I recently came across this website called “Bling for Jesus.”
Forgetting for a moment the question of whether Jesus would have wanted us to make an ostentatious show of our faith, I discovered that on this website, some of the jewelry isn’t even faith oriented.
http://www.blingforjesus.com/necklace_earings.html
http://www.blingforjesus.com/custom_bracelets5.html
Their claim is that they’re “bringing you beautiful jewelry that glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ, at very affordable prices.”
After perusing the website (particularly the costume jewelry), I wondered, how does this jewelry glorify the lord? It’s no different from the stuff you find at the mall. Does it glorify the lord because they’re selling it in his name?
It left me wondering if we can just slap a “glorifies the lord” tag on any old product to make money. Why not “Alpo for Jesus” or “Jesus-fortified Wine?” What about “Jesus super-tread tires” or the obvious “Jesus Birkenstock?”
Does this render Jesus nothing more than a marketing tool, “the new face of Revlon” sort of thing? Is it just exploiting Jesus’ name for their own financial gain? Or can we name anything “to the glory of God” and it just becomes true?
@ShaeDee: I don’t know if your anger is directed at my question or at some of the responses, but I think your unprovoked attack on atheists is showing disrespect for their beliefs.
I, by the way, am a Christian, and my question is a legitimate one for all Christians. We’re supposed to question our actions this way—and to discuss it with others.
I do appreciate your genuine response to the question, and I hope you’ll consider whether your open hostility toward others is any more or less godly than selling this jewelry in Christ’s name.
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Tags: BLING, instance, Jesus, like, making, Money, name, think, wrong
Yes — personally I think it is wrong ! (Strong Believer)
Stupid brainwashed people are a very good niche market to profit off of. I’m an atheist and have considered making religious companies to make more money too.
Yeah, and Disney is making money off THEIR fairy tales too!
WHAT’S THE WORLD COMING TO!?
it’s not wrong as long as you make profit
speaking of which imma start a condom brand that has jesus on it
god is always on your side
Yes
Rather than “glorifies the lord”, I push all my merchandise with the Latin phrase “Ad majorem Dei glorium”.
A touch of class and hints of the exotic allow for higher markup.
Exploiting, a clear biblical reference is when Yeshua/Jesus chased the money changers out.
The more of these posts I read and see the answers to, the more I am glad that I am a Christian and above this nonsense. No, I don’t think making a profit off anything that has to do with Christ is proper. I think it is just wrong. It is also wrong to show no respect for another persons beliefs, the way atheists seem to always have to do to make themselves feel better in their empty worlds.
No i dont. if the lord put an idea in ur head then use it. . its just about as wrong as all the crosses beleivers go out and buy. . ( I am a strong Believer in GOD). . people can make money on whatever they choose to do and making bling for Jesus is no exception. I hope that endeavor is very profitable for whomever made it!
slap it on condoms too.
I for one hate big blingy jewelry! It’s tasteless no matter WHOSE name it’s in! It’s not wrong per se to make this type of jewelry and sell it, BUT if the person is profitting from this blingola claims to be a Christian, then this certainly is NOT what Jesus had in mind.
People who wear this stuff are crying out for attention. The sellers need the money, the buyers and wearers need the attention and the message of Jesus gets washed down the creek like fool’s gold. So sad.
Wrong or right, it appears to be a time-hallowed tradition of the Church since the early days. They have always excused it by claiming that they needed the money to build bigger and better edifices to “glorify God”; nowadays they skip such preliminaries.
I am not a Christian, but I do not think Jesus would have been overjoyed at such shenanigans, however.
UMMM gee who would guess that people who make a living on sales would ever lie or use religion to sell something just to get someone to visit their web site. oh send me a link on the wine
I don’t consider selling items with the name of Jesus on them to be wrong.
Is it wrong for Christian Book stores to exist? Most of those stores sell bibles, books, art work, jewelry. . . It is a helpful resource for people of that faith.
Christian’s need to make a living too. If they have a creative idea that appeals to that market, then how is that wrong? The person that owns that business could be fulfilling the call of God she/he has on their life. Who am I to judge them for being a business person. There certainly were business people in the Bible.
If I happen to go into a store where there are people of a different faith and/or culture, and they have statues of their god’s or deities; I don’t judge them and think “how can they make money on their god?”
That particular stores name identifies them so that people of that faith, who might like the product, can find it.
As far as the website goes; I looked around a bit. Your links were for the costume jewelry. This page has some cute Christian items:
http://www. blingforjesus. com/bracelets. html. They also have some nice cross earrings. They are very affordable.
Some of these items (for some people) may truly be a witnessing tool, which could ultimately glorify God.
As far a the costume jewelry goes – as you know Christians may not want to wear a piece of jewelry with a cross or Christian symbol on it all of the time. They are offering the people on the web site a variety. I am sure the people that shop there are happy to give this Christian business owner their money for the product, rather than some corporate chain.
For centuries people have been wearing crosses, giving them for gifts on special Christian occasions, even graduations, weddings. . .
*As far as the name of Jesus:
English form of Ιησους (Iesous), which was the Greek form of the Aramaic name יֵשׁוּעַ (Yeshu’a). Yeshu’a is itself a contracted form of Yehoshu’a JOSHUA
Joshua: From the Hebrew name יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (Yehoshu’a) meaning “YAHWEH is salvation.
His name declares God’s salvation – His name does glorify God
Please read II Chron 1:10 -17
I hope you will re-consider your view.
i think that the jesus of the bible would be sad for the people who wear these things and would be angry at the people who profit from them. some of the people involved in making and selling this stuff might think they are doing something good, but i’d bet the majority of the people behind this are laughing all the way to the bank at preying on people’s beliefs.
in the bible jesus advocates a humble lifestyle and tells people to sell what they own and give the money to the poor and/or abandon their property to follow him.