know if we can help you.

God be praised!