Do you distinguish between a simple “religious display” on the one hand and a religious or politico-religious message in promotion or advertising on the other hand?
Same question I asked silenus: Do you distinguish between such displays on the one hand and “It’s a life not a choice”/“Start your Sunday by going to church”/“We’re closed on Sundays so our employees can go to church” on the other hand, or do you see it as the same?
It’s both and I should tend to think it would offend some customers for one or the other or both reasons.
There’s a local business that used the Jesus fish on their commercials that was just shut down because the owners were stealing merchandise. I always wonder what the point of the displays are too. I don’t mind religious symbols, but preaching wouldn’t be okay with me.
Eh…this is one I don’t really have a problem with. Their founders believe that working on Sunday is bad, same as Chick-Fil-A (this is very conspicuous when the restaurant in question is in a mall that’s open on Sunday). Closing on Sunday looks to me like putting their money where their mouths are even when it’s to their financial detriment. Not that I agree with their reasons, but I find it sort of respectable that they do so.
I don’t care about religious displays one way or another, whatever the religion. If it’s a moral or political message I disagree with, I might avoid that business, depending on whether it’s an issue I feel strongly about.
It’s fine by me if they wante to be closed on Sunday. A lot of businesses are. But what is their intent in prominently displaying the message why they are closed on Sunday?
So that you don’t think they’ve been shut down by the Health Department or closed for remodeling? As I recall, the sign is pretty tasteful, something about how they’ve always been closed on Sundays so that their employees can spend the day with their families and, if they choose, worship.
Hm. I guess all those businesses whose hours notices simply state “Sunday - Closed” or “Closed on Sunday” are creating all kinds of detrimental misperceptions on the part of the public.
It doesn’t seem “tasteful” to me. It leaves me wondering why they think I need to know this, perhaps, because “We think *everyone *should be worshipping on Sundays!”?
I don’t mind subtle religious items inside a store. I do mind advertising with them, and blatant religion outside a store. I figure businesses that don’t have them are either more secular or smart enough not to want to offend part of their customer base. We’ve got lots of Moslem run businesses where I live, but I don’t recall ever seeing any symbols in ads.
I figure businesses that put fishes in their ads don’t want my business, and I’m happy to comply.
I would take my business elsewhere. I don’t need people asking me if I’ve accepted Jebus into my heart (happened) and then have them pitch a fit when told no (also happened). Especially if I have to give them any personal info as part of the transaction. It’s simply not worth the trouble in dealing with some overzealous religious nut.
I live in an extremely diverse town, where there are tons of Moslems, Hindus, Chinese, Koreans, Vietnamese, etc., etc. Only Christian businesses see fit to put a religious symbol in their advertising. And BTW, freedom of and from religion has nothing to do with this thread, since the government is not involved and no one is suggesting banning religious symbols.
Depends. Chik-Fil-A doesn’t bother me a bit. Some of the best BBQ I’ve ever eaten was in places that had more overt religious displays than you could shake a Presbyterian at. Not to mention the local Carmelite Retreat House, which puts on a BBQ every year that is just fantastic. Would I stop going because my food is being cooked and served by priests? Heck, no.
But when the religious message turns political, I start being more picky. The anti-abortion bumper sticker, for example, would put the business on my “No way” list real fast.
A cross displayed in a Catholic hospital, a Buddha shrine at the Chinese restaurant - those are personal displays of religious belief intended for the staff (or so I assume, they don’t seem to be intended for me). That I don’t mind.
A fish in your Yellow Pages ad? That’s having Christ shill for your company, and I find that blasphemous (and I’m not even Christian). To me it isn’t so much the “hey, you are excluding ME” as much as I find it offensive to use Christ (or any religious symbol) in such a manner.
Advertising in the Church bulletin - that’s fine - unless you include the little fish (or chalice or Star of David). Its having religious references in ads themselves that I find offensive.
In my experience, people who go out of there way to flaunt their religion tend to be among the most obnoxious of religious people. And by “flaunt”, I mean show it off in places that normally have nothing to do with religion, and in a way that’s hard to miss ( that being the point ).
If they are an out and out religious institution, I don’t trust them not to put theology above morality or rationality.
IMHO, they tend to be the sort who want to shove their religion down your throat, make it the law of the land. Not to mention their coworkers/employees.
I don’t trust them. People that intensely religious are unreliable at best, and can be dangerous.
They tend to support causes I despise, like the OP’s "Covenant Trucking, whose logo includes a scroll, and whose trucks all bear the legend on the back ‘It’s a child, not a choice’ ". Supporting the anti-abortion movement is right up there with Neonazism in my eyes, and I have no desire to aid such a person with my money.
I would expect to see it on a business that dealt somehow with religion. A Christian bookstore, for example, would probably have a cross somewhere on it. If I needed Christian books (which I don’t, but if I did), the cross would only reassure me that this is a place where I can find Christian books. No problem.
If the words or symbol is simply there–say, as with a Jewish deli displaying a Star of David, or the name “Guaranteed Overnight Delivery (GOD),” then it’s still no problem, as long as nobody is pushing it on me. Even a Bible verse on the packaging of a product wouldn’t bother me–I can ignore it if I wish. Again, no problem. Heck, a Star of David on a deli is usually the sign of a superb smoked meat on rye sandwich and a tart Kosher dill pickle.
But I definitely wouldn’t want to hear “Good morning, XYZ Widgets, Jesus died for your sins; have you been saved?” if I telephoned a business. Nor would I be pleased about doing business with a place that incorporated religious-political messages about abortion, gay marriage, etc. in their packaging, paperwork, trucks, verbal interactions, etc. Any active or overt proselytizing or pushing your religion’s agenda would turn me off doing business with you.
If it’s Christian, I’ll go out of my way to avoid it. I love Chick-fil-a food, but I avoid the place whenever possible because of their smug x-ianity.
Any other religion, I don’t much care.
That’s where my line is as well. The Chinese restaurant with a Buddha statue behind the counter isn’t trying use it to draw in other Buddhist customers, nor is the shop that chooses to decorate with a crucifix, torii, or star of David. It’s when the ad in the Yellow Pages specifically says “A Christian-owned Business!” or the entire place is festooned with Soka Gakkai flags that I take my money elsewhere.
Not if they were the only store in town. It offends me because I am of the opinion that religion is such a deeply spiritual thing, that at most, you can make a piss-poor representation of the magnitude it means to you.
And what with being an atheist and all, I see that crap as basically a “piss off” or “warning: we’ll rip you off.”
If someone is going to allow religion to color their business enough to put it in their advertising, then they ain’t doing a good job. They’d do a better job doing their job.
I had my oil changed last week at a place that posts Bible verses on its outdoor sign. They also have “May God watch over you until we meet again” or some such on their invoices. It doesn’t bother me because they do good work, have reasonable prices and don’t witness to me personally.
OTOH, I posted a while back about a jewelry store that had religious music playing over its stereo system and crosses on the walls. Where they crossed the line was when the salesperson stuck a Bible tract in the bag with my watch. (Sadly, it wasn’t a Chick tract. I might’ve forgiven them for that if only for the entertainment value.)
And that’s my dichotomy. All I expect is a good or service in exchange for money. I don’t want religion thrown in as a bonus. Private businesses may well have the right to display what they wish and set whatever policies they like, and that’s fine. But I have the right to take my business elsewhere if I disagree with them.
