Your God at walmart next to Bratz dolls--christians how do you feel?

**جوري** · 11-19-2007

Wal-Mart stocks Bratz dolls next to Jesus
Posted Nov 19th 2007 2:05PM by Brian White
Filed under: Products and services, Wal-Mart (WMT), Marketing and advertising

In case you haven't visited a toy aisle at a local Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) Supercenter this holiday season, don't be alarmed if you hear some religious-speak from some of the dolls and figurines.

Amid the Bratz dolls and Fisher farm animals, you'll find a decent assortment of faith-based toys, some of which proclaim to be "Jesus, the son of God," according to The Chicago Tribune.

Given its Southern roots in Arkansas and its conservative nature, it's in Wal-Mart's blood to be a purveyor of religious toys this time of year. But this is a first -- stocking faith-based toys at Christmastime (or holiday time, if you prefer that).

As a parent, are you for or against these kinds of religious-themed toys? Are they any different than scantily clad Barbies that present an unrealistic view of physical beauty? How about demon-headed boy's toys that look like something from the movie "Hellraiser?" Having a variety of toys that suits all kids, ethnicities and religious beliefs seems appropriate for a retailer that wants to be everything to everyone, all the time. Agree or disagree?
Tags: Bratz doll, BratzDoll, faith toys, FaithToys, God, inthenews, Jesus, Jesus toys, JesusToys, Wal-Mart, WMT

**جوري** · 11-20-2007

Does anyone find this just the least bit concerning?

It reminds me of pre-Islamic Arabia.. where they used to buy their God from the market place made of chopped dates and raisins and fashioned to the famous 'lat wal 3ozha', then people would eat it a little and worship it a little...

christianity is becoming so strange and obsolete to me.. I'd have a difficult time reconciling that I can buy 'God' from wal-mart..

Asghfor Allah al3atheem..

**Keltoi** · 11-20-2007

Well, it isn't something I would endorse, but it isn't something I would spend alot of time worrying about either. I seriously doubt many Christians would buy a Christ doll to begin with. Sounds like a some marketing exec figured to cash in on Christ on the holiday season...I'm sure he will be dissapointed.

**Nabooly** · 11-20-2007

I totally agree with you bro. Makes zero sense.

Aslan in the first place, those Bratz dolls are the freakiest things ive ever seen.

**Grace Seeker** · 11-20-2007

Purest, I haven't seen any of the items you mention, so maybe I wouldn't think it so bad if I saw it. But just the idea of it is one of the things that disgusts me about the way we celebrate Christmas in the west, or pretty much around the world any more. Yes, I buy my kids presents too, but Christmas surely isn't about that, and all the marketing associated with Christmas and the whole idea that the economy is going to flounder if the stores don't have good Christmas sales is just to miss the whole point. My God doesn't come off a Wal-Mart shelf or fit in a box under a tree.

**جوري** · 11-20-2007

Originally Posted by Grace Seeker

Purest, I haven't seen any of the items you mention, so maybe I wouldn't think it so bad if I saw it. But just the idea of it is one of the things that disgusts me about the way we celebrate Christmas in the west, or pretty much around the world any more. Yes, I buy my kids presents too, but Christmas surely isn't about that, and all the marketing associated with Christmas and the whole idea that the economy is going to flounder if the stores don't have good Christmas sales is just to miss the whole point. My God doesn't come off a Wal-Mart shelf or fit in a box under a tree.

I believe it is in the Arkansas shop, a dear friend of mine told me that is wal-mart head quarters?... I am surprised at how much more outraged I am than most christians who are taking it with a shrug of the shoulders... I mean where do you draw the line? this is totally sacrilegious. I don't think of Jesus as God but it is unacceptable that he be potrayed in any form, let alone in the minds of those who actually worship him...I mean do people put that doll under the tree so the dog can chew its head on xmas morning..does he come in black, white and hispanic? is he a wind up or battery operated?... I can't believe it.. I simply can't understand how it is ok? I think life is moving at a much faster pace than I can concilliate with 'old world values'

peace!

**snakelegs** · 11-20-2007

it seems there is nothing that does not get commodified sooner or later.
somehow i doubt that they'll sell very many. i think christians and muslims would find it sacrelgious and no-one else would want them either.
stupid wal-mart. (public enemy #1 - well, almost)

**Woodrow** · 11-20-2007

In my younger days as a Christian I would have considered it to be very sacrilegious. Today as a Muslim I still consider it to be very sacrilegious. A toy is given to a child to play with, manipulate, control and own. I wonder what lesson this is going to teach them about Isa(swt)

As a Muslim I could not buy one for my grand children for several reasons one of them being I would fear about the concepts this would give them about all of the Prophets(PBUT)

I would call this the final commercialization of Christianity. Although I do not agree with Christianity, I do not want to see it defiled either. Respect is respect is respect and this blatant display of commercialism is not respect.

**Nabooly** · 11-20-2007

Originally Posted by snakelegs

it seems there is nothing that does not get commodified sooner or later.
somehow i doubt that they'll sell very many. i think christians and muslims would find it sacrelgious and no-one else would want them either.
stupid wal-mart. (public enemy #1 - well, almost)

I dont think it should be stupid walmart, in this case. It should be stupid manufacturing company who is producing these (both the Jesus doll and the bratz one). The doll is marketed as a toy, so wlly world respectively hasto put it in the toys section.

Anyway whether ur christian, muslim, or anything else, its wrong...

**snakelegs** · 11-20-2007

wal-mart wouldn't have had to buy and stock it.
i have a chronic case of anti-walmartitis!

**Nabooly** · 11-20-2007

Originally Posted by snakelegs

wal-mart wouldn't have had to buy and stock it.
i have a chronic case of anti-walmartitis!

Haha, imagine me, i have 2 Super walmarts withing 10 minutes of where i live.

**snakelegs** · 11-20-2007

my condolences.
my small town gave them $20 million welfare to come here and force dozens of small businesses out.

**Nabooly** · 11-20-2007

Yep same here. but not just small businesses. Meijer and Krogers parking lots have been seriously cut by half. Go anytime of day to walmart and ull see it totally full!

**Isambard** · 11-20-2007

I dont how. The idea was most likely put forth by a group of christians to begin with.

There are already video games involving biblical characters made by right-wing groups. The idea behind allthis is that since kids like toys and games, cramming Jesus and other religious stuff behind it will have them learn ane be interested in it w/o them knowing. Essentially making it "cool".

I personally see it as disgusting as its little more than a brain washing tool but 'Se la vi' I suppose.

Also, I still dont see how Christianity is any less commodified than Islam. I mean when I go to chapters, I can pick up both a Bible and a Qur'an (with assorted editions) and someone somewhere is making a profit.

**Jayda** · 11-20-2007

Originally Posted by PurestAmbrosia

Does anyone find this just the least bit concerning?

It reminds me of pre-Islamic Arabia.. where they used to buy their God from the market place made of chopped dates and raisins and fashioned to the famous 'lat wal 3ozha', then people would eat it a little and worship it a little...

christianity is becoming so strange and obsolete to me.. I'd have a difficult time reconciling that I can buy 'God' from wal-mart..

Asghfor Allah al3atheem..

hola,

well, i don't see why you think this is different from islamic initiatives like 'isla.car,' those fatima hand talismans to ward off the 'evil eye,' beverages like 'quibla cola' or movies like 'the message.' using commercialism to try to reach people is certainly not restrained to christianity. it has been going on for centuries. walmart and toy stores are not christianity any more than the movie dogma is christianity, they do this in spite of us... not on account of us. all the same, protestant groups frighten me. they are very odd... they don't practice any of the original rituals or sacrements of the apostolic faith, commercialize and simplify doctrine and they have an obsession with judaism and israel that is both creepy and unchristian.

que Dios te bendiga

**czgibson** · 11-20-2007

Greetings,

I agree with most of the posters that this is a pretty horrific phenomenon. I think Isambard hits the nail on the head - it's just a simple brainwashing tool. I used to work in a toyshop when I was a student, and they had all these little ironing boards and toy washing machines for girls. Get 'em practising while they're young! I find the Jesus doll about as creepy now as I found them then. The singer Tom Waits has a great song about a similar 'gift option' called 'Chocolate Jesus'. Here are the lyrics.

Originally Posted by Grace Seeker

Purest, I haven't seen any of the items you mention, so maybe I wouldn't think it so bad if I saw it. But just the idea of it is one of the things that disgusts me about the way we celebrate Christmas in the west, or pretty much around the world any more. Yes, I buy my kids presents too, but Christmas surely isn't about that, and all the marketing associated with Christmas and the whole idea that the economy is going to flounder if the stores don't have good Christmas sales is just to miss the whole point. My God doesn't come off a Wal-Mart shelf or fit in a box under a tree.

Fair enough, but the tradition of giving gifts at Christmas-time is actually older than Christianity itself. Some people aren't aware that the date of Christmas has nothing to do with Jesus' birth - Christmas is celebrated on December 25th to coincide with the Roman Saturnalia and other pagan winter festivals. By taking over this date and rebranding it, the early Christians were able to gain converts who perhaps didn't realise that their own festivals were being overhauled.

Peace

**Jayda** · 11-20-2007

hola

i'm not the only christian that thinks this way... but christmas is completely out of control... maybe i ate too many candy canes as a child but it is just sickening to be surrounded by elves, really stupid santa clause movies (the santa clause 3??), garrish decorations, toys piled upon toys, and various other things we 'need.'

we go up to our home in marthas vineyard for christmas so that we can have snow. the BEST parts of christmas are mass, the christmas dinner with my family (we stopped doing presented for the extended family gatherings), ice skating and decorations that are pretty and traditional and not over the top (garlands & ribbon as compared to giant plastic blow up snowglobes). my husband and i decided that we are going to allow some of the secular things... like a tree, santa clause and 'a christmas carol' to be part of our childrens' christmas experience growing up but we want to emphasize the religious importance and mass more. we're limiting christmas gifts to two things for each person (including ourselves), one that is personal and meaningful and another gift that is the expensive traditional idea of a gift. the rest we are going to choose charities to give money to and then let our kids when they are old enough.

like a christmas tree, christmas needs to be trimmed...

que Dios te bendiga

**Amadeus85** · 11-20-2007

We survived hundreds of blasphemous things like for example Christ sculpture in urine or cross with man's sexual organs on it, that im sure that we will survive this too.The Church exists since 2000 years and sometimes shrudding shoulders is a good way to coment some things.

**Gator** · 11-20-2007

Originally Posted by Jayda

my husband and i decided that we are going to allow some of the secular things... like a tree, santa clause and 'a christmas carol' to be part of our childrens' christmas experience growing up but we want to emphasize the religious importance and mass more.

I want my family to celebrate christmas even though I'm an atheist (wife lapsed Catholic) as I want my kids to keep the traditions. I think its important to know where you came from and what your people were.

And definitely NO GIANT SNOWGLOBES!

Just a random observation.

Thanks.

**جوري** · 11-20-2007

Originally Posted by Jayda

hola,

well, i don't see why you think this is different from islamic initiatives like 'isla.car,' those fatima hand talismans to ward off the 'evil eye,'

Greetings... I don't know what 'Isla car' is? .. I am not sure what fatima's hand is either as I don't believe any 'talisman's' hold special power... but I'll take your word that such matters do exist and considered of value by some.. I still can't reconcile a colorful hand be it a monkey's paw or 'Fatima's hand' for that matter, with 'God' Next to Bratz dolls in a large super market.. but that is just me...

beverages like 'quibla cola' or movies like 'the message.' using commercialism to try to reach people is certainly not restrained to christianity.

Again.. I don't see how 'Qibla cola' compares to "God" in an isle at your local wal-mart... This isn't just mercantilism, this is reducing "God" in this case your God to something as lowely as a dog toy... although I can see why it wouldn't bother many.. given that there is a 'God' statue in every church, and in every color to whom people kneel as if to mimic practices of the pagans.. so what if you take him from the church to be a wind up doll under the tree...

it has been going on for centuries. walmart and toy stores are not christianity any more than the movie dogma is christianity, they do this in spite of us... not on account of us.

Many of such events were actually commissioned by the church itself... Caravaggio's 'Death of the Virgin' where he used a dead W H O R E to depict the virgin Mary was commissioned by the church.. obviousely the fact that he used a dead ***** got on their nerves but frankly what do you expect when you want to reduce the holiest of figures to a mural on the wall?

all the same, protestant groups frighten me. they are very odd... they don't practice any of the original rituals or sacrements of the apostolic faith, commercialize and simplify doctrine and they have an obsession with judaism and israel that is both creepy and unchristian.

que Dios te bendiga

The two protestants I know, find Catholicism as abhorrent from the bizarre practices to the velvet brocades to the sanctifying every other person and praying through them.. a Saint for hookers and a saint to have for good luck and a saint for travel.. hardly concentrates around God anymore.. and who could blame them if God can be found at the super market?

Blessings to you as well

cheers!