What Would Jesus Buy?

I got a movie from Netflix yesterday called "What Would Jesus Buy?" It was a bit silly and I had to laugh, but the message was basically to bring awareness of our over-consumerism in the US. We shop maniacally to fill a void and a lack of satisfaction with our lives. We are trying to buy love for our kids, family, friends, and even acquaintances!

The message of the movie was focused around "Chistmas shopping" (which has now been renamed "holiday shopping" so as to not offend the millions of Christians who feel guilty for not having a faith life and the handful of non-Christians who forget who founded this country), but basically, this guy (Rev. Billy) and his "choir" go around the country reminding people (with music and preaching) that Christmas isn't about presents, but about the One True Gift, Jesus Christ.

He does address the poor working conditions (and because of the poor wages, the poor living conditions) of the people across the world (not just in China) who slave and labor just wo we have more "stuff" to buy.

The reason I have earmarked China as the country "non gratis" for the year is because of their deplorable record of unfair treatment and low wages of their workers, but also because it's a Communist country. It's a corrupt system, so the communism is no longer a healthy system (even if it was once well-intentioned). When we buy things "Made in China," we are funding the Chinese government and all that they would like to "buy." Since we're in a Cold War with China, what do you think they're buying with all that money we're sending them in exchange for Hot Wheels and Barbies and discounted Wal-Mart prices? They're not improving the lives of the millions of workers who make this junk for us. They live in deplorable conditions and work mandatory overtime because our maniacal consumerism allows it to happen. If we can turn things around in China, the biggest offender, we can effect a global change.

That being said, I will do my best to buy less unnecessary stuff (regardless of the country of origin) and to buy Fair Trade whenever possible. www.crsfairtrade.org is a good resource (GREAT chocolate!). http://www.fairtradefederation.org/ also has hundreds of Fair Trade businesses listed and they are easy to search. Happy non-shopping! :o)