Netflix.
Starbucks.
Disney.
They’re all pretty much everywhere in our culture. Have you binged Stranger Things? Sipped a vanilla Frappucino? Enjoyed the Little Mermaid?
None of these things in and of themselves are evil, but when it comes to big corporations who heavily contribute to pro-abortion lobbyists, when do we stop supporting them?
As you may have heard, Georgia recently passed the “heartbeat” bill, which bans abortions after 6 weeks gestation. All the pro-lifers are celebrating this as a victory in that it champions the inherent value of even the tiniest and most helpless among us, but pro-abortion advocates see it as a violation of women’s rights. Netflix and Disney are both threatening to boycott Georgia as a filming location, where historically it’s been a great place to film because of financial incentives.
Starbucks has donated to Planned Parenthood for years, as well as other huge companies, such as Blue Cross Blue Shield, PayPal, Nike, BP, and more.
As a pro-life Christian, it’s hard to know where to draw the line when it comes to voting with our dollars. Yes, these companies contribute to the culture of death I’m desperately trying to avoid, but at what point am I morally culpable for the decisions of these companies? Some of them are really hard to escape (our group health insurance is through BCBS), while others are easy to avoid (cancelling Netflix in favor of another streaming option).
Just this morning, I read an article talking about boycotting certain companies whose values differ from my own. Does it really make a difference? I totally get the point that “voting with our dollars” is really true within a capitalist society.
As a family, we do our best to avoid companies that directly cooperate in evil, but what about when government cooperates in evil? My home state of Illinois is quickly becoming the “most progressive state” on abortion laws, so at what point does living here and paying taxes here become a moral quandary for my family? Do we participate in pro-life rallies, prayer, etc. and try to get things changed here or do we jump ship and move to a state that aligns with our values?
Although I do my best to avoid companies that support issues I disagree with, it’s not always possible (like with group insurance), and according to this article, we aren’t necessarily morally culpable for these evils. Give it a read, and share your thoughts.
The last line of the article really hits a nerve (emphasis mine):
…Boycotts can send a signal to the market that Christians and our cultural allies aren’t pushovers; that we love life and truth more than stuff.
