Products made in China and convenience

[Mr.Blank1.5]

Hi,
Would buying products made in China because they are eaiser to obtain rather than looking for goods made in the U.S. or else where be sinful?

While I am aware of the struggles Chinese Christians go through, I admit to thinking to myself that I would purchase goods made in China since I would be hard pressed to find non-Chinese products (then again no country is morally spotless).
In addition, would thinking this way be sinful? I’m hoping my scruples are acting up again.

 

[roveau]

Church Law, Church Tradition nor the Bible has any instructions concerning where and from whom we must and should or should not trade with, though there may be applications when, for example, goods have been produced by forced or child labour

Personally speaking, if Chinese flannel shirts are warm and are of reasonable quality of an inexpensive price, that’s the flannel shirt (or what ever I’m going to buy).

Rove

 

[Lorrie]

Personally speaking, if Chinese flannel shirts are warm and are of reasonable quality of an inexpensive price, that’s the flannel shirt (or what ever I’m going to buy).

I second this.

I’ve found that a lot (not all, so don’t flame me) of the products made here in the U.S. aren’t of good quality (one word: Chevy). Is it a sin for me to buy things that were made in other countries such as China? I doubt it. It’s hard to get away from products that weren’t specifically made here in our country - it’s everywhere. The amount of products that are imported is staggering to say the least.

Food for thought: The amount of food imported from China has grown dramatically in the past decade. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the United States imported $4.1 billion worth of seafood and agricultural products from China in 2006 (according to an article on CNN.com).

 

[Bluegoat]

What I would be concerned about with China are the following things:

1. The working conditions of the people that made the product. Unfortunately, this can be very difficult to determine. But in many cases, laws to protect workers are really inadequate.
2. The safety of the product - lead pain, additions to food products, etc.
3. The amount of fuel it takes to ship something that far.
4. With food specifically, I worry about food security in my own region, which is compromises by the amount of importing that is done - this applies to foods from other places that could be grown here too of course.
5. Again with food - is it produced sustainably? I am concerned with this specifically with Chinese fish products, which comprise most of the frozen fish in our grocery store. China does not have a good record on this.

 

[Irish_Becca]

If I’m buying an appliance, I look at all the boxes to try to find something made in the US, or at least not in China. It’s not necessarily a moral obligation, but I say buy American made when you can.

 

[Langdell]

One thing to consider is that historically, as countries have become wealthier, they have become more socially and environmentally responsible. Worker safety and environmental protection are “luxuries,” in a sense, that poorer countries can’t afford. Trade with China may therefore be the best way for us First-Worlders to hasten improvements there.

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