A while back I posted an anti-Walmart post on Facebook. A friend of mine said that he didn't think pastors should post such things. "People make a living at Walmart" was his argument.
I considered that thought many a times and haven't posted on the subject since. But it is because of my Christian beliefs that I have stopped shopping at Walmart. I am for everyone making a living wage. If it can't be done through the government raising minimum wage, it has to be done through conscientious shoppers. It is immoral to be against the government raising minimum wage combined with being an unconscientious shopper. If you claim to follow Jesus, choose one, the other, both, or come up with a better solution. But not doing anything is not a solution.
I understand people work at Walmart in management and make a living. I also understand that many scrape by trying to make ends meet. I am not against them. I am for them. I think they should make more money for providing the service we, as a society, expect of them.
So I am a pastor. I don't shop at Walmart. And I am for everyone who works a full work week receiving a living wage (from production to retail). People shouldn't have to work two jobs in our wealthy nation.
I also think that you should consider not shopping at Walmart until they change.
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This was the story that initially caused me to stop shopping at Walmart and Gap stores (including Old Navy). Not only are they part of a corrupt system, they are actually fighting to keep it corrupt. This is more evil than most companies. Other companies, when this atrocity was brought to light, were willing to allow changes. Walmart fought them.
"Between December 2012 and May 2013, nearly 1,200 Bangladeshi garment workers were killed in preventable factory fires and building collapses while producing goods mostly for U.S. and European markets. Walmart has responded to the tragedies by refusing to sign the broadly supported Bangladesh Safety Accord and instead proposed its own alternative. In contrast with the accord, Walmart’s plan is a voluntary arrangement without any meaningful enforcement mechanisms, developed without consultation with workers" (from Walmart lobbied to avoid increased safety in Bangladesh)It is not okay that people die needlessly so that I can have cheap goods.
