Boycott Abercrombie and Fitch

[cdouglas76]

An article found at:
http://money.cnn.com/2002/05/22/news/companies/abercrombie.ap/index.htm

I don't personally shop here, but I wouldn't want anyone to
unknowingly support these
people financially. Please forward this article on to your friends
and family. Also, for more
info see: http://www.americandecency.org

------------------------------------------

A&F criticized for sexy undies

No stranger to controversy, retailer is under fire once more for
marketing controversial clothes.
May 22, 2002: 11:38 AM EDT

NEW YORK (AP) - Abercrombie & Fitch is coming under fire -- again.
It's the target of several consumer advocacy groups for its latest
merchandising strategy -- selling thong underwear with sexually
charged phrases for children. The skimpy undies have the words "eye
candy'' and "wink wink'' printed on the front.

The retailer has been criticized before for its provocative ads and
catalog for teens. And last month, Abercrombie (ANF: down $0.23 to
$28.98, Research, Estimates) pulled a line of T-shirts that triggered
protests from Asian groups who said they reinforced negative
stereotypes.

In the latest controversy, OneMillionMoms-dot-com and other groups
say they've sent e-mails to the company to protest the thongs. The
nonprofit Christian group, American Decency Association, is calling
for a boycott.

 

[post-it]

Using sex to advertise to our teens is horrible and getting worse.

I picked up a comic book on the newstand over the weekend and found StarBurst Candy advertising a full page ad in which two teens are french-kissing and the one headline that said "The only way to share a Starburst."

I just about blew up.

 

[OSAS]

Originally posted by post-it:
Using sex to advertise to our teens is horrible and getting worse.

Even TBN is guilty, ever seen the music videos they play that are geared to teens? Same marketing procedure, same sins are glorified... sex, greed, rebellion, chaos. The only thing that differs is the lyrics.

 

[ElizabethB]

This is certainly a nice message to send to little girls.

 

[cdouglas76]

One of the ways we can help stop this obscene practice is to spread the word! I encourage everyone to copy the article above and forward it to families.

 

[Brother Adam]

I could have told you that. Heck, all you have to do is walk into an A&F store and its abudently obvious (some say it has to do with the wall size pictures of girls in G-string bikini's covered in oil). I don't think an article is necessary to convey that message.

Brother Adam

 

[post-it]

As a general fact, we can't nor have we been successful in putting the genii back in the bottle. This is why boycotting doesn't work against the big companies.

We must arm our young people so they make the right decision.. Protecting them from the evils of the world by denying, hiding, or secluding has a long history of failure. Ancient stories tell the same tale.

Let's learn from history and help our children be strong.

 

[Bro. Curtis]

Boycotting them will not bring them down. They are doing it because the country is letting them.

But, my daughter will never wear one of their products, until she gets old enough to buy them herself.

Friends, the hour is late, isn't it ?

 

[OSAS]

Originally posted by Mr. Curtis:

Friends, the hour is late, isn't it ?

VERY LATE indeed!

 

[cdouglas76]

An article from www.americandecency.org about the importance of boycotts:

Abstaining from doing business with corporations that victimize children and families through the products that they produce, sell or rent, or the philosophy which they hold, is both a matter of Christian stewardship and a matter of personal holiness.
Choosing carefully where you spend your money

The American Decency (ADA) is a Christian organization. Our God is a Holy God. He loves His children. As parents and grandparents, we, too, care about children. We are greatly concerned about providing our youth with a community that allows children to be raised innocently, free of sexual victimization.
The ADA believes in the importance of promoting the biblical ethic of decency in our culture. One of the ways by which the ADA promotes decency is by means of a boycott: a boycott which is supported by prayer. Consider the following:
As we stand for Judeo-Christian principles, our children see that we take a stand for our beliefs. In addition, we verbally share our faith and our convictions with our young people which encourages them to not be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of [their] mind.[Romans 12:1,2]
[Deuteronomy 6:4-9] Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart; you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk to them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
A boycott gives numbers of people the opportunity to firmly but lovingly share their concern about Judeo-Christian values and the negative impact a company's policy is having upon the family/society.
[Matthew 5:13.] You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
A boycott places a standard before people that otherwise would not be placed. People need to know that there are individuals who are deeply concerned with standards, values, ethics, issues of right and wrong, and decency in the public market place.
[Matthew 5:16.] Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
A boycott certainly sends a message of concern to the corporation being boycotted. It highlights an issue that previously the leadership may have never considered. You are the light of the world.
[Matthew 5:14,15.] A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
Publicity about a boycott educates a wide range of people to the concern that is addressed by the boycott.
[Matthew 18:6.] But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
As boycott information is placed before people who receive information through ADA, people who read about the boycott in the newspaper and people who become aware of the issue through informal sharing and discussion, some individuals are prompted to respond in their lives. In some cases, the response will result in a conviction which initiates a change from destructive behavior.
[Ephesians 5:11.] And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.
Non-targeted business executives realize that the issue of pornographic, sexually violent videos and magazines is a public concern. In some cases, the boycott of one company directly or indirectly affects the policy decisions relative to what others will or will not market. Abstaining from doing business with corporations that victimize children and families through the products that they produce, sell or rent, or the philosophy which they hold, is both a matter of Christian stewardship and a matter of personal holiness.
[Matthew 5:13.] You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned.

 

[post-it]

I don't boycott anyone myself. And I am generally against using them. Boycotting is man's answer to a problem so of course it doesn't work. The Bible tells us how to handle these types of problems.

If you have children under the age of 30, be very, very careful about participating in any boycott. This can have a negative effect on your children in the following way.

If you start to boycott Disney because they violate Christian standards, and Disney never gives in the boycott. You must be willing never to buy ANY of their products ever again. For to do so will show a hypocritical attitude to your children.

The fact is that a boycott has more effect on our own children in that they see us take a Christian Stand against something that is not tolerated by our faith. That is great as long as they don't ever see you trip up and start using their products or services sometime later.

It also opens up another can of worms. You then must examine every product or service you use and see if that company violates any Christian values you hold and then you must follow through with a boycott against them. Otherwise, it sends the same hypocritical message to your children.

The truth is that we can't survive as a family without the products and services that all these companies provide without living a beggar's standard of living. So think twice before boycotting anyone. Scripture also gives us a better way of handling these situations. Take them the Word and Pray for them. Let the Holy Spirit convict them.

If on the other hand you teach our child, that this company did wrong and we are going to write a letter saying why it is wrong. And telling them that we will pray that they will change their ways, just as we do for other sinners. That would hold in line with how we already have dealt with sinners for thousands of years. We bring the Word of God to them and pray for them, we don't stop dealing with them.

If you are single or wish to boycott anyway...

Boycotting should only be done without telling anyone that we are doing it. We don't want that information to get back to your children. It must be a personal and silent thing that occurs at the time of purchase, you simple reach for something else to buy.

I see a place therefore, for a leadership call for a boycott, but not from the pulpit. This same problem brings the same potential problem to our church. Once a church gets on the bandwagon, it can't get off. It must come from a private agency. At that point, we may follow it in silence. The effect we are going for is less sales and the leadership is letting them know why the sales have decreased.

 

[cdouglas76]

That sounds like the typical passive, indifferent attitude that is common with so many Christians today...I hate to say this, but there are a lot of christians in this world that need to wake up...Companies today are more than willing to polute society with filth and 95% of Christians today do nothing more than talk about it. Prayer is an absolute necessity when dealing with such issues...but lets keep this in mind - God feeds the birds of the air, but he doesn't drop the food right into thier nests.

The fact of the matter is this. If you willingly purchase a product from a company such as Abercrombie and Fitch, you are financially enabling them to continue polluting society. It's completely irresponsible to support such companies...perhaps its time we stop being so worldy, materialistic and stop depending on the worlds products so much.

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

 

[post-it]

But Boycotting is a "destructive" method. The now infamous Shoe Bomber said today in the news that his intent was to disrupt America financially during Christmas.

The same type of rhetoric is always seeking to destroy something. Christians work for these companies, Christian work in connection with these companies. America is built on these companies. To drive someone out of business because of their beliefs is not Christian nor American.

 

[stedfastmom]

Somehow or someone referred me to join http://www.onemillionmoms.com, which allows us to react to tv programming, commericial ads, stores, magazines, etc. ... and recently they mention this outrageous A&F thing about thong underwear for young children. They gave us the phone number and email contact for Abercrombie & Fitch and encouraged us to say our peace. Well I guess they dropped that clothing line due to all the negative publicity and messages that were being sent in and called in.

If you want to join, visit the site and sign up for the newsletter, which comes about only a few times a week, depending on what is happening.

There is one for dads too!

http://www.onemilliondads.com

Check it out. It's worth it to say your opinion and be heard.

God bless,

WEN

 

[post-it]

There are hundreds of companies that are anti-Christian values. You may need to stop buying everything. That will show them. What company is not under attack by Christians and is the one of the leaders in causing the deaths every day and night of the year. By far the greatest killer of innocent 3rd parties in the US. I have yet to see any boycott of booze by Christians.

What, we can't boycott them because we don't drink. Ok, then let's forget them and go after a clothing company. Yes, we wear clothing so we can boycott them and shut them down!!! Evil, Evil clothing.

So as Sally Beckman buries her 6 year old child and husband, killed last night by a drunk driver, her church is fighting tooth and nail to stop Abercrombie & Fitch from selling underwear.

Is Seagram's Liquor, Christian Proof?

What's wrong with this picture?

Police will not follow cars out of a bar parking lot to figure out who is DWI. There is a need for Christians to do this and call in the cars to the police when they see a DWI. Cell phones are a wonderful thing.

Choose your battles with thought, not who has the latest boycott bandwagon.

 

[Don]

To drive someone out of business because of their beliefs is not Christian nor American.

Not doing it because of their beliefs; doing it because they want your children and mine to wear clothes that place emphasis on sexuality.

So if you agree that's wrong, then just don't buy anything from them.

Took my kids to see Spider-man; there was language in the movie that didn't need to be there, so I asked them if they thought that stuff had any right to be in the movie. They thought about it for a while, and agreed that it didn't enhance the movie in any way. I then had them write letters to the company that produced the movie telling those people that they would have enjoyed the movie even more if the unnecessary items had been left out.

My kids know exactly how I feel about Disney. We've discussed it, and I've allowed them to make their own decision on the subject. We don't do Disney.

Post-it, you don't have to participate in any boycott. You've made it quite plain what you think about boycotts. Now, it looks to me like some of the Christians here are going to decide to boycott anyway.

Do they have that right?

 

[post-it]

Originally posted by Don:

Post-it, you don't have to participate in any boycott. You've made it quite plain what you think about boycotts. Now, it looks to me like some of the Christians here are going to decide to boycott anyway.

Do they have that right?[/QB]

Yes, I thought I made that clear when I gave my thoughts on how one might boycott in a previous post. As you just demonstrated, the real effect in our personal lives of these companies is how we act on these things in connection with our children. You just had your kids do what I had suggested in that post. It doesn't mean trying to drive someone out of business, the idea is to teach our children how to look at things in the Christian light.

 

[cdouglas76]

An article from:
http://www.intelligentchristian.org/romans_122.htm

Romans 12:2
The verse
'Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.' (from the New International Version)

Here is our expanded and interpreted paraphrase: 'Do not allow yourself to be engineered by anyone who tries to press you into a mould of these times but get yourself into the metamorphosis the Lord intends for you by renewing your mind, so you can prove for yourself what is the good, pleasing and perfect will of God'

Our thoughts on this verse
We feel strongly that this verse provides the method by which Christians change and grow. It is a call for critical and independent thinking instead of passively being controlled. Mould pressing is what others would do to us. Mould pressing is also done by systems and thought put into place by people long dead. We will look more at this in our future articles Our Thinking Tools and The Theology of Structure. But for now we must understand very clearly that the Christian must use her/his mind and that this is what the Lord intends to activate our personal metamorphosis.

Note that the mind multi-tasks. While the renewing of mind gets us into metamorphosis the mind also proves to us what is God's will.

There is in English some confusion over the use of the word 'prove'. Not least confusing is the old adage that 'The exception proves the rule'. However, the confusion dissolves when we understand the adage contains the old English meaning of the word. It means 'test'. In the context of Romans 12:2 the Christian is instructed to use mind to continually test the ongoing personal changes.

It is a paradigm shift for Christians to become aware of the mould pressing influences and also the strength of the intent behind them. Mould pressing is done by dictators of all stripes, by religious and political structures we grow up in, by media, by peers, and not least by our own minds when we do not exercise our personal self-critical capacity.

Metamorphosis, on the other hand, is actually the way the universe operates. There are some useful examples from nature. A caterpillar becoming a butterfly or a snake shedding its skin. These are examples of growth and change and always in the direction the Creator intends. But lest we attempt to mould press or engineer ourselves, we should note that these processes operate on the Creator's schedule. If we attempt to extract a pupating caterpillar we don't get a beautiful butterfly, we just kill the creature. There is a lesson here when we become impatient with ourselves or with organizational structures. We should not submit ourselves to mould pressing but neither should we expect others to submit themselves to moulds of our engineering. And that especially includes children.

Renewing of mind is one of God's most beautiful gifts. Something we should rejoice in and share with others.

 

[OSAS]

Originally posted by stedfastmom:

There is one for dads too!

http://www.onemilliondads.com

Thank you for the link! I signed up today...

 

[Brother Adam]

I just bought a T-shirt today with an Abercrombie design that said "ABREADCRUMB & FISH". I like

UNP
Adam