OK. So get this.

[slutticus]

I am currently in the process of repairing a piece of equipment in the lab that I work in, and I recently ordered a part that I needed for the repairs.

So I got the shipment yesterday, opened the package, looked at the documentation (instructions)that it came with and set up the part. I was about put the documentation away when I noticed a little pamphlet (that came with the part) with a picture of Tommy Maddox on the front (dressed in his full Steelers battle gear) that reads "Stories of Inspiration". So, curious, I open up the pamphlet and look inside. The first page is a little story written by Tommy Maddox about his career in the NFL and bla bla bla. At the end of the story he says "...But I know my identity is not wrapped up in being a football player. I have experienced some wonderful things, but nothing greater than knowing Jesus as my Savior."

At this point I'm like "what the fuck?". SO I turn to the next page. It only got worse.

Page after page is filled with famous people telling their BS about being "saved". David Robinson, Kurt Warner, John Smolz, among others including CEO type people than you probably don't know.

At this point I'm totally shocked. At the end of the pamphlet, there is a little story from the President of the company I ordered the fucking part from, talking about how he's accepted Jesus as his personal Savior and how I should do the same. Attached to the last page is a little postcard (prepaid postage of course) called "My Prayer of Acceptance". At the bottom of this card it says "If you truly accepted Christ as your Saviour today from reading this booklet, return this card and we will send you , free, the 160-page book, 'God Owns My Business'".

What the fuck is this shit?!?!

I can't even order a simple part from a company without being fucking proselytized!? What kind of bullshit business practice is this?! I've never seen anything like this in my life, and I hope I never do again.

Should I write them a letter, or just let it go? Am I over-reacting?

*sigh*

Sorry for the long rant.

By the way, the company is United States Plastic Corp.

[Phentex]

1. Unbelievable!...

I doubt a letter would do much good to anyone who thinks that's okay in the first place. Can you take your business elsewhere? If so, then write them and tell them that!

[slutticus]

2. Yeah. It probably wouldn't make a difference.

The part I ordered was about $3.00.

I certainly won't do business with them anymore.

[AZCat]

3. They are funding evangelism with your purchase

About United States Plastic Corporation (company page):
United States Plastic Corporation is a different type of company. When our company was being established more than 50 years ago, the founder, Dr. R. Stanley Tam, made a promise to God that if God would prosper this business he would honor God in any way he could. God has consistently done His part and, with His help, we do ours to the best of our ability. Mr. Tam has placed 100% of the ownership of United States Plastic Corp. into a foundation whose purpose is to establish churches in third world countries. The dividends paid by the company go to share the Good News of the life changing experience possible for anyone.

I haven't been able to find out exactly to what organizations the money goes, but I'm betting it isn't those that are concerned with helping people with "ordinary things", but instead focus on saving the poor savages. :eyes:

[Synnical]

16. My first thought was to yes, write a letter

But this information changed my thoughts. However, for what it's worth . . .

At a previous job, at a publicly held company, our stock transfer agent included a leaflet each month - mostly business sentiments - but one month it had "god" sentiments and biblical citations. I wrote a letter, on company letterhead (I was a manager), and asked simply if they thought this was really suitable for business communication. The next month, and thereafter, no more religious nonsense. I'm not suggesting that I was responsible for the change, but writing that letter couldn't have hurt since the sentiments expressed were obviously xian based.

-Cindy in Fort Lauderdale

[slutticus]

21. Well....this company sells products that are made by other companies

Maybe if I write to some of the companies who's merchandice they sell, It could have an impact.

But that is a lot of work for a little bit of aggrivation on my part.
I feel like i'm over-reacting sometimes. Maybe I can drop a couple of emails. It couldn't hurt i guess.

[politicat]

25. Christ on a pogo stick, how can we possibly avoid using that corp??

They make frickin' everything!!

That's it. I'm not buying any more plastic. (Yeah, right.)

Psycho-fundies. I already avoid several stores because I don't like their religion and their politics, but this is getting crazy.

Anyone else wanna build a commune in the middle of someplace with trees, water and seasons and give up on the rest of the planet?

Pcat

[lazarus]

27. we're thinking about it

I've got land in the family, I should be inheriting it one day. :evilgrin:

[AZCat]

30. Unfortunately we can't wall ourselves off from them

Even if we separated our lives from people like this, their lifestyles would still impact us. I read an interesting article once a while back that talked about the communal costs of certain behaviors, and how even if we as individuals do not participate in certain events we still end up bearing some portion of the costs of those events.

Pollution from traffic is a good example - if you ride your bicycle everywhere you still live in an environment affected by other people choosing to drive because the pollution is not confined to their personal environment.

If we built a commune and didn't interact with people like this we would still have to suffer the affects of their decisions, just like people in other countries suffer because of the decisions we make even though they don't get to enjoy the lifestyle created because of those decisions.

We are all in this together, and unless we directly address these issues (like the corporatization of religion) instead of ignoring them we cannot lead the world down the road we choose - we will merely be passengers while others choose what road to take.

[Az]

4. Evangelicals have discovered marketting, expect to see more

One of the recent trends has been to run businesses modeled on the ideas of the bible and Jesus. The skirt the line of legality but continue to be a growing phenomena.

The best recourse is simply to take your business else where and write them a letter explaining why. Thats how capitalism works. If they are serving the scientific community they can be expected to get many such letters and it time may adjust their ways because of it.

[trotsky]

5. WWJD bracelets and merchandise

Just one tiny example of their marketing efforts (and success).

Never mind that most of the words directly attributed to Jesus in their own bible tend towards religious humility, praying in your closet, that sort of thing. And, conversely, those same words were very hostile towards the religious hypocrites who had to display their faith in public.

Crank up the PA system at the high school football game! We gotta take a stand for the baby Jesus!

[lazarus]

12. My response when I see a WWJD bracelet

is to tell them that Jesus wouldn't wear such a bracelet.

They don't like that. Nope, not a bit.

[slutticus]

20. LOL

I'll have to try that!

[GOPFighter]

6. It's hard to get away from the fanatics

I was down at Major League Spring Training last March. The kid next to me handed a baseball and a Sharpie to a baseball player for his autograph. The player signed it and added two numbers below his name. The kid said thanks then asked what the numbers meant. The player said they were a chapter and verse in the book of Romans and told the kid to look it up.

I found that really offensive!

[progressoid]

7. Well, of course. And when he gets some plaque from the rotary club

he can thank god for giving him his talent. And showing him the way. And keeping him off drugs. And picking him to be player of the year. And blessing him with a beuatiful wife & three kids. And blah blah blah

:puke:

[trotsky]

8. And he will no doubt consider his act of signing a baseball

to have been his effort to help those in need. Praise Jeebus!

[fshrink]

9. You should

write to the president, since he wrote to you, suggesting he build a plastic statue of jesus to replace the statue of liberty in NY.

[kslib]

10. When I had to euthanize my dog

I got a sympathy card from the vet with a letter in it saying that I should not be sad, it was God's will that I should use this time to create a closer relationship with him. She included the name/number of her pastor, and her phone number in case I needed to "come to Jesus" to deal with my grief. Just what I needed when I was grieving for my pet. :nuke: Why do people assume it's A-OK to try and convert everyone, no matter what the circumstances?

[trotsky]

11. Not only is it A-OK during grief...

they actually seem to view it as one of the best times to get their hooks into you. If they can't get you young, they'll get you when you're vulnerable.

[Az]

14. It is the best time

Tradgedy creates a large emotional blast. This can unbalance the distribution of emotional values and beliefs of a person. It is not malicious or predatory on the part of the individual. But the social construct they are beholden to has simply evolved to take advantage of just this type of circumstance.

[Behind the Aegis]

17. so true!!

This is why freshman at college are good "victims." I have worked at a few colleges and legitimate Churches are not are only issue. There are LOTS of cults out there and they are very dangerous. I find it is a sad statement about your religion if you have to try and convert someone when they are suffering or vulnerable. If you cannot be kind to them without wanting something in return, then that is a failing of human nature!

[Az]

18. Don't mistake the intent of the individual with the evolved tactics

of the religion.

The individuals come to believe that these actions they take are good. They do it for that purpose. But it serves the purpose of the religions propogation to support such ideas. Thus the sects that encourage such behaviour grow faster and further.

The individuals involved are typically blind to such manipulative motivations. They see their actions as representitive of their faith. In truth it is just the religion playing up our own natural tendency to help our fellow human.

[lazarus]

13. I lost my son

and someone told me it was "God's will".

I responded that if they were telling me God killed my son, I'd like to know if I should file suit against God, or against his earthly representatives?

[Az]

15. I have thought about something similar to that

There are numerous times when individuals will transgress in the name of their belief and say or do something that is insulting or damaging to us. While the individual will riggle and squirm out of any particular argument you throw at them to avoid responsibility the institutions they belong to do not have the same luxury. They are responsible for maintaining an image. There are plenty of clauses and verses in the bible that could turn such attacks around and perhaps start a meme within their infrastructure not to mistreat those of other positions.

[slutticus]

22. I'm sorry you had to go through that.

If someone ever said that to my face, I honestly don't know what I would do.

Maybe a brick to the face? It's gotta be god's will anyway....right?

[lazarus]

23. The only reason I didn't get violent

well, two reasons: i'm not a violent person by nature, and I was just too stunned to react properly.

[slutticus]

19. Fuck that

I would have gone ballistic on that fucker

god's will my ass.

Get off your high horse

[Kolesar]

24. Yes, that is tasteless

What was the vet thinking? I wondered if the vet even considered that you might not be Christian. The fool must send the same bullshit letter to every customer whose pet he euthanizes.

[politicat]

26. I'm sorry, KSlib....

I got so lucky with out vet. He's a secular, Humanistic Jew, and when we lost our bebe cat to an anesthesia accident, he was supportive without getting into religion.

I know it's hard....

Pcat

[kslib]

28. Well, she is no longer my vet

I let her know that prosteletyzing (sp?) in a professional setting was not acceptable to me, but continued to see her. She then diagnosed one of my cats with a nervous system disorder (which causes severe pain) when she saw unhealed sores on him. I took him to a specialist, and he had a food allergy, which has cleared up. She recommended euthanasia. Then, the vet was seeing my other cat because she was spraying in the house. She said she probably had an ovarian remnant and recommended that I let her do surgery to find it, and if it was not there she would "just not wake her up" because my other option was giving a daily pill, and that is "inconvenient for most owners." I again took my cat to a vet school, and it turns out she had a bladder inflammation. For a Christian and a vet, she doesn't show much compassion for cats (dogs, yes). It seemed to me that she was too willing to choose euthanasia for convenience's sake. I consider pet ownership a responsibility, and let her know that. I take them to the vet school now. So, I guess that, just like there are "bad people" who are atheists, there are "bad people" who are Christians, I just seem to meet a lot of them!

[Biased Liberal Media]

29. yuck. Why do some Xians use the phrase "God's Will"?

IIRC I think someone had said something on the news about how the tsunami was "God's Will". YUCK!!!! That is completely tasteless.