So I went shopping at one of my favorite clothes stores yesterday. It’s called Forever 21. When I got home and tossed the shopping bag on my bed, I noticed that on the bottom, it said “John 3:16.” I knew it was a Bible phrase, and googled it. This is what I got:
Now what I want to know is why this was on the bottom of the bag. Does Forever 21 have some sort of religous affiliations? As far as I know, it’s just a regular, teenage girl clothing store.
Anyone have any ideas? 
Well, I don’t see anything overtly “Christian” on their website, in the “About Us” history FAQ, but that doesn’t prove anything.
FTR, John 3:16 is frequently considered by many Conservative Christians to be “the most important verse in the Bible”, encapsulating as it does the high points. A surprisingly large number of people out there have “John 316” on their vanity plates, “John 3:16” bumper stickers, t-shirts, etc. So it’s not the sort of thing that gets “accidentally” on shopping bags–somebody somewhere is trying to do a bit of evangelizing. Hey, it got you to go look it up; that’s the point. It’s kind of like drive-by witnessing. 
I believe this is also on the bottom of In-n-Out cups.
So if In-And-Out and Forever 21 ever merged, would they put 1 Tim 6:8 on their bags?
In-N-Out is a Christian Company, they have more verses on their packaging than just John 3:16.
Cite it for yourself, I just ate some bad, bad summer sausage and don’t have the energy.
Religious nutjobs abound. Alaska Airlines is run by one. Whenever you get an in-flight meal, you also get a small card with some sort of bible quotation nonsense. I always rip them up to show my displeasure at being subjected to someone’s idea of what’s right.
This fascinating site discusses that very verse.
I don’t think you have to be a “nutjob” to express your religious views on a shopping bag. Many products (a certain brand of tea, for example) express concern for other issues. Why are you a nutjob if the comment is religious?
I know a successful jewelry designer who puts something of religious significance on the back of the pieces she makes. It isn’t all that uncommon.
If you don’t like the ideas presented, then cool. Making it a point to tear in up sounds like book burning on a mini-scale. Destroy the ideas. They are to be feared.
Being subjected to someone’s idea of god while a captive audience is repugnant to me and presumptive on the part of the airline. Since hurling the meal back at the FA would get me arrested, tearing up the card is my only form of protest until I can get to a computer and send my objections via email. Book burning, my ass.
I can’t agree. I classify this under unwanted proselytizing.
I never heard of such a practice before. I do hope the clients are warned about this?
If not: Imagine for example a Muslim buying some stuff where a Christian designer has put the words “Jesus is God” on, then flying back home where some Wahabbi-style regime sentences him to death when discovering what he has with him?
This is even a lot more then “unwanted proselytizing”. I classify this under arrogance leading to extremely irresponsible behaviour of someoen following a sick urge to impose his beliefs on others. Exposing people who are unaware of these practices to possible danger.
You don’t need to have the situation "Christian/Muslim for such result either. There are a lot of places on this globe where the discovery of any form of religious expression can lead to serious problems for the victim of this practice.
And the same situation can in fact already occur when the person without knowing carries with him such a bag with religious reference.
Why do you classify tearing up unwanted proselytizing under “burning books”?
Sorry, but I can’t find any possible comparison.
Salaam. A
Great Og! I find myself in complete agreement with Aldebaran! It’s a Festivus miracle! 
Simple solution: Don’t buy a ticket for that airline.
If it displeases you that much to be exposed to any ideas which are contrary to your personal beliefs, by all means, go out of your way to avoid them.
Arrogance and a sick urge to impose his beliefs on others? No. I believe the term you’re looking for is “freedom of speech.”
I don’t think so. You just gave an example of the way US’ers make abuse to this so called “freedom of speech”.
And if I buy a product, be it a fashion thing or be it an airline ticket, I want that product. Not proselytizing items of the religion of the producer or vendor.
I pay him, not the reverse. I am the client. And the client is king.
If something like that would ever happen to me, I don’t think that would be that firm’s best day.
Salaam. A
chefguy
I know… I can cause joy and shock at the same time and such on the most unexpected moments.
It is something inherent to my completely innocent nature.
Salaam. A
Imagine the reaction on an American Airline if passengers received vereses from the Koran along with their meals.
thats a straw man. I could think of lot things over here that could get you severaly punished in some countries. Any sports calander that contains a woman athlete, TV guide (the evil plote lines of American shows:rolleyes:) many magazines, our music, news papers, books, movies, scientific journals, ect.
We would have to give up a great many things we value collectively from including many elements of reliegon, sexuality, science, pop culture, art, liberties, music, entertainment, press. The list goes on. in short to make any thing a visiting Muslum from a Wahabi-esc county might bring home with home safe we would have to becom a Wahabi-esc country.
I think it’s a much more rational expectation to expect visitors to look over their soveniers for legal issues in their homeland before going home.
You are incorrect, sir. If I choose to open a business and offer a product, it is completely within my rights and freedoms to embellish that product with whatever speech I choose (outside of a very few, predefined terms). Your choice is to purchase the product as it is, or not.
The product, i.e. what you pay for, is what you get. It is INCLUDED with the airline ticket. It is INCLUDED with the jewelry. It is part of the product itself. If you want an airline ticket which does not include a Bible verse, I would suggest you purchase it from another airline. If you want some jewelry without religious insignia, I would suggest that you purchase some that doesn’t come with it. I would not pay for a book and complain that the author dedicated it to someone. I want the story, the PRODUCT, not the author’s thank yous, after all.
You pay him. You make the choice. If you choose to pay to receive the product, then you have done so. You choose to give someone money in exchange for a product. The first time that happens, I could understand your displeasure, if you were truly uninformed of the nature of the product beforehand, and if it were something which inhibited your use and enjoyment of the product itself. I don’t believe a reference to a Bible verse, when discreetly printed on a shopping bag, restaurant cup, or business card fits this description.
I will agree that the reaction would be very large. I would also think that wouldn’t make it (the reaction) any more appropriate.
I see, does where your from not consider freedom of speech an inalienable right?
Diogenes the Cynic
It would be funny to see. Assuming they realized where the verses were from of course. The airline would be well withen atleast 2 of it’s Constitutional rights.
stupid vb. that should a :rolleyes: followed by a end quote.
Perhaps you are aware of another airline that flies to Nome, Bethel, Juneau, Kodiak, Cordova, Ketchikan, Wrangell, Fairbanks, and Petersburg. If so, please clue me in. EHHHH! Time’s up! It’s the only game in town, I’m afraid.
Additionally, Alaska Airlines is the only airline in town that routinely flies to Seattle and Portland. It’s impossible to avoid unless I want to walk or row to my destination.
Since it is the only game in town, it’s proseletyzing, not freedom of speech, and they know it. Arrogance, pure and simple.
I’ve always had a problem with people with the “Well, if you don’t like it here, move somewhere else” mentality. Sorry Garfield, it’s my country too, and I don’t feel like I should have to put up with some other citizen’s passion for his god, rutabegas, save the worms club or anything else. All I want to do is get through my life without having to be on the receiving end of unsolicited preaching by someone who feels I’m not living my life up to his standards. You take care of you, I’ll take care of me, and we’ll both be happier for it.