Shopping/Buying

[yojuggleyo]

Hello all, I have a few questions regarding the purchasing and using of certain things.

1. Should Catholics avoid purchasing things made in China? Is it sinful to do so? I was wondering about this because of the abortion issues going on in China and also because perhaps the company makes the products in China to lower costs and thus underpays their workers.
2. This question has to deal more with the naming of products. In juggling, there is a form that uses things called Devil sticks. Would it be sinful to use those? Would it be sinful to buy something else from a company that sells those?
   The above question leads to a more general question: Is it sinful to buy something from a company that also sells a product that is either sinful or had a sinful name?
   (For example, the company YoYoJam makes a yoyo called “Dark Magic II” While the toy itself is not sinful, the name is, so would it be wrong to buy anything from that company?)

I feel silly for posting about somethings as petty as toys and it is probably me being scrupulous, but I just wanted to check. Thanks and God Bless!

 

[NoSage]

I don’t think you are being scrupulous at all. I am sure if you buy something without giving it any thought as to it if it is sinful --then there is no sin. But if we do stop and think about it, China’s policies is a very good reason to avoid buying their products. What we give to our children will influence their thought process and I agree we should avoid anything that is “of the devil”. I appreciate your post because I try to avoid buying items from China but the reason was motivated by safety and patriotism. Now I will be more motivated to avoid them and for a much more important reason. I haven’t given the names of certain items any thought until now in regards to the purchase of other products made by the same company. I would certainly consider writing that company and telling them of your concerns. Thanks for making us think and if I come to a conclusion on the naming of certain products, I will share my thoughts.

 

[Miguelita]

I don’t think there is any harm in the naming of a product. I wear a perfume called Night Magic, and ther eis no harm in it. Words are important, yes, but you shouldn’t give undo power to words that should have none.

As for buying from China, etc, take a look at the availability and necessity of the product. If there is an alternative from a better source, it may be worth a switch. But if you need something and there is no other alternative, i see no sin

 

[yojuggleyo]

Thank you for your responses. Does anyone else have any thoughts about it?

 

[Baelor]

I think that you are right to be concerned about whence your products come. An individual is not capable of spending infinite time to solve every problem faced by every individual, but if even the most basic of research convinces you that purchasing from China would violate the tenets of your well-formed conscience, seek alternatives (but do not deprive yourself of necessities).

I would be less worried about the names. I recently ate at a Roman cafe called the Little Devil (translation); it was good and most definitely not sinful.

 

[pinctor]

There is an amazing lot of stuff for sale in this country from China, and labelled so ( English spelling! ) In fact a joke is going about: "In the beginning God created heaven and earth, Everything else Made in China.

I have a recipe for devilled kidneys. Should I consider such viands accursed?:

 

[Miguelita]

Don’t forget devils food cake! dare I say it? it’s siiinfuly sweet!

 

[Joe_5859]

Don’t forget devils food cake! dare I say it? it’s siiinfuly sweet!

Devilled ham and devilled eggs are also satanic in origin.

In all honesty, if you want to go the boycott route, you are certainly welcome to, and I think it can even be meritorious to do so in some situations. But I do not believe it is a moral imperative. If it were, I would wonder why the Church has been completely silent on something that effects every person.

If you can avoid buying things that were made in China, you should start a blog and let other people know how you did it. It seems unavoidable nowadays.