Sojourners Fair Trade Gift Boxes...Give a gift that gives back!

Sojourners is happy to provide a socially conscious alternative to the usual holiday gift giving. In cooperation with Pura Vida Coffee, Sojourners is now offering two fair-trade gift boxes, both featuring a one-year subscription to Sojourners magazine.

By purchasing a fair trade gift box, you will:

• directly improve the quality of life for families in developing nations;
• give high quality products that provide a decent working wage and are an excellent value;
• treat a loved one to a whole year of award-winning Sojourners magazine!

Sojo Fair Trade Gift Box

• Current issue of Sojourners magazine and card announcing a one-year gift subscription
• One pound of SojoBlend Medium Roast
• 20-count Fair Trade Organic Tea
• Fair Trade Organic Chocolate-Covered Espresso Beans
• Hand-carved Kenyan coffee scoop

OR

SojoBlend Gift Box for Coffee Lovers

• Current issue of Sojourners magazine and card announcing a one-year gift subscription
• One pound each of SojoBlend Medium Roast, Dark Roast, and Decaf Coffees
• Hand-carved Kenyan wooden coffee scoop

An $85 value for only $69.99!

Kent comments:

Yes friends, it's more "fair trade" stuff.  Since the Sojourners are always so eager to make us all into communalists (or perhaps even communists) I wonder why they don't start the ball rolling by offering this $85 value for free?  Even that discounted price of $69.99 sounds just a little like Madison Avenue, capitalist-inspired sale price.  Wouldn't giving it away be be the sharing, caring, thing to do?

from News of the Weird 878, by Chuck Shepherd, December 5, 2004

Archaeologists excitedly announced in October that in examining ruins on the Wittenberg, Germany,
property of 16th-century philosopher Martin Luther, they discovered the actual stone toilet on which
he composed the manifesto that launched the Protestant Revolution.  (Luther suffered chronic
constipation and thus spent much of his days on the toilet.)

Kent comments:

What a great Christmas present this is for me!  Now, when my wife complains about my related behavior, I can tell her I'm just trying to be more like Luther!

from the Associated Press . . .

Grant Palmer is a lifelong Mormon and former church leader. But on Sunday, he faces an apostasy trial by Mormon leaders for writing a book that questions the church's foundational teachings. Palmer's book -- An Insider's View of Mormon Origins -- suggests that Joseph Smith did not actually translate the Book of Mormon from an ancient set of golden plates. Instead, it suggests Smith penned it himself and that the plates might never have existed. The 64-year-old Palmer culled material for his book from documents in the church's archives. Palmer says he has no intention of abandoning Mormonism, because he still believes that Smith was touched by God to found it. But he faces excommunication if the church tribunal convicts him.

Kent comments:

I'm sorry to say it, but this sounds something like many Christians' view of the Christian faith, that is, it's not really what it claims to be, but we "believe" it anyway!

...A recent Newsweek poll finds that most Americans believe in God's Christmas miracle, but not all of the results are that encouraging. The poll says 79 percent of Americans believe the Bible when it comes to the virgin birth of Jesus. In fact, more than two-thirds of those surveyed said they believe the entire biblical account of Christmas, including the angelic proclamations to Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds. The poll also questioned people further concerning their beliefs about Jesus Christ. About 93 percent said they believe Jesus actually lived, and 89 percent of the people polled said Jesus is God or the Son of God. However, only 52 percent say Jesus will return to Earth as he promised. Similarly, biblical accuracy is not so highly believed, with just 55 percent saying every word of the Bible is true.

Kent comments:

So if they aren't sure everything in the Bible is true, why do they believe all this information found primarily in the Bible?