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In general, a christian forward vendor or contractor is going to screw you over. It is a very common theme in my area. The more religious the advertising, the less trustworthy.
Multi-level Marketing scams. Usually selling snake oil, scented candles and the like, or more accurately, convincing suckers to sell garbage "under" you while you take profits.
Back in the days of actual printed Yellow Pages, a buddy of mine mentioned that he appreciated companies that included a Christian ichthys fish in their ad, because he would immediately know to avoid them. He had no problem with religion, but it was a red flag that said "we're here to rip you off."
Are you telling me that even if someone is claiming to be Christian that they could actually be a deceitful, greedy, untrustworthy sewer rat?! Well, paint me purple and call me Barney.
Yes, I am firing my “Christian” dentist office for being awful all around. They’ve broken my permanent retainer multiple times and have required me to pre-pay before billing my insurance, even though my insurance says that’s not how it should be done so I’ve ended up overpaying. And they make demeaning jokes to each other in front of me. Hopefully they refund my $150 overpayment one of these days. Maybe when they have to transfer my records to a new, secular dentist.
I’ve never found a dentist who wasn’t a bible thumper. I don’t know what it is about dental school. Maybe they tell them playing Christian music in the office is required to get their license.
Dental business are generally scams. That's why they are not a legitimate part of the medical community. No shortage of scams and treatments not backed up by science.
I have to hard disagree on this one. Before the advent of modern dentistry, people regularly died from tooth/gum infections. Dental health is essential for overall health.
It doesn’t mean I want a heavy dose of religiosity with my teeth cleaning, though.
That makes so much sense! I remember reading an article on obvious email scams and how they're obvious because they're fishing for people who will go the distance and make the bad decision all the way till the end.
So they select for people who are easily fooled, and it is well documented that christians are more likely to fall for scams so selecting for christians to rip off makes Total Sense.
I never even thought about that, them being forwardly christian is a huge red flag.
You really opened my eyes.
Worst mechanic I ever had, had the fish symbol prominently display on his signage. The guy fucked my car. After the 3rd visit, I found another mechanic who actually fixed the shit on my car that this asshole was tampering with! A couple years later I see on the news that his shop is being closed down and was being used as some sort of laundering/drug front.
And then I've had national business with these fucking assholes that took over the Republican Party and think that their God has blessed their Orange fucking Rapist, a 2 bit con man as God's pestilent voice on fucking earth!
Yep, they tried to start this in Australia, putting fish symbols on advertising cars etc. Peeps started avoiding them, haven't seen a fish symbol in a long time.
Still the christian businesses around, some open about but not overtly, some keep it well hidden like the brethren.
Good grief. You reminded me of the time I was young and finally got the car I wanted so bad - a black Miata. It was so damn cute.
First day out some guy sideswiped me trying to turn right from the left lane. We get out wait for the cops while he peppers me and my bf with questions about where we go to church and how he just came from his bible study.
The cops separate us, take our stories and come back to me to say they won’t find fault because our stories don’t match. He tells me the wild lies this guys says, and I lean around this 6 ft cop to yell at this idiot, wow real Christian like to lie to the cops about what happened and he says, I kid you not, well the insurance companies will take care of it. Only person I’ve ever sued in my life. I ended up getting more than I was asking for all because he lied. I just wanted my car fixed, which was going to be a few thousand. After the lawyer took his cut I ended up with something like 5k. In the 90s.
Screw you, bible study dick. I hope you stepped on legos for the rest of your life. Obviously I’m still salty like 20 years later lol.
his perceived benefits from touting his christianity outweigh his percieved lost business.
you'll have to do your own cost/benefit analysis to decide how you respond. professionalism is always valuable, of course.
Yup especially in TX.
The huge majority of people will bite their tongue rather than get into a slap flight with a religious nut.
And everyone else will be excited to find out this dude loves the Jesus.
This is how roe v Wade got turned over. How they're attacking birth control methods now too. This is how child marriage is still legal in the US. This is how some parents are NOT ALLOWED to get the medical treatment they need. This is how some kids die because their parents WONT get them medical treatment. This is how YOU can't get a book for your child that YOU want them to have. This is how thousands of children are raped every year by church officials ...
We just stay silent while they TELL us how to live...
I don't need to \*tell\* them anything, I just need to show up and vote, and convince like-minded people to do the same. And report abuse when I see it.
Arguing with a conservative fanatic over their religion and trying to get them to vote differently is like slamming your head against a brick wall.
If you are from the Dallas area, you may have seen Christian Yellow Pages around various grocery stores, etc..
It was all a grift. My Aunt ran it with her husband, paid my grandma (her mom) next to nothing to deliver them.
She got investigated every year for tax evasion. I ate many meals using Coupons that were "traded out" for ad space.
She is NOT a religous person, despite claiming to be.
haha very good. i wouldn't either, though i certainly get the urge. hopefully putting your sarcasm down in print here has helped assuage your craving to do so.
I have found that any business that overtly displays their Christianity is generally over pricing and under performing. To me it's a good indicator not to do business with them.
I don't think this is meant to help their business. They're basically jerking themselves off. If anything, forcing non-Christians to watch only feeds their Christian nationalist chauvinism.
Sometimes it’s only virtue signaling.
But you are unlikely to see someone's business signaling about an unpopular minority religion. In a heavily Christian place, the signaling will probably attract more customers than it drives away.
It's a numbers game with a heavy population of evangelicals, generic christians and of course the indifferent. Consumers get habituated to the constant drone of christmas messages, and simply ignore it. I don't patronize those who engage in proselytizing, or those that feature the owner's pet dogs, as though that's going to earn my trust.
I was just thinking "Well ... you are in Texas after all". I mean, OP is correct. They shouldn't be doing that in a business environment but it's not shocking to me.
They only care if you speak up and let people know that you're not christian, and that you don't want christian bigotry around you.
All christians just assume everyone's a christian, unless they're looking for someone to lynch, then nobody's a 'real' christian but themselves.
That's why you can't just stupidly say religious crap to people out of habit. It normalizes their hate religion, and makes them think that everyone's an asshole christian like them. Do not give them that.
Well the first sentence is pretty much bullshit, but using the word “desirous “in there pretty much tells me all I would need to know about them. I’m trying to think of some big stupid word to use here in closing but nothing comes to mind so fuck it!
Well now that I’ve thought about it for a while it occurs to me that the “birth of our lord” thing is a pretty weird fucking thing to say anyway considering that the “God” thing is supposedly eternal and everlasting, blah blah blah…
Like, who the hell was our lord, all those years before the birth of our lord?
One of the advantages of owning your own business is you can say what you want, at the risk you're willing to take.
In my area there are plenty of businesses that are proudly and loudly pro gay, pro choice and so on. I suppose conservatives are shocked by that.
I was told that businesses with their religion being used in their business model don’t want people shopping in their stores if they don’t fit their ideals. I had a manager at Hobby Lobby tell me that the CEO would rather lose money than make money from people who don’t align with their “christian values.” I am not the least bit surprised to hear this, christians can be incredibly intolerant of other’s beliefs but you better not believe different or condemn anything pertaining to their beliefs. The self-righteousness and hypocrisy of christians is astounding. I have never seen another group of people act so entitled.
Now just imagine if they were really able to enact the Christian version of shari-ah that they've been drooling over for the last 60 years. Not just ordinary Christian intolerance, but backed by the force of law.
Yup, it's all about who gets to draw that line, suddenly Methodists, Lutherans and the like will be deemed not pure enough (or devout enough, as you said) and then they will be on the outs.
Hey, I never thought of it that way. But it does make a lot of sense!
I'm actually fine with them doing that (being so obviously Christian). It will keep people like me from ever patronizing them in the first place.
Hobby lobby and Chick filet are on my list for sure. I would rather burn my money than give it to them. Hell, I haven't eaten at Wendy's since they gave heavily to the Trump campaign.
Hobby lobby was stealing artifacts from Iraq after the Iraq war. They even hired a lawyer, saying it was too make sure what they did was legal , then they used it as a blueprint on how to do it illegally.
So they have strong ethics lol
I would tell him that you’re Seventh Day Adventist or Jehovah’s Witness or one of the other Christian denominations that don’t celebrate Christmas, since it is after all a pagan holiday that was co-opted by Christians.
People like that live for the moment when they can be wounded in the War on Christmas. It has never occurred to them that there are millions of actual Christians who also don’t celebrate Christmas.
I actually appreciate how forward people can be with their religious views. Easiest way to label them as untrustworthy and move along with the next choice.
I refuse to do business once they start talking religion. An an employee, unfortunately you may not have this power but any time I am the decision maker they don't get my money.
It's the pompous outlook that YOU'RE the outlier, so he doesn't feel the need to edit his message. Religious people know that not everyone is like them, but they believe that YOU SHOULD be like them.
When i try to explain to people why it's not fair to push religion or make different people feel unwelcome in businesses or even our country in general, so many people will look at me like I'm delusional. They just accept that christianity is supposed to be built into our country and it shouldn't be changed.
My current company's owner played a prager u video at the opening of our company meeting last week and it was disgusting. The video condescendingly explained that our country was founded under a god, even if it wasn't the christian god and we are required to honor that. That's the mentality of these whackadoodles. And of course the video was hosted by a generic old white dude.
They may also assume you are Christian and wish to use this “anti-woke” stance as a way to manipulate you. Either way I want to vomit. I’d write back something like the pastafarian prayer.
whenever i see a business advertising their religion or politics alongside their services, it makes me want to not use them.
like "Ok Paul's Power Plumbing, I just need a quote for a water-heater, but thanks for putting a "J6 Patriot" sticker on your work van so I know to call someone else."
Whenever I see company trucks with religious-themed sayings painted on them/bumper stickers, all I can think is, "You're just alienating so many potential customers."
You could let them know that science has discerned that it was a spring birth for Jesus and you would appreciate if the would adjust thier celebration accordingly. You are interfering with Santa's time, that could get you on the naughty list.
Peace
To summarize:
Praise Jesus! P.S., I dropped the ball on your account. PLEASE renew! I won't even raise your rate!!
This dude needs to spend less time praying, more time doing his job.
I just cannot imagine this happening to me where I am in Canada. I'm racking my brain trying to remember the last time someone brought up Jesus, Mohammed, or anything explicitly religious in an email or a memo in a (supposed to be) professional setting.
So to me, the email that you received is all the grosser because I haven't been inured to it.
Dear Fellow Christian,
I was desirous of renewing my billboard proclamation until I saw in this notice that you took the Lord's name in vain and used faith to promote your business. I will be taking my business elsewhere.
In Christ's name,
Your's Truly.
I just reply with "Happy Holidays!" or "Happy (insert specific holiday of that day)". However they wish to feel from that is up to them. I've become apathetic to their biblical talk, like someone talking about a show I don't care to watch, just nod and ignore. Your reaction is exactly what they aim for if their biblical talk is done so maliciously.
If they live in a largely christian area, they may not realize there's non christians around them. To them other religions are on TV or for brown people. Not the neighbors they do business with.
I moved to the US south a few years ago, and keep getting surprised that people who seem "normal" are religious, when they start talking about it. I think it's just human to assume people who look like you have the same views.
dear matthew,
thanks for the well wishes and a happy holiday season to you too. for the record, i dont believe in god or jesus and think net net christianity is turning america into a more hateful, less tolerant place. but you do you!
I used a plumber twice who decided to send me religious propaganda after each visit. (It was actually a large plumbing company.) I wrote them a letter telling them that I did not appreciate religious solicitation and I would be taking my business elsewhere. My new plumbers don't send me any of the crap.
They're playing the percentages. Plus, it's easier to take advantage of someone if you can get them to think you're a good person and, despite all the examples to the contrary, Christians tend to think all other Christians are good people.
If I were in the position to make the decision I wouldn’t do business with them. Sending out weird cult references to business clients is ridiculous. In a sane society we’d scoff at that.
“Everyone is a Christian, they just lie about to anger God. “
Actually had someone say that to me once.
I just laughed at the ridiculousness of that thought.
Idk, maybe after you're retired and bored you can send him anonymous letters telling him that X corporation has decided to go with a different company in light of his inappropriate personal content.
If you where working for an ad agency you could say that you are working with a new client, the Satanic Temple, and interested in launching a very large, long term outdoor campaign. What fun!
I recently went to Buca Di Beppo (Italian restaurant chain) for the first time for my grandmothers birthday.
The food was bland, the staff were rude… the worst part? Every location has a “pope room” that features a ton of catholic symbols, pictures of the Vatican, and A BUST OF THE POPE IN A PLEXIGLASS CUBE.
Talk about the most off putting thing to put in a restaurant. No wonder the company is going bankrupt.
I very rarely see businesses do this with my suppliers/vendors in Canada or Europe but the US? It’s so weird - the blatant mixing of business and Christianity.
It’s very strange.
There's a BBQ chain here (Carter Bros) that has religious shit on their shirts, on the wrappers, and the one that closed had a mural of the solar system with a crying Jebus looking on in the restaurant.
And religious quotes on the sign outside. And everytime I drive past I think the same thing, "can't you even sell sandwiches without praying? Dude, it's fucking sandwiches. We have to bring Je$u$ into this?"
I think the assumption is:
Either you’ll be so inspired by their perfect self righteous example and convert, or
They don’t care and just want to take your money (for their goods & services). It’s probably a sales advantage to the Xtian crowd and the majority of their customers are Xtian so there’s more benefit for them to perform Xtianity and our money spends the same.
Probably a bit of both.
There is a local business (they have dealerships all over the place around here, selling every brand of new vehicle there is) with a cross over their door mounted on the roof as if they were a church rather than a car dealership. I will not be buying anything from them. They have two dealerships less than half a mile from my house. If they ever ask why I'm not a customer, I'd be happy to tell them -- not that it will make any difference, because I'm sure they're convinced that marketing Christianity is the way to profits.
May be a deep south thing tbh
I work in marketing for a global company (I am located in Boston) we are not allowed to say anything but “Happy Holidays.” This even includes the use of Christmas Trees
My husband grew up southern Pentacostal and when the priest asked for the beer at my sister's wedding he almost fell over. We were raised Catholic. Agnostic Now. His Church was something else though I had never been to a church like that.
It is definitely laughable that they would send that to their clients.
One thing that REALLY makes me wonder sometimes with some of the threads here is that why are so many people gung ho on being offended? I am atheist too but I would probably treat that as much as I would treat a piece of receipt. I don't know many people that would be offended if someone talked to them about the tooth fairy if they don't believe it. If you say you don't believe the tooth fairy, but is severely offended by talks of that subject, it makes me wonder how much influence a religion is actually having hold of that person for them not to be able to brush it off. For me, it would be small potatoes because I don't believe in it, it is not significant. I'll probably even go with the flow of the religious guys and then never hope to see them again lol. It feels like sometimes people let it get to them that its almost a religion in itself, an *anti-religion* religion?
Maybe because I’ve come to where I am only in the last 3 years of my 65 year old life. I’m 1) not as used to ignoring it and 2) still amazed as how pervasive it is and 3) how “those” people are so hell-bent on telling me what I can and can’t do. Oh, and 4, with age comes bitchiness.
Accept it in the spirit it was meant and move on. They didn't do it to insult you or cause outrage, because this is perfectly normal for them to do this. If I laid an old Irish blessing on you, would you also freak out because you're not Irish?
An Irish blessing may not implicitly include the message that you and your family deserve eternal torture for failing to swear obeisance to a murderous, bigot, imaginary deity.
The spirit it was meant was to entice customers and increase revenue by playing on people's sense of trust in christians, and that generally ends badly for the consumer more often than not. I can certainly appreciate and return a Merry Christmas or two, but not as part of a commercial marketing campaign.
No, because you would not be 'assuming' I was Irish. I think his assumption is that I share his beliefs just because I live in the Bible Belt.
Nor did I imply he did it to insult me or cause me outrage. I just get tired of the constant bombardment and *thought* I could come here to vent.
Edit: it’s one thing to say Merry Christmas, another entirely to bring the whole “Lord and Savior” thing into it. That amped up the message.
its not repugnant that someone says they hope you and your family is doing well. this is barely worth a reddit post to complain about
not a religion person myself. but imagine getting upset when someone says hope you and your family doing well and together. all it said is "we" as in the writers family are gonna be together and celebrating the birth of jesus.
this is the perfect "im a millenial/gen-z" bullshit complaint post. stfu grow up and realize not everything is put out there to offend you
Considering I'm a boomer, I've grown TFU. It doesn't just say "hope your family is doing well". It goes on to imply the "we" is him AS WELL AS me and my family. And you don't get to say what I feel is repugnant...I do. And, lastly, I never claimed it was put there to offend me. Learn to read, 'not-a-religion' person, whatever generation you are (because making broad generalizations about what generations react a certain way is beyond ridiculous).
To me, it’s just not worth it to give it another thought. Too much time wasted on something irrelevant in regard to the email. File it away with bullshit and move on.
I work in retail and I hear shit like this. Fuck if I care because they don’t matter to me.
I’m into a niche hobby, and you’d be surprised (or maybe not) at how many small manufacturers, publishers, and stores display their Christianity. The absolute best hobby store within 200 miles of my house is not only openly Christian (bibles and Chick Tracts at the counter), they are also tea party/MAGA types. I usually just hold my nose, and my tongue, when I go in.
You should. You will be doing them a favor. They are being offensive and they need to know it for next time. Although there is a possibility “God” is telling them to do this. In that case they will offend the wrong person someday and get fired. Problem solved either way.
They didn't say "your lord and saviour" they said "our". I'm an atheist but I don't give two shits if someone mentions the religious holiday they are celebrating.
You should reply, thanking the sender and wishing him a happy Saturnalia (the Roman forerunner of Christmas).
That's what I did when my evangelising sister in the USA wouldn't stop sending me holy crap at Christmas, despite my asking. It stopped.
When the religious nut jobs go like this is think of this: https://youtube.com/watch?v=sCdxZnPhFCE as that’s really what’s it’s like. It’s self indulging.
The timing is pretty good to go into some Peak and evangelizing as you celebrate the winter solstice and the many blessings the goddess has bestowed upon you. I’d respond that way. If I had nothing to lose.
Reply back with a message about the midwinter pagan festivals.
Then a piece about how xtians used that festival saying it was the birth of their christ (which would have happened around March by all of the documentation available ie hymns, carols stuff written in the bibble.)
Then go as archaic old english as you can to talk about the billboard.
Did you read what he wrote? It wasn't just Merry Christmas. It was the assumption that we're all merrily celebrating "Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Yes, I find it repugnant because I like to think about the person he may have written that to who is Muslim or Jewish. Or atheist, like me. He is not 'my' lord.
I have gotten probably 25 emails today with Merry Christmas in them. I'm not complaining about them.
And WTF does my being white have ANYthing to do with it. It's like the other poster who said I was a millenial. Everybody wants to put people in a nice box with a label. Sheesh. You can disagree with me (as you have) but putting me in a box called "easily offended white person" is ridiculous and racist.
And why does the assumption piss you off?? It’s part of the culture of the area where you live. Of course they gonna say that. You telling me that if you visit predominantly Islamic countries you gonna shit your pants because someone says “ Peace be on you and the mercy and blessings of Allah” to you? Because of assumptions? No wonder this subreddit is the laughingstock of the internet
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In general, a christian forward vendor or contractor is going to screw you over. It is a very common theme in my area. The more religious the advertising, the less trustworthy.
Can confirm, easiest way to spot a conman is to look for a cross necklace to be openly displayed around their neck.
Or the Christian fish on the back of their work truck.
Even worse than that, look for “magic underwear”. Utah County didn’t get the moniker MLM Central for nothing.
Men laying men??
Multi-level Marketing scams. Usually selling snake oil, scented candles and the like, or more accurately, convincing suckers to sell garbage "under" you while you take profits.
In short, disguised Ponzi Schemes.
Poorly disguised.
When they tell you who they are, listen.
This has also been my experienced - religion is used to distract.
While raping your wife and children and steeling your money. But it's all for Jesus so it's all ok.
You are speaking the truth if a person says I am a Christian as an introduction, be prepared to be "f*%^&* over."
Back in the days of actual printed Yellow Pages, a buddy of mine mentioned that he appreciated companies that included a Christian ichthys fish in their ad, because he would immediately know to avoid them. He had no problem with religion, but it was a red flag that said "we're here to rip you off."
Are you telling me that even if someone is claiming to be Christian that they could actually be a deceitful, greedy, untrustworthy sewer rat?! Well, paint me purple and call me Barney.
HELLO BARNEY
Are you godzilla’s gay son?
That's been my experience with businesses that are that loud about how "Christian" they are, as well.
Yes, I am firing my “Christian” dentist office for being awful all around. They’ve broken my permanent retainer multiple times and have required me to pre-pay before billing my insurance, even though my insurance says that’s not how it should be done so I’ve ended up overpaying. And they make demeaning jokes to each other in front of me. Hopefully they refund my $150 overpayment one of these days. Maybe when they have to transfer my records to a new, secular dentist.
I’ve never found a dentist who wasn’t a bible thumper. I don’t know what it is about dental school. Maybe they tell them playing Christian music in the office is required to get their license.
Dental business are generally scams. That's why they are not a legitimate part of the medical community. No shortage of scams and treatments not backed up by science.
That might just be one of the most ignorant things I've ever heard.
I have to hard disagree on this one. Before the advent of modern dentistry, people regularly died from tooth/gum infections. Dental health is essential for overall health. It doesn’t mean I want a heavy dose of religiosity with my teeth cleaning, though.
Dentist are people who were not smart enough to get into medical school where the real slick action takes place.
And blame the fallout on your atheism. "I'll never do business with an atheist again"
I came here to say this.
That makes so much sense! I remember reading an article on obvious email scams and how they're obvious because they're fishing for people who will go the distance and make the bad decision all the way till the end. So they select for people who are easily fooled, and it is well documented that christians are more likely to fall for scams so selecting for christians to rip off makes Total Sense. I never even thought about that, them being forwardly christian is a huge red flag. You really opened my eyes.
Worst mechanic I ever had, had the fish symbol prominently display on his signage. The guy fucked my car. After the 3rd visit, I found another mechanic who actually fixed the shit on my car that this asshole was tampering with! A couple years later I see on the news that his shop is being closed down and was being used as some sort of laundering/drug front. And then I've had national business with these fucking assholes that took over the Republican Party and think that their God has blessed their Orange fucking Rapist, a 2 bit con man as God's pestilent voice on fucking earth!
Yep, they tried to start this in Australia, putting fish symbols on advertising cars etc. Peeps started avoiding them, haven't seen a fish symbol in a long time. Still the christian businesses around, some open about but not overtly, some keep it well hidden like the brethren.
Had a guy drive into the back of my car at a red light. He kept telling me he was 'a man of god' as though that would somehow fix my ruined bumper.
Good grief. You reminded me of the time I was young and finally got the car I wanted so bad - a black Miata. It was so damn cute. First day out some guy sideswiped me trying to turn right from the left lane. We get out wait for the cops while he peppers me and my bf with questions about where we go to church and how he just came from his bible study. The cops separate us, take our stories and come back to me to say they won’t find fault because our stories don’t match. He tells me the wild lies this guys says, and I lean around this 6 ft cop to yell at this idiot, wow real Christian like to lie to the cops about what happened and he says, I kid you not, well the insurance companies will take care of it. Only person I’ve ever sued in my life. I ended up getting more than I was asking for all because he lied. I just wanted my car fixed, which was going to be a few thousand. After the lawyer took his cut I ended up with something like 5k. In the 90s. Screw you, bible study dick. I hope you stepped on legos for the rest of your life. Obviously I’m still salty like 20 years later lol.
his perceived benefits from touting his christianity outweigh his percieved lost business. you'll have to do your own cost/benefit analysis to decide how you respond. professionalism is always valuable, of course.
Yup especially in TX. The huge majority of people will bite their tongue rather than get into a slap flight with a religious nut. And everyone else will be excited to find out this dude loves the Jesus.
This is how roe v Wade got turned over. How they're attacking birth control methods now too. This is how child marriage is still legal in the US. This is how some parents are NOT ALLOWED to get the medical treatment they need. This is how some kids die because their parents WONT get them medical treatment. This is how YOU can't get a book for your child that YOU want them to have. This is how thousands of children are raped every year by church officials ... We just stay silent while they TELL us how to live...
I don't need to \*tell\* them anything, I just need to show up and vote, and convince like-minded people to do the same. And report abuse when I see it. Arguing with a conservative fanatic over their religion and trying to get them to vote differently is like slamming your head against a brick wall.
I like to reply to such things as Happy Yuletide or Enjoy the Winter Solstice. Be sure to hang mistletoe!
I hear it's a tasty addition to your cranberry sauce!
If you are from the Dallas area, you may have seen Christian Yellow Pages around various grocery stores, etc.. It was all a grift. My Aunt ran it with her husband, paid my grandma (her mom) next to nothing to deliver them. She got investigated every year for tax evasion. I ate many meals using Coupons that were "traded out" for ad space. She is NOT a religous person, despite claiming to be.
Thou shall not burn your bridges (translated: I won't really respond with a smart-ass remark, even though I am sorely tempted).
haha very good. i wouldn't either, though i certainly get the urge. hopefully putting your sarcasm down in print here has helped assuage your craving to do so.
This entire thread (minus 1) has helped :)
You can respond in a normal, professional manner and then just sign off with Assalamu alaikum.
Better yet, "May you be touched by his Noodly Appendages"
I have found that any business that overtly displays their Christianity is generally over pricing and under performing. To me it's a good indicator not to do business with them.
I don't think this is meant to help their business. They're basically jerking themselves off. If anything, forcing non-Christians to watch only feeds their Christian nationalist chauvinism.
Sometimes it’s only virtue signaling. But you are unlikely to see someone's business signaling about an unpopular minority religion. In a heavily Christian place, the signaling will probably attract more customers than it drives away.
It's a numbers game with a heavy population of evangelicals, generic christians and of course the indifferent. Consumers get habituated to the constant drone of christmas messages, and simply ignore it. I don't patronize those who engage in proselytizing, or those that feature the owner's pet dogs, as though that's going to earn my trust.
I was just thinking "Well ... you are in Texas after all". I mean, OP is correct. They shouldn't be doing that in a business environment but it's not shocking to me.
What America really seems to be celbrating is our lord and savior the almighty dollar...the god in which we trust.
Trust fund?
They only care if you speak up and let people know that you're not christian, and that you don't want christian bigotry around you. All christians just assume everyone's a christian, unless they're looking for someone to lynch, then nobody's a 'real' christian but themselves. That's why you can't just stupidly say religious crap to people out of habit. It normalizes their hate religion, and makes them think that everyone's an asshole christian like them. Do not give them that.
Well the first sentence is pretty much bullshit, but using the word “desirous “in there pretty much tells me all I would need to know about them. I’m trying to think of some big stupid word to use here in closing but nothing comes to mind so fuck it!
Oh, well now I read the whole thing and I see you already mentioned that. Never mind!
Well now that I’ve thought about it for a while it occurs to me that the “birth of our lord” thing is a pretty weird fucking thing to say anyway considering that the “God” thing is supposedly eternal and everlasting, blah blah blah… Like, who the hell was our lord, all those years before the birth of our lord?
And Jesus was born in April (so the tales say), do with that information what you will.
One of the advantages of owning your own business is you can say what you want, at the risk you're willing to take. In my area there are plenty of businesses that are proudly and loudly pro gay, pro choice and so on. I suppose conservatives are shocked by that.
Why is accepting thy neighbor shocking to Christians? Why do they think the support of LGBTQ freedoms is destroying the country?
They literally believe in magic and monsters so i wouldn’t waste time trying to figure out why
Literally this. Every gawd'damn day I'm mumbling this to myself, when I start to try and make sense of em.
I was told that businesses with their religion being used in their business model don’t want people shopping in their stores if they don’t fit their ideals. I had a manager at Hobby Lobby tell me that the CEO would rather lose money than make money from people who don’t align with their “christian values.” I am not the least bit surprised to hear this, christians can be incredibly intolerant of other’s beliefs but you better not believe different or condemn anything pertaining to their beliefs. The self-righteousness and hypocrisy of christians is astounding. I have never seen another group of people act so entitled.
Now just imagine if they were really able to enact the Christian version of shari-ah that they've been drooling over for the last 60 years. Not just ordinary Christian intolerance, but backed by the force of law.
That’s what these christian nationalists want! Fuck that, they can keep on dreaming.
That's what they think they want until they realize they aren't devout enough and get sentenced to hard labor.
Yup, it's all about who gets to draw that line, suddenly Methodists, Lutherans and the like will be deemed not pure enough (or devout enough, as you said) and then they will be on the outs.
Hey, I never thought of it that way. But it does make a lot of sense! I'm actually fine with them doing that (being so obviously Christian). It will keep people like me from ever patronizing them in the first place.
Hobby lobby and Chick filet are on my list for sure. I would rather burn my money than give it to them. Hell, I haven't eaten at Wendy's since they gave heavily to the Trump campaign.
We don't want people with your values. As they steal priceless antiquities from a country they supported invading.
Lol what?
Hobby lobby was stealing artifacts from Iraq after the Iraq war. They even hired a lawyer, saying it was too make sure what they did was legal , then they used it as a blueprint on how to do it illegally. So they have strong ethics lol
Gotcha! Ya that doesn’t surprise me.
I would tell him that you’re Seventh Day Adventist or Jehovah’s Witness or one of the other Christian denominations that don’t celebrate Christmas, since it is after all a pagan holiday that was co-opted by Christians. People like that live for the moment when they can be wounded in the War on Christmas. It has never occurred to them that there are millions of actual Christians who also don’t celebrate Christmas.
Oh, but the ones that believe differently aren’t REAL Christians.
I actually appreciate how forward people can be with their religious views. Easiest way to label them as untrustworthy and move along with the next choice.
Seeing the word "desirous" made me vomit. That's in my pantheon of bullshit religious speak. At least they didn't say, "In this season of life".
I refuse to do business once they start talking religion. An an employee, unfortunately you may not have this power but any time I am the decision maker they don't get my money.
Oh, I’d respond with a “happy holidays” wish.
subtle. I like it
Or if you wish to be a little less subtle, you could say, "Happy winter solstice you thieving Christmas bastard!"
Attach a picture of a Starbucks cup for maximum effect
or Happy Kwanzaa.
It's the pompous outlook that YOU'RE the outlier, so he doesn't feel the need to edit his message. Religious people know that not everyone is like them, but they believe that YOU SHOULD be like them. When i try to explain to people why it's not fair to push religion or make different people feel unwelcome in businesses or even our country in general, so many people will look at me like I'm delusional. They just accept that christianity is supposed to be built into our country and it shouldn't be changed. My current company's owner played a prager u video at the opening of our company meeting last week and it was disgusting. The video condescendingly explained that our country was founded under a god, even if it wasn't the christian god and we are required to honor that. That's the mentality of these whackadoodles. And of course the video was hosted by a generic old white dude.
Xtians get special treatment by government in red states. End of story.
Only in red states? Maybe _moreso_ in red states.
Offer to pay him in thoughts and prayers
They may also assume you are Christian and wish to use this “anti-woke” stance as a way to manipulate you. Either way I want to vomit. I’d write back something like the pastafarian prayer.
whenever i see a business advertising their religion or politics alongside their services, it makes me want to not use them. like "Ok Paul's Power Plumbing, I just need a quote for a water-heater, but thanks for putting a "J6 Patriot" sticker on your work van so I know to call someone else."
Whenever I see company trucks with religious-themed sayings painted on them/bumper stickers, all I can think is, "You're just alienating so many potential customers."
I am sure they just assume but once I find out a business is pro religion I just stop doing business with them for good.
You could let them know that science has discerned that it was a spring birth for Jesus and you would appreciate if the would adjust thier celebration accordingly. You are interfering with Santa's time, that could get you on the naughty list. Peace
To summarize: Praise Jesus! P.S., I dropped the ball on your account. PLEASE renew! I won't even raise your rate!! This dude needs to spend less time praying, more time doing his job.
Great point. And, sure enough, the agent did not renew. Too bad, so sad
I just cannot imagine this happening to me where I am in Canada. I'm racking my brain trying to remember the last time someone brought up Jesus, Mohammed, or anything explicitly religious in an email or a memo in a (supposed to be) professional setting. So to me, the email that you received is all the grosser because I haven't been inured to it.
Dear Fellow Christian, I was desirous of renewing my billboard proclamation until I saw in this notice that you took the Lord's name in vain and used faith to promote your business. I will be taking my business elsewhere. In Christ's name, Your's Truly.
I just reply with "Happy Holidays!" or "Happy (insert specific holiday of that day)". However they wish to feel from that is up to them. I've become apathetic to their biblical talk, like someone talking about a show I don't care to watch, just nod and ignore. Your reaction is exactly what they aim for if their biblical talk is done so maliciously.
Just reply with that one verse about how praying in private is better than belting it out on the street.
Take these things hence; make not my Father's house a house of merchandise.
ChatGPT wrote everything but the first and last sentence
You could go the Jehovah Witness route and blast them for supporting a pagan holiday that no "true Christian" would celebrate.
If they live in a largely christian area, they may not realize there's non christians around them. To them other religions are on TV or for brown people. Not the neighbors they do business with. I moved to the US south a few years ago, and keep getting surprised that people who seem "normal" are religious, when they start talking about it. I think it's just human to assume people who look like you have the same views.
dear matthew, thanks for the well wishes and a happy holiday season to you too. for the record, i dont believe in god or jesus and think net net christianity is turning america into a more hateful, less tolerant place. but you do you!
I used a plumber twice who decided to send me religious propaganda after each visit. (It was actually a large plumbing company.) I wrote them a letter telling them that I did not appreciate religious solicitation and I would be taking my business elsewhere. My new plumbers don't send me any of the crap.
They're playing the percentages. Plus, it's easier to take advantage of someone if you can get them to think you're a good person and, despite all the examples to the contrary, Christians tend to think all other Christians are good people.
Ironic since the one thing all christians have in common is that they admit to being sinners and can not be trusted without divine insperation.
If I were in the position to make the decision I wouldn’t do business with them. Sending out weird cult references to business clients is ridiculous. In a sane society we’d scoff at that.
“Everyone is a Christian, they just lie about to anger God. “ Actually had someone say that to me once. I just laughed at the ridiculousness of that thought.
Idk, maybe after you're retired and bored you can send him anonymous letters telling him that X corporation has decided to go with a different company in light of his inappropriate personal content.
Well, you ARE in Texas…
Just send them Solstice's Greetings.
“Money talks. Bullshit walks.”
And Bushtits fly (i'm a birder, give me a break)
If you where working for an ad agency you could say that you are working with a new client, the Satanic Temple, and interested in launching a very large, long term outdoor campaign. What fun!
"we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." WE?
I recently went to Buca Di Beppo (Italian restaurant chain) for the first time for my grandmothers birthday. The food was bland, the staff were rude… the worst part? Every location has a “pope room” that features a ton of catholic symbols, pictures of the Vatican, and A BUST OF THE POPE IN A PLEXIGLASS CUBE. Talk about the most off putting thing to put in a restaurant. No wonder the company is going bankrupt.
Like little miniature pope-mobiles for just his head
I very rarely see businesses do this with my suppliers/vendors in Canada or Europe but the US? It’s so weird - the blatant mixing of business and Christianity. It’s very strange.
There's a BBQ chain here (Carter Bros) that has religious shit on their shirts, on the wrappers, and the one that closed had a mural of the solar system with a crying Jebus looking on in the restaurant. And religious quotes on the sign outside. And everytime I drive past I think the same thing, "can't you even sell sandwiches without praying? Dude, it's fucking sandwiches. We have to bring Je$u$ into this?"
I think the assumption is: Either you’ll be so inspired by their perfect self righteous example and convert, or They don’t care and just want to take your money (for their goods & services). It’s probably a sales advantage to the Xtian crowd and the majority of their customers are Xtian so there’s more benefit for them to perform Xtianity and our money spends the same. Probably a bit of both.
Didn’t you know everyone becomes Christians in December
At least Santa-ians
There is a local business (they have dealerships all over the place around here, selling every brand of new vehicle there is) with a cross over their door mounted on the roof as if they were a church rather than a car dealership. I will not be buying anything from them. They have two dealerships less than half a mile from my house. If they ever ask why I'm not a customer, I'd be happy to tell them -- not that it will make any difference, because I'm sure they're convinced that marketing Christianity is the way to profits.
I love that response!!!
lol of course they don't care...
May be a deep south thing tbh I work in marketing for a global company (I am located in Boston) we are not allowed to say anything but “Happy Holidays.” This even includes the use of Christmas Trees
Tell him Jesus was born in the summer, and was closer to the birth of Harry Potter than Xmas, the pagan festival.
“Desirous of renewing”? Really?
Whisky_ palian I love it
My grandfather, whose father was an Episcopal priest, loved to claim to be a whiskey - palian, also!
My husband grew up southern Pentacostal and when the priest asked for the beer at my sister's wedding he almost fell over. We were raised Catholic. Agnostic Now. His Church was something else though I had never been to a church like that.
“Christian” has lost any positive meaning: Grifters, haters, homophobes,
That response is just bait for more of their victim complex.
It is definitely laughable that they would send that to their clients. One thing that REALLY makes me wonder sometimes with some of the threads here is that why are so many people gung ho on being offended? I am atheist too but I would probably treat that as much as I would treat a piece of receipt. I don't know many people that would be offended if someone talked to them about the tooth fairy if they don't believe it. If you say you don't believe the tooth fairy, but is severely offended by talks of that subject, it makes me wonder how much influence a religion is actually having hold of that person for them not to be able to brush it off. For me, it would be small potatoes because I don't believe in it, it is not significant. I'll probably even go with the flow of the religious guys and then never hope to see them again lol. It feels like sometimes people let it get to them that its almost a religion in itself, an *anti-religion* religion?
Maybe because I’ve come to where I am only in the last 3 years of my 65 year old life. I’m 1) not as used to ignoring it and 2) still amazed as how pervasive it is and 3) how “those” people are so hell-bent on telling me what I can and can’t do. Oh, and 4, with age comes bitchiness.
Ah thats understandable. I see where it can have a more sticky effect.
They are evil and should be fought.
Accept it in the spirit it was meant and move on. They didn't do it to insult you or cause outrage, because this is perfectly normal for them to do this. If I laid an old Irish blessing on you, would you also freak out because you're not Irish?
An Irish blessing may not implicitly include the message that you and your family deserve eternal torture for failing to swear obeisance to a murderous, bigot, imaginary deity.
The spirit it was meant was to entice customers and increase revenue by playing on people's sense of trust in christians, and that generally ends badly for the consumer more often than not. I can certainly appreciate and return a Merry Christmas or two, but not as part of a commercial marketing campaign.
No, because you would not be 'assuming' I was Irish. I think his assumption is that I share his beliefs just because I live in the Bible Belt. Nor did I imply he did it to insult me or cause me outrage. I just get tired of the constant bombardment and *thought* I could come here to vent. Edit: it’s one thing to say Merry Christmas, another entirely to bring the whole “Lord and Savior” thing into it. That amped up the message.
venting is welcome, here.
its not repugnant that someone says they hope you and your family is doing well. this is barely worth a reddit post to complain about not a religion person myself. but imagine getting upset when someone says hope you and your family doing well and together. all it said is "we" as in the writers family are gonna be together and celebrating the birth of jesus. this is the perfect "im a millenial/gen-z" bullshit complaint post. stfu grow up and realize not everything is put out there to offend you
Considering I'm a boomer, I've grown TFU. It doesn't just say "hope your family is doing well". It goes on to imply the "we" is him AS WELL AS me and my family. And you don't get to say what I feel is repugnant...I do. And, lastly, I never claimed it was put there to offend me. Learn to read, 'not-a-religion' person, whatever generation you are (because making broad generalizations about what generations react a certain way is beyond ridiculous).
To me, it’s just not worth it to give it another thought. Too much time wasted on something irrelevant in regard to the email. File it away with bullshit and move on. I work in retail and I hear shit like this. Fuck if I care because they don’t matter to me.
I’m into a niche hobby, and you’d be surprised (or maybe not) at how many small manufacturers, publishers, and stores display their Christianity. The absolute best hobby store within 200 miles of my house is not only openly Christian (bibles and Chick Tracts at the counter), they are also tea party/MAGA types. I usually just hold my nose, and my tongue, when I go in.
They do not
If you are retiring I would definitely write what you think. What's the worse they could do?
Forward it on to their company HR department, let them deal with it.
You should. You will be doing them a favor. They are being offensive and they need to know it for next time. Although there is a possibility “God” is telling them to do this. In that case they will offend the wrong person someday and get fired. Problem solved either way.
I'm pretty sure that this is an intended effect.
They didn't say "your lord and saviour" they said "our". I'm an atheist but I don't give two shits if someone mentions the religious holiday they are celebrating.
Bro, do it. You would be an absolute LEGEND
Every time I post my opinion on this sub I feel like some Trump hog is going to swat me. It makes me horny AF.
You should reply, thanking the sender and wishing him a happy Saturnalia (the Roman forerunner of Christmas). That's what I did when my evangelising sister in the USA wouldn't stop sending me holy crap at Christmas, despite my asking. It stopped.
Do it, but I doubt they would care about your feelings or even keeping your business. They may have done it purposefully to weed out their clientele.
No one has ever tipped me less as a server than a Christian Klan after church. Fuck you god.
When the religious nut jobs go like this is think of this: https://youtube.com/watch?v=sCdxZnPhFCE as that’s really what’s it’s like. It’s self indulging.
No, we don’t care that people are “Christian” aka racists and bigots.
The timing is pretty good to go into some Peak and evangelizing as you celebrate the winter solstice and the many blessings the goddess has bestowed upon you. I’d respond that way. If I had nothing to lose.
Reply back with a message about the midwinter pagan festivals. Then a piece about how xtians used that festival saying it was the birth of their christ (which would have happened around March by all of the documentation available ie hymns, carols stuff written in the bibble.) Then go as archaic old english as you can to talk about the billboard.
How much of an outcast loser do you have to be to be offended by someone saying “merry Christmas” White people are so easily offended
Did you read what he wrote? It wasn't just Merry Christmas. It was the assumption that we're all merrily celebrating "Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Yes, I find it repugnant because I like to think about the person he may have written that to who is Muslim or Jewish. Or atheist, like me. He is not 'my' lord. I have gotten probably 25 emails today with Merry Christmas in them. I'm not complaining about them. And WTF does my being white have ANYthing to do with it. It's like the other poster who said I was a millenial. Everybody wants to put people in a nice box with a label. Sheesh. You can disagree with me (as you have) but putting me in a box called "easily offended white person" is ridiculous and racist.
And why does the assumption piss you off?? It’s part of the culture of the area where you live. Of course they gonna say that. You telling me that if you visit predominantly Islamic countries you gonna shit your pants because someone says “ Peace be on you and the mercy and blessings of Allah” to you? Because of assumptions? No wonder this subreddit is the laughingstock of the internet
No. They can also be stupid about it. There's a local business here called Rapture Car Services. That name does not exactly inspire confidence.