There has been a lot of press lately surrounding the illegal activities on Craiglist. This morning, the Today Show even had a feature clearly showing the prostitution that is readily available in their “adult” section.
(*Note: It’s PG-13 with some mildly graphic imagery)
Many people in the faith community have responded by suggesting we boycott Craigstlist.
Is that the right response? I don’t think so.
I don’t think anyone needs to boycott Craigslist. (And this is coming from me, a girl who was just in Moldova a month ago and saw girls get bought and sold right in front of her at a cafe.)
Here’s why.
- If we boycott Craigslist, we’re just making noise. Noise doesn’t do much. Noise is passive. Unless you are actually using their adult service section, they aren’t making any money on you. I go on Craigslist to sell my car or buy an ottoman. It’s a third-party trading site for most of us.
- It’s the Christian Status Quo to boycott. “They don’t say Christmas at Target! Let’s show them who’s boss!” We throw our faith around like a proud badge and try to prove our points. I’ve never seen this as a humble, loving response.
- People who don’t subscribe to the Christian faith see this as us attempting to push our beliefs on people. Should we share our beliefs with people? Sure. Share them. Nothing wrong with that. How do we do that? Read John 13:35.
- Unless something is done to help solve the problem (illegal activity), the people who are breaking the law will find another place to do it. Shutting down the adult service section of Craigslist will just make people use other sites.
Going off the basis of “how will people know we’re Christians” (as referenced in our own Bibles) it’s by love. I don’t think the action of boycotting shows love.
So what should we do?
- We should first thank Craigslist for donating some of their money to anti-trafficking organizations. Thank you.
- We should get involved in our local government and make sure they know the issues of illegal activity occurs on Craigslist. Then we should ask them to take appropriate government action (which, by the way, Craigslist is protected from liability – however, the law doesn’t cover the people breaking it).
- Find a way to support the women who feel like they need to prostitute themselves. How can we care for them?
- Ask “Is there a way faith-based organizations can partner with Craigslist to help solve this problem?” If someone came up with a brilliant solution, I bet Craigslist would be more than willing to listen.
Over and over again, I find that Christians (myself included) can be reactive and not proactive. Maybe this is an opportunity for us to actually come alongside of Craigslist and see how we can help them instead of just yelling at them.
Idealistic? Naive? Maybe.
But I have to believe it’s better than the status quo.
Comments
130 responses to “Why Christians Shouldn’t Boycott Craigslist”
By supporting Craigslist you’re funding and/or driving traffic to a site that is causing brothers and sisters in Christ to sin. Not just in with the sex issues but there are people on there lusting after items that have become idols in their lives. Sure, we do those kinds of things all the time but it’s important to remember just the simple act of using Craigslist can put something in front of another believer that will cause them to stumble. The sex portion of the site is just the most obvious one.
However, focusing on the sex part, are we then guilty of causing a brother to stumble if we continue to use that site knowing that’s what happens there?
We can do both. We can stop using Craigslist and we can do the things you mentioned. This isn’t an either/or situation.
.-= Jason´s last blog ..After the flood in Bellevue May 4 2010 =-.
I drive my car and cause people to sin (sorry, it’s true). Someone may look at me in my spandex bike shorts and sin (I personally don’t see how that’s possible, but it could happen). Should I not ride my bike? Where does personal responsibility come in?
If Craigslist personally causes someone to sin, I recommend that person not use it. It’s been a great place for us to sell things for charity, or to get involved with groups that share similar interests.
.-= Anne Jackson´s last blog ..Why Christians Shouldn’t Boycott Craigslist =-.
“Where does personal responsibility come in?”
At the point where you realize what’s happening and feel that by your supporting CL you’re enabling others to sin. If you feel that way, then you shouldn’t support CL. If someone asks you why, you be honest and tell them.
If you know something you’re doing is causing others to sin and you feel convicted about it, then don’t do it. It’s all personal responsibility. :)
.-= Jason´s last blog ..After the flood in Bellevue May 4 2010 =-.
Jason, one could say the same about shopping at a grocery store that sells alcohol, lottery tickets, etc is “enabling others to sin.” Or a pharmacy (condoms, “pharm abuse,” etc). Or buying the local newspaper…There are people who utilize these legit resources to commit sin but are they causes? Or enablers? Those set on committing sin will find the venue to commit it. As she said if it’s not on Craigslist it will be elsewhere. She’s saying focus your efforts on the cause of the problem rather than the symptom, something we as Christians are loathe to do because it requires more work than showing righteous indignation, making blanket assertions and joining Facebook pages with catchy names…
Dan, so because it will be somewhere else we should just ignore it and pretend that it’s not there?
It seems too many people want to look at this as an either/or situation. As if you can’t stop using CL or asking others to stop using it until they shut down the adult section while doing other things as well.
If all the attention and blowback shuts down the adult section of CL and saves the life of even one girl trapped in human trafficking then it’s worth it. We shouldn’t immediately dismiss asking people to not use a site or business just because some Christians have abused it in the past.
Your post seemed to make an assumption that “showing righteous indignation” is somehow bad and that it automatically means people won’t do anything more than that. To be sure, some people fall into that trap, but it doesn’t mean righteous indignation is wrong or something that shouldn’t be expressed.
.-= Jason´s last blog ..Two rants =-.
I have used Craigslist for a few years buying and selling things and did not realize at all that these activities were going on in “other” parts of the website. So by my buying and selling things on Craigslist was I promoting the sexual mistreatment of men and women? Even though I didn’t know? And now that I am “aware” that these activities occur am I guilty if I continue to search the site for items of interest to buy or sell?
.-= Kenyon´s last blog ..A is for… =-.
Absolutely not. Have you ever paid any money to Craigslist itself? Their revenue is generated from personals and real estate and job listings, typically not consumer buying/selling.
So maybe we shouldn’t use the Internet because it is where one finds Craig’s List? You need to refine the argument of where one draws the line!
Jason,
With your thinking and rationale, plan on not buying/trading/selling with anyone outside yourself. The world and everything in it is run by sinners. You being one of them.
What? I’m a sinner? Oh, wow, Nick! I never realized that! Thank you so much!
.-= Jason´s last blog ..Two rants =-.
Petty sarcasm does not equal Christian kindness. What is the point of your blog?
I am not a Christian. I AM someone who has found rescue pets on their pet section, a section that can be very contentious and very abusive oddly enough.
I am also the mother of a child who knows a child that got on CL ( the boy was 10, and easily found ‘men seeks men’ and clicked it and WHAM! Immeedietly photos of mens bottoms and anuses, covering the whole phot, no faces just bottoms and holes. Lots of married men saying ‘in town for one night at raddision, door is open, just come in and do your thing and leave’.
Seriously the easy access to porn is insane on CL. I have been working on a way to block my child from being able to go there, she hasnt heard this story yet( I got the tale from the mother now dealing with the childs terror) and want to have my child safe from this sort of content for when she does her tell of it.
It’s frightningly easy to get to these terrible CL ads, and the men seek men section is VERY offensive visually, and yes I went and checked.
I will now never go on CL again, its that simple.
You’re right. This is not an either/or situation. It’s a discussion about which method of action is a better way to demonstrate what Christ (and therefore Christians) are about. One method shows the world what Christians are against. And one method shows the world what Christians are for.
I guess it’s all about what you are trying to say.
Anne, it is so refreshing to hear an interactive approach to the world’s “problems.” Because really, as Christians -in the world- they are our problems too. Too often to avoid being “of the world”, we distance ourselves from those who need our love, grace, and involvement the most. Thank you for being a voice of reason and encouragement in the face of darkness.
“Unless something is done to help solve the problem (illegal activity), the people who are breaking the law will find another place to do it. Shutting down the adult service section of Craigslist will just make people use other sites.”
my thoughts exactly.
.-= Crystal Renaud´s last blog ..Accountability is like a Good Seatbelt =-.
Problem solving. Not reacting passively. Spot on. Thanks for getting my take on this.
Unless enough people boycott all of the alternative sites. If there were no sites that participated there wouldn’t be anywhere to advertise!
This is so good and such a needed message and reminder to us. Thank you, Anne. I completely agree.
.-= Carrie Bevell Partridge´s last blog ..Professional Photographs =-.
My bottom line on this, as this could be a heated discussion and I have a busy day and won’t be able to respond.
Boycotting solves nothing unless you used to buy sex on Craigslist.
Thanks. :)
What you have done is merely asserted that it solves nothing. I need to hear why not.
Read the post and all these comments. Plenty of why not there. Especially under the section that says:
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Why Christians Shouldn’t Boycott Craigslist
May 5, 2010 | Church, Russia/Moldova, Sex | Edit
There has been a lot of press lately surrounding the illegal activities on Craiglist. This morning, the Today Show even had a feature clearly showing the prostitution that is readily available in their “adult” section.
(*Note: It’s PG-13 with some mildly graphic imagery)
Many people in the faith community have responded by suggesting we boycott Craigstlist.
Is that the right response? I don’t think so.
I don’t think anyone needs to boycott Craigslist. (And this is coming from me, a girl who was just in Moldova a month ago and saw girls get bought and sold right in front of her at a cafe.)
Here’s why.
* If we boycott Craigslist, we’re just making noise. Noise doesn’t do much. Noise is passive. Unless you are actually using their adult service section, they aren’t making any money on you. I go on Craigslist to sell my car or buy an ottoman. It’s a third-party trading site for most of us.
* It’s the Christian Status Quo to boycott. “They don’t say Christmas at Target! Let’s show them who’s boss!” We throw our faith around like a proud badge and try to prove our points. I’ve never seen this as a humble, loving response.
* People who don’t subscribe to the Christian faith see this as us attempting to push our beliefs on people. Should we share our beliefs with people? Sure. Share them. Nothing wrong with that. How do we do that? Read John 13:35.
* Unless something is done to help solve the problem (illegal activity), the people who are breaking the law will find another place to do it. Shutting down the adult service section of Craigslist will just make people use other sites.
Going off the basis of “how will people know we’re Christians” (as referenced in our own Bibles) it’s by love. I don’t think the action of boycotting shows love.
WOW. “Christians” are boycotting Craig’s List? I had no idea. Apparently I should pay more attention…or, maybe not.
As usual Anne, you speak some spiritual wisdom here. I guess I am not the only one who is tired of unhelpful boycotts. Trying to close down options for people with weakness is painfully close to merely avoiding our discomfort with the idea of sinfulness. It does ZERO to actual help people overcome it. Like Jesus says (my paraphrase), “if lust is going on in your heart…” you already have a problem. Craig’s List is only going to be an outgrowth of that.
I agree boycotts of things like this doesn’t really do anything.
Thanks for challenging us to do more than just to boycott! Even reaching out to those who use the site would achieve more than spitting in the wind through protests!
.-= Rick Apperson´s last blog ..The Naked Gospel =-.
Anne,
I respect you deeply. Here is where I think you miss the point on this issue.
A boycott is a principled stance – we have every intention and desire to continue to work with Craigslist.
I can ASSURE you that I would not fall on the “religious right” side of the fence and I would also say that my response is NOT reactionary. Organizations such as N.O.W. (not a Christian organization) and others are vehemently protesting the vile content that is in the Craigslist personals. In a matter of a few short days, Craigslist has gotten significant “bad” press and I think the “shouting” of Christian and NON-christians has helped that.
I am fighting this issue NOT as a Christian but as a father of daughters. I think you should consider going back and listening to the response of the Craigslist CEO and then read the letter from Rachel Lloyd to him of Gemsgirls – NOT a Christian organization.
I understand that some of us who are in Christian circles have a tendency to reel when the Religious Right starts shouting things like “boycott” but this is bigger than that. This is a movement of various perspectives and voices that are making a stand against the corporate irresponsibility that would allow this to take place.
And as far as Craigslist giving money to anti-trafficking organizations, those organizations have said -thankfully – we do not want your money. It is like taking money from a drug lord to fight drug trafficking.
I would ask you to reconsider your stance as this is not an issue of a reactive knee-jerk Christian “Right” – it is a matter of justice for the voiceless and innocent.
Peace,
Vince
You know Vince, I respect brothers like you with whom I disagree because you have arrived at your decision thoughtfully and carefully, rather than just having a knee-jerk reaction without reason (and for my part, I just wrote a book to be published this fall on sex trafficking). We all agree on the main issue; let’s do whatever we can to stop this. Bless you for following the Spirit’s guidance in your life, and thanks for respecting those of us who do the same in a different direction.
Very well said and right on the mark, Vince.
.-= Jason´s last blog ..After the flood in Bellevue May 4 2010 =-.
My point is in boycotting. Since this is a blog mainly read by Christians, that is to whom I write.
Making noise makes noise.
Again, it may have CL shut down the adult section. Who knows?
The underlying issue is not being addressed though. That’s why I believe boycotting, regardless of who does it, doesn’t solve the underlying problem of illegal activity.
Again – that misses the point. The boycotting is part of a process it is not the whole process. A reaction against boycotting because fanatical Christians have boycotted silly things is not the a good solution.
In this situation, many NON-Christians are MUCH more outraged than Christians. It is NOT about a simple boycott for me – it is about being a voice for the voiceless — anybody out there hearing that.
Nobody doesn’t have a voice. Everyone has a voice. The problem is their voice doesn’t get heard. And when we add noise, it gets heard less.
I suppose another way to phrase my point of view would be to say “I’m done with being just a voice. I want to be the hands and feet that help solve these issues and care for people who need it.”
A voice doesn’t have to be used to boycott. I’m not boycotting, but my voice is being heard. Above all, I truly believe actions speak louder than words (regardless of which side of the issue the words fall on.)
A voice not heard is not helpful. I work for an organization that you just traveled with so you know I am active in being hands and feet in restoration and prevention of girls impacted by trafficking. As for as your other advice, thanking Craigslist — umm no — working with Craigslist – happy to – let me know when they take your call I would love to be conferenced in. I would love to hear whatever else you are doing to be hands and feet – I am happy to help.
I’ve actually been chatting with Craig Newmark this morning. :) Will let you know what comes of that. (And you know I love you guys) :-)
So right on Anne.
“Problem solving. Not reacting passively.”
Boycotting doesn’t bring a solution. It makes us feel good, even powerful and better than others…but it doesn’t solve the problem. This doesn’t mean we ignore it, it means we take action.
If they’re giving a channel to trafficking young girls, then let’s find a way to put a stop to it. Let’s roll up our sleeves and do the hard work of taking action.
The problem is horrendous. We need to spend our time and energy on efforts that will end the horror. Boycotting not only is ineffective, but it’s wasting time that could be used to make an impact.
.-= Michael Buckingham´s last blog ..The forgotten stage of sketching =-.
Bravo, Anne. You’re right—noise does nothing but confirm the bad stereotypes of who we are as Christians. I think of pro-life bombers—what a paradox that is. We have to look for solutions with love. I applaud your suggestion of reaching out to prostitutes themselves. Magdalene House here in Nashville is a great organization for women who have been on the streets, or involved in any type of prostitution. Keep up the good work, I know it takes courage.
.-= Kristin Russell´s last blog ..community =-.
I am taking Anne’s side on this issue….completely! It may be because I don’t get out much but today is the first day I have ever heard of such an issue on Craigslist. My wife and I have used it to sell several things and, in large, have had a good experience with it.
Boycotting things like this, Target, Disney or otherwise, does the exact opposite of what Christ would want us to do. We are called to be light in a dark place. That means we get our hands dirty and get involved in the solution. If we want things lie this to change, who is going to make it happen if all of the Christians run in the opposite direction. Do you think Craigslist would ever listen to a group of “non-patrons” telling them how they should run their business? Just a thought…
.-= Eddie Harrison´s last blog ..Emotional Collision =-.
Great post, Anne. You have really been on a roll recently with some smart and practical posts. Very helpful. Thank you
.-= Rachel H. Evans´s last blog ..An Interview with Brian McLaren =-.
I disagree Anne. I wouldn’t stay at a hotel that allowed prostitution out of their lobby – especially if I found out that 1/3 of it’s profits came from that source.
I think the boycott is more about bringing light to this issue. If my little girl was being sold on a website I would pray that you wouldn’t want to use the site at all. Not that Christians would just say – oh that bad guy, he shouldn’t sell your daughter and that other bad guy, he shouldn’t buy your daughter. I would hope you would say to the website that was allowing it – STOP letting someone sell my friend’s daughter!
Most of us who are on the “boycott Craigslist” bandwagon are working in other ways. Most are a part of prevention – working with orphan ministries throughout the world, involved in foster care, working with organizations that combat sex-addiction. Most are also working in the area of healing and aftercare – both as you saw in Moldova as well as throughout the US.
And truthfully – this is a HUGE issue. It’s not like Target not saying “Merry Christmas” it’s about little 11 year old girls being sold for sex. It will have to be fought in the law (emailing our gov’t officials and signing petitions for them to get involved) as well as asking (possibly through bad press since simple ASKING hasn’t worked – see Rachel Lloyd’s letter to Craigslist as well as the TODAY show piece that has been asking for 12-18 months).
I agree that the “boycott” issue by Christians has been dumb and ineffective at times. But making people aware and asking them to scream out for the innocent isn’t something to avoid just b/c Christians have done it poorly in the past.
Respectfully screaming out for the innocent and doing something about it (hand in hand with non-Christians) –
Brandi
I think the issue is everyone knows more about what ‘Christians’ are against more than what they are for.
Oh yeah, and last time I checked Jesus didn’t stay at a hotel with prostitution taking place….nope. Those are the people he hung out with and ministered to.
I’m very passionate about trafficking as much as the next person, but boycotting will not end this. As said before, they will just find another avenue. Our job as “the church” should be to find a way to help. This is how this guy lives. If we boycott, and this guy isn’t able to keep his bills paid, how is that right?
I agree the personal area in craigslist is an issue, no doubt. But let’s be the church, and partner with Craig, so we can help resolve this issue. Let’s REALLY be Jesus to these people. We may be the only Jesus they see.
Here’s the problem with boycotts as I see it…when we say that we need to boycott because “if we buy/use that product in other ways we are supporting that site/company, blah blah blah…” where do we draw the line? I remember the Disney boycott, and how I asked Christians around me if they were also going to boycott ABC and other companies who are all part of the Disney conglomerate…of course, the answer was no. That is failed logic.
Buy music from ITunes? Oh, I know its Christian music you buy, but by doing so you’re supporting a company that has gangsta rap readily available. Buy an NIV bible? Certain publishing companies that publish NIV scriptures also have a pornographic publishing division. Buy your groceries at Wal-Mart? Well you know the Wal-Mart’s out here in AZ have their liquor bottles right at the check-out line and cause people to stumble by grabbing that fifth of Jack on their way out. The list of examples go on and on…
If we really took the time to check what each and every company/product had its hand in, I suppose we would be reduced to growing our own food/beef, making our own clothes, and shacking up in a commune together…oh wait, I wonder what else the thread company supports? ;)
I must go buy some sheep and cows. I think I can sustain life on that for a while. But wait…were they corn-fed ConAgra cows? CRAP! :)
Excellent post! I was about ready to boycott Craigslist just by the title of the post alone… I’m glad I kept reading.
They will know you are my disciples if you love, that’s is where we start.
Thanks Anne!
It may be the heart/motive behind a boycott. I agree that it doesn’t solve anything, however, if one is “boycotting” to avoid the temptation then I’m all for it.
Living in the Bible belt, my concern is when people don’t do something or participate in something as a way to evangelize. It’s a myth that by not ordering a beer, not shopping at Abercrombie, and not logging onto craigslist, we are some how sharing our faith in Christ.
It’s probably a matter of semantics. Some may find value in avoiding CL because by doing so they will not be tempted to go to the ‘adult section.’ I certainly don’t feel, however, that by me placing my ugly couch for sale is causing anyone to stumble.
.-= Ryan Moore´s last blog ..Passion – More For Suns or Jesus? =-.
Depends on how ugly the couch is. :-)
Touche Anne, touche
.-= Ryan Moore´s last blog ..Passion – More For Suns or Jesus? =-.
A proactive roll should happen. Kinda crazy to think that those ads are there and nothing has been done up to this point. Ever since I started using CL in 2005, they were there, if I recall correctly. If it is illegal then they need to be removed.
On the stance of just not using it, that would be drastic. We are surrounded by ads and things that can lead to sin each and everyday. If we did this for craigslist and not other sources, that are more mainstream then CL, then it would be a hypocritical move.
Removing the illegal sections is a must! However, there will always be the ‘Personals’ that can lead to the same thing. “Dancers” are legal and can offer a paid service that can wind up leading to sin. While I agree we need to help our brothers and sisters out by encouraging them not to sin, we are sin by nature. If not on CL then somewhere. You can tell someone something is wrong but it’s on them to accept and turn away.
If we turn away and start a flame war against things like this in a, “well it’s wrong and I will just not partake in any way by boycotting,” then we could be missing opportunities to serve. Yes, stand on your believes and if you struggle in that area then it’s not for you but we are to be in the world, not of the world.
I think it’s a great list of things we can look at doing, in an appropriate way and with accountability of course. A lone person could end up in a lot of trouble. Thanks for sharing this information.
.-= T-Rave´s last blog ..Vlog: Doctors and Trees =-.
I live in South Carolina and the Adult section has been removed from CL in our state. Our state has taken a stand against the sex trafficking and illegal actions taking place on CL while still allowing the harmless parts of CL to be used by those of us who enjoy using it for harmless reasons to barter and sell and buy items we need in life that we would otherwise not be able to find for cheap. I’ve bought diapers, bikes, toys, clothes etc from friendly people in my area via CL and find CL to be a great tool for our community to become connected in various ways. So the throw the baby out with the bath water would be ignorant and like you say, just making noise. Lets use some common sense, act with a little more tact and think things through before we come to extreme conclusions that effect many more people who are using CL for positive reasons just to make ourselves feel better that we might be stopping the bad apples from making money off of an innocent site. I believe CL can be used as a great tool in actually catching these criminals rather than running them off to another more secluded way of making their money. If you want to make a difference and help out lets start some volunteer task forces to work with our local agencies to set these guys up with their own use of CL and catch them in the act red handed. I am a conservative christian, a young 20 something year old woman, and a mother to a little girl and a little boy. I know that I could easily be a victim to sex trafficking, my children could as well and I am very passionate and eager to end this battle. But like I said. Lets use a little more knowledge and wisdom before deciding to react without thinking things completely through.
Lovely thoughts, Maura. Thank you.
It would be interesting to know HOW South Carolina got this section eliminated!
.-= Jen~Beautiful Mess´s last blog ..True Love =-.
Maura I just went to Charleston, SC craigslist and I am sorry to let you know that there IS adult services on craigslist in South Carolina.
Bummer I was excited at the possibility that it was gone–but it is in fact-there.
.-= Jen~Beautiful Mess´s last blog ..True Love =-.
Whew, thanks for this! Especially because I just put a couple things on there the other day…uh, household items that is.
.-= TD´s last blog ..On Empty =-.
Personally I think this is a decision that should be arrived at individually. I disagree that the a decision not to boycott Craigslist is the right Christian response. Can there be two right responses even if they are different from each other?
.-= Amy @ My Friend Amy´s last blog ..LOST Recap and Discussion: 6.14 The Candidate =-.
Absolutely!
I don’t think this should be a call for CHRISTIANS to boycott craigslist. I think there should be a call for PEOPLE to boycott craigslist. The selling of a human being is not just a Christian issue, but a tragedy of humanity as a whole. with 27,000,000 people slaved today, i think we should take a stand. I don’t shop at Walmart cause i know a good deal of their clothing passes through slaves hands and that their work wages are poverty promotions in urban areas (less so in the suburbs). i’m not necessarily saying i’m gonna go around shouting “NO MORE WALMART!! ALL CHRISTIANS BOYCOTT WALMART!!!”
No. that’s obnoxious. As a whole, i agree with most of your points about Christians and their go-to, non-action of boycott. However, it was William Wilberforce who had a huge impact in ending LEGAL slavery in part by his boycott of Sugar and Rum… because it was produced by slaves.
Is it so “absurd” that we don’t willingly place our money in the hands of those who profit off the selling and purchasing of another human being for sex? Girls who are being sold, not willingly, but forced? Especially since when there are other, non-human trafficking related sites like http://www.Kijiji.com ?
I believe that we need solution and answers. but i think part of our ACTIONS and the way to bring about CHANGE is by changing how we spend our money and who we give our money to. Do we just shrug it off because we can get it cheaper or easier?
As far as saying, “Is there a way faith-based organizations can partner with Craigslist to help solve this problem?” — i think that’s quite simple. Take down the “erotic” section of your site. cut your loses for the sake of human conscious.
This, for me, is not really even an issue of prostitution. You have to love prostitutes, because we, lost in sin, are in no better shape without Christ. But this IS an issue of people (particularly minors) who are enslaved being used for prostitution.
I’m not saying raise are fists, shout, and yell how angry we are. Most of the time, our “boycotts” usually are about yelling how we’re going to boycott, and then shopping/going to that store/place/company anyways.
i’m proposing the opposite. calmly (but firmly) & lovingly suggest that they remove this section of their site. and until that time comes… stop giving them money. Is that unloving? to stop giving money to a company that blatantly allows the selling of enslaved children used for sex?
I find it hard to believe that this is simply a “Christian” moral issue… that standing agains this, is “imposing” beliefs.
do we love the trafficker so much that we tell the the trafficked “so sad, but we’re called.”
or does not God state:
“they judge not with justice
the cause of the fatherless, to make it prosper,
and they do not defend the rights of the needy.
Shall I not punish them for these things?
declares the Lord,
and shall I not avenge myself
on a nation such as this?”
All i’m saying, is that part of the “action” and “solution” is us making everyday choices that don’t put money in their pockets. and i think we can make WHY known… without being jerks or losing our Christian Testimony (which is why most people… including myself… are generally against Christian “boycotts”)
Does that Make Sense?
Most people don’t put money in their pockets however. The average consumer (me) has never paid CL a penny. But I’ve sold cars and picked up free moving boxes. That’s why I don’t think a boycott of the site is necessary.
That totally makes sense. And I do believe despite popular belief they are taking action and monitoring what goes on. Things slip through. There are legit massages on there. There are legit personals on there. I had an ad rejected once because I posted it in two different cities and that was against their policy. (It was for something normal, for the record!) :)
I have been in touch with Craig Newmark, the founder, this morning and he says they have a big announcement forthcoming. I am very excited to hear what he has to say, as I am sure many people are.
I’m glad that the news is putting attention on this issue because it will encourage Craigslist to spend more time and energy reviewing the transactions and posts going through their site- to hopefully cut down on trafficking in particular. I agree, we can do more pro-active things than yell at Craigslist and stand on the side of judgment. Thanks, Anne, for offering a fresh perspective and some ideas on how to approach this. Sometimes it’s just easier to take sides and yell.
Agreed. Thanks for swinging by, friend! :)
I think the problem with boycotts is that people think that the boycott alone will solve the problem. It’s like when there’s a ginormous natural disaster and people give their $10s or ‘tsk tsk’ at the news coverage (or lack thereof), but never actually _do_ anything.
You also have to have a large and committed group in order for them to be effective. Like the poster said above, the Disney boycott didn’t include ABC or McDonalds or any number of other affiliated companies. By not boycotting _ALL_ of the Disney companies (and since not all SBs/believers participated in the first place), the effect was minimal, if not negligible.
What else to do though? I don’t know. Boycotts are easy. Everyone can boycott and feel like they’ve done something without actually _doing_ anything.
.-= Princess Leia´s last blog ..Fooled You! =-.
As a Christian I feel like I rely of the Spirit to let me know what I should and should not do. I realized that that is an “I”…and not everyone. I respect that.
Children SOLD! Children…in America.
In this case I had no idea what was being advertised on CL until someone #boycotted and then I began to look…and then I began to see…and then my heart broke.
Reading more blogs, more heartbreak…education!
Like Brandi said I would not stay in a hotel that got 1/3 of their income from prostitution…would Jesus be there…most likely…but not me. Does that mean I am not a respectable believer? Tough question…
I think working for a SOLUTION is an answer-if you hear of a way we can help-let us know.
and for the time until there is NO ADULT SERVICES on CL I will not participate-because I can not, knowing what I know now, be a part.
.-= Jen~Beautiful Mess´s last blog ..True Love =-.
I have not been able to find the statistics you and some others have referred to about CL. Could you point me to them? I would appreciate it greatly!
–Where on CL are children sold?
–Where is it stated officially that CL receives 1/3 of their income from prostitution?
I’d love to read about these statistics and confirm their validity since a few people have brought them up.
Thanks!
As far as where it is the adult services section here is a story:
http://humantrafficking.change.org/blog/view/an_open_letter_to_jim_buckmaster
As far as the money-here are a few articles:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/26/technology/26craigslist.html
http://www.businessinsider.com/if-craigslist-is-the-most-profitable-online-company-its-in-part-because-sex-sells-2010-4
Here is a petition:
http://humantrafficking.change.org/petitions/view/tell_craigslist_to_make_real_change_in_the_adult_services_section_of_craigslist
Some of this I got from Tom Davis Blog:
http://tomdavis.typepad.com
.-= Jen~Beautiful Mess´s last blog ..True Love =-.
They are making that money from sex ads – not necessarily all prostitution (as the article states).
Even though a Christian worldview doesn’t condone sex outside of marriage, many people who use CL think hooking up is fine. And those legit sex ads cost money.
So, yes, they probably are making money on the illegal ads, but to say 1/3 of their income comes from prostitution isn’t accurate. As best as this organization could tell (based on a month’s study) 1/3 of their income is generated through their personals section.
It seems as if the law is prosecuting the people who have been caught trafficking. Which is a very good thing. Kids also get sold at hotels, gas stations, truck stops, and cafes. Should we also boycott these places?
Here is CL’s official response to the NYT Article. (Caution: Rated R for examples they use – read with care if you choose to read).
http://blog.craigslist.org/2010/04/sad-state-of-affairs-at-the-new-york-times/
Thank you. Glad to have something else to go on.
and as for boycotting gas stations..etc… I can only say if i knew it was an establishment that was facilitating illegal activity I would have to avoid it.
As far as the CL thing… I am just in the beginning stages of trying to understand…for now I have to avoid it because everything in my heart (which is deceitful-I understand) cries out for the injustice
It does look to me like they are “trying” to at least give the appearance of fighting child sex trafficking–but not illegal prostitution.
Reading the adds on my local CL made me hurt for the broken in my area—NO I didn’t see children-i saw adults–hurting broken adults (like me) and I spent time praying over the adds…and yes i know they would find another way to sell themselves…
So here I sit–feeling like WHAT CAN I DO?? So inadequate! but thankful my Jesus is more than enough and HE will show me the way I should take.
.-= Jen~Beautiful Mess´s last blog ..True Love =-.
Girl, I think praying over the women in those ads is exactly what you need to be doing. What a great example. Thank you.
I posted a link with articles-
Can’t figure out why the post isn’t posting-it keeps telling me duplicate comment detected-but I don’t see my comment. What should I do?
.-= Jen~Beautiful Mess´s last blog ..True Love =-.
Went to spam b/c the links. Sorry. I approved it.
Oh! Oops then you have another one in there :) Sorry, again. Thank you for looking into it–anything you learn—pass it along.
.-= Jen~Beautiful Mess´s last blog ..True Love =-.
Thanks for posting it!
“Over and over again, I find that Christians (myself included) can be reactive and not proactive.” So very true! I am included in that too …
.-= Kevin M.´s last blog ..8 things we need to quit =-.
We need to keep in mind that Craigslist did not invent sex trafficking. (Visit or boycott pretty much any local truck stop, your choice.) It becomes a matter of how much “presence” do we have to make sure that these activities do not continue. And bigger still is how do we define “presence”? Number of police officers? People actively rescuing victims? Promoting information through an organized cause? Making the common citizen aware of how, when, where these activities take place?
They all seem pretty important.
.-= Kenyon´s last blog ..A is for… =-.
Well said, Kenyon. It’s all over the place and we need to be just as vocal with making people aware of the problem. The more we can make people aware of the signs of human trafficking they can start to see it at places like truck stops.
It’s ALL important.
.-= Jason´s last blog ..Two rants =-.
Another official statement on what CL does to monitor illegal activity on their site.
http://blog.craigslist.org/2010/04/misdirected-outrage/
I have never really understood boycotting because I don’t know that it has the affect that we want it to. I would guess that most people who choose to “boycott” are just choosing to not do business somewhere any longer but they don’t tell others about that decision.
Anne, what I hear is that you are challenging us to get to the underlying problem, and I strongly concur. I used to manage internet filtering for one of the largest school districts in my state. I can say I was exposed to things that absolutely blew me away. I hated that aspect of my job, but I also knew it wasn’t an area of temptation in my life and I couldn’t hand the job over to my co-worker who was a married Christian man. I am not sure I could have handed it over to anyone else knowing that I would be asking them to be exposed to what I was seeing. CL is not the problem. Our world is now so connected, and there are so many avenues for this content to get to people and for those involved to proceed with their work. The question is how can we stop them.
I guess for me the bottom lines for me comes down to where do I want to spend my time/energy/resources. I believe that focusing on prevention rather than boycotting and needing to find new avenues instead of doing business on CL is a better and more powerful use of my time and will result in greater good. The bottom line for me also is, I need to do something and not just turn away and do nothing again….done that too many times in life.
We are to be in the world, but not of it.
Good suggestions!
I’ve actually heard nothing from the Christian Community in response to the Craigslist uproar…everything I’ve heard has come from CNN, FOX, The New York Times, state legislators, etc… What does it say about Christians if everyone responds in outrage except us? Blatant trafficking is and outrage, and I think it’s the Christian’s, and every responsible citizen’s duty to respond accordingly. I’m not necessarily an advocate of banning Craigslist completely, however, I think the reasons presented in this post for NOT banning it are misguided.
Christians will not be seen as ramming their faith down the world’s throat if they address this scandal for what it is–a crime against humanity. This isn’t about Christians being angry about prostitution, it’s about Christians joining with Muslims, Jews, etc…to fight for the rights of the oppressed. We need not shout the gospel if we just simply live it.
Craigslist implicitly supports prostitution, and continues to provide an easy and effective way for human traffickers to market their victims. While Jim Buckmaster may claim that CL is doing ‘above and beyond’ what is required by the law, just look at the ads – having done undercover work, whatever they say they are doing to vet those ads is a joke.
This is just out today:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/04/craigslist-prostitution-b_n_562366.html
This isn’t about the morality of prostitution and whether it is an inevitable social behavior. This is about justice. While CL may claim to hold to some kind of libertarian principles, at the end of the day they are making $36 million a year from prostitution and sex trafficking. Giving some of that money back to anti-trafficking organizations is like cigarette companies giving money to anti-smoking campaigns. What they are doing is shameful.
BTW, I have over 25 friends who have attempted to post comments to Buckmaster’s blog respectfully asking him to shut down their sexual services ads – he has deleted/moderated them all off, and appears to be primarily allowing only comments that support his position. What a joke.
I really enjoyed the post today. I have recently been told to boycott Craigs List, but when I thought about the issue I thought that it did not show love like Christ. I am not saying that I am going to be passive and allow this to happen, but sometimes protesting on this subject isn’t the best thing. Although Christians may not throw the Bible at Craig’s list, people may interpret it that way. Maybe the best way to take action is to overwhelm these Craigs List workers with love. I do not agree with their actions or beliefs but at the same time they are responsible for their actions. So I choose to show love to these workers and any girl that is being sold on Craigs List.
“A voice doesn’t have to be used to boycott. I’m not boycotting, but my voice is being heard. Above all, I truly believe actions speak louder than words (regardless of which side of the issue the words fall on.)”
I so agree with this statement, Anne. Completely. And what this whole thing gets turned into really bothers me. Christians vs. Christians on how to handle an issue. It’s our M.O. And the real problem gets lost in our bickering.
Sorry, ignore my rant. Just a Christian for 23 years and realizing that sometimes I detest being “on the side of Christians.” I’d love for our actions to speak for us, and sadly that is usually not the case. No wonder unbelievers turn tail and run the other way when they see us coming.
Love your blog. Have a beautiful day…
.-= Brenna´s last blog ..7 already? =-.
I agree that boycotting will not solve the problem of prostitution or human trafficking, but the good thing is that since this is getting so much press this week I think it is opening people’s eyes to what is going on every day in every city.
Wow! Who knew such great conversation could happen over CL?! Thanks for posting on this topic. I think the image is so true that Christians like to shake fists afterwards more than extend a hand in the first place. And the shaking of our fists and the “proving a point” just makes us look, well, angry.
And how is that attractive?
.-= Laura@Life Overseas´s last blog ..Proximity =-.
Great comments on this, here.
I’m not completely against the boycotting of some things, but for the most part I think that boycotting from a faith-based stance is par for the course for our Christian, American culture.
And by that I mean that we raise our voices to bring attention to our mouths, which takes the attention away from the fact that (often times) our feet never move….myself included here.
.-= Josh´s last blog ..My Resignation =-.
I’m a little sad – ok very sad – to be lumped into the “dumb Christians who boycott but don’t do anything else” category.
The truth is – the Christians I know who are boycotting this issue are doing MUCH MUCH MORE.
Most are praying and fasting today (and every Wednesday) for the poor, hungry and oppressed around the world.
Most are writing congressmen, signing petitions, generally involving gov’t like you suggested
Most are supporting aftercare homes – like the one in Moldova where 16 of my girlfriends have gotten together to sponsor one of the girls.
Most are involved in regularly spreading the words and generally raising awareness for the larger issue of sex trafficking and especially child trafficking.
It makes me sad to be lumped into a category I don’t fit into.
yes, I’m boycotting. Mostly to raise my voice – to add it to the hundreds of non Christians – to ask for change.
And if change comes – I’ll be posting on Craigslist. I found my current house and found renters for my old house on their site. I would love to be able to use it. I hope they pull down their personal ads and work toward protection of all of these precious girls (both children and adults) like people in the trafficking movement (like Rachel Lloyd of GEMSGirls) have been asking for over a year.
For now, I’ll stand with the likes of William Wilberforce against slavery in all it’s forms and where ever I find it and pray that God breaks the chains of injustice.
Brandi
.-= Brandi´s last blog ..Tackle the Giant =-.
You’re not lumped.
You’re not dumb.
Dumb has never been mentioned once in this thread.
We are each called to be, not to just say, and you are doing more than saying.
You are being.
And I thank you for that sincerely.
Thanks for your post, Anne. I appreciate your take on this and agree with you completely. I also respect the amount of time you have spent interacting with your readership on this, and thank you for caring enough to do so!
.-= A Life Rooted´s last blog ..God, Medicine, and Suffering. Stanley Hauerwas =-.
hmmm. You’ve added 2 things to the viral twitter conversation and action that were never stated. “Christian” and “boycott”. There was no intention of a formal ‘boycott by Christians’ or the church in this. Specifically veered away from that considering Target, Disney stuff in the past.
We (people of Faith and non believers) want to bring attention to the facts as stated by the NYTimes, Huffington Post, SF Chronicle and many others and ask folks to speak out against the problem of Craigslist being the ‘Largest venue of trafficking in the US” (NY Times).
Would be wonderful if you would do the same.
We are not concerned with ending prostitution in America. Just speaking out against organizations that contribute or provide an unprecedented safe haven of anonymity for perpetrators that traffic children and women against their will.
And finally, we are not an equal opportunity protester. We don’t have delusions of curbing all of those that contribute to this, just the largest one.
We are on the same team. I was just in Moldova with Tom Davis and met with people who spoke fondly of you and know we have several mutual friends with likeminded hearts.
Please know I was not attacking you or your ministry or efforts personally, but there are many many many blog posts and resets and FB groups specifically made by Christians for christians who are all about boycotting CL.
I do hope and wish for a better CL for all, and by letting them know that we, people of faith, are willing to work alongside them to address the issues (and not just the tool) I think we can all be better off, especially helping the vulnerable. CL has been very open in sharing about their work with law enforcement and trafficking.
Inaccurately, they get painted only as the provider, not as the ones who turn in the bad guys too.
Anne, did you read CL’s blog where they list what they don’t allow? (it’s in their response to the NYTimes Article).
They list that they have manual reviewers that remove and/or report all ads which include nude pictures, $ in exchange for sex and explicit descriptions of sex acts.
I was on the CL personals for Denver for less than 2 minutes and found all three of those issues. It’s not that difficult, almost every ad with “pic attached’ was a picture of someone’s genitals.
They may SAY that they are reviewing this and doing their part, but unfortunately that must be a lie. That or they need to fire everyone in their review dept!
I really wish it were as easy as just working with CL to bring their attention to the horrible things happening and them agreeing to help in any way. Unfortunately, Rachel Lloyd had a teleconference 18 months ago describing an 11 year old girl who’d been sold on their site and still nothing has changed. People have tried asking nicely.
Since that hasn’t worked, we are raising our voices together to speak out for the one’s who can’t speak out for themselves.
.-= Brandi´s last blog ..Ok, Ok, Ok – we all know – I’m not normal =-.
Why do some Christians focus so much on the “sin” of other people? What other people do is really none of my business–God doesn’t call us to judge anyone, but He does call us to love our neighbors. There is only one place where any of us have any authority over evil and that is in our prayer closets. When we go to God and ask Him for knowledge, understanding, and wisdom, He will show us how to pray effectively for others. So, if we have a burden on our hearts for others, then let’s pray and love.
.-= patriciazell´s last blog ..A SPECIAL POST =-.
I have to say, as someone who works with prostitutes and against human trafficking through the Rescue and Restore Coalotion, I think a boycott is absolutely an appropriate step. No, boycotting can’t be the only thing we do but as just an individual, I boycott businesses all the time. I refuse to give my money to places I feel don’t deserve my business because of what they support. That is s valid individual protest and it should not be discounted just because Christian groups use boycotts as there only stance against something. That is not the case for everyone, most of the people I know are fighting against human trafficking and reachig out to prostitutes like the ones being advertised on Craigs list.
.-= CaroleTurner´s last blog ..What I Believe about Homosexuality =-.
The thing with boycotting CL though is they don’t get your money to begin with. They aren’t losing anything by anybody boycotting unless it was a company who posted job ads or real estate people posting houses or people posting personals. Those are the only three areas they make revenue in. If CL charged money for me selling my car, I would choose another avenue. But they don’t see a dime from me or the person who buys my car. That’s why I don’t see the purpose of boycotting CL for the average person, except to make a statement, and unfortunately the word “boycott” doesn’t convey the message I think many of us would hope for it to.
Boycotting is a voice often misinterpreted. If the people listening miss the forest for the trees how is your message heard?
While I understand your perspective, I feel you are gravely off.
1) Boycotting CL is not just making noise. Sex ads are 1/3 of their revenue, but the other 2/3 comes from job postings and auto ads. I suggest people look at using eBayclassifieds.com, which does not have ‘adult services’ as a category.
2) While you say it’s the Christian thing to boycott, I disagree. Slavery/human trafficking is a humanitarian issue, not a ‘christian’ issue and it is something people of all faiths can agree upon.
3)Boycotting is not pushing beliefs onto CL or its other users. It is respectfully declining to use or promote their service while they continue to provide methods for human traffickers to profit from the abuse of their victims. Again, this is not a Christian issue.
4)You say that if CL stops promoting ‘adult services’ or personals, the traffickers will just go elsewhere. That is the logical equivalent of saying that ‘if I don’t steal this TV while no one is looking, someone else is just going to steal it’. Traffickers are creative and they will continue to work to find ways to victimize people and make a profit. This is no excuse for shutting down one method they are using to great success. (It is also not an excuse for leaving other methods open – they equally deserve to be slammed shut).
5) While CL claims to have NGO anti-trafficking partners, none of those have been disclosed. They appear to be throwing money at a few groups (without even building a relationship first!), but there is no evidence of any real effort on CL’s part to truly stop the prostitution and trafficking flowing through the site. Without transparency and accountability from external sources, this is just an excuse to keep a very lucrative side of their business going.
I fully agree in your recommendation that we find ways to support those that have been victimized, as well as organizations doing great work on the front lines of this horrendous issue. I would ask you to reconsider your case for supporting CL while they continue to profit off of illegal activity and the suffering of innocent victims.
It’s not necessarily boycotting – it’s the perception of boycotting.
So change the term – ‘choose to use a different service provider.’
Anne, thanks for having the courage to speak out on this polarizing issue. No matter what side of the fence one falls on, here the truth – you’ve caused us to think deeply about this issue and challenged us to ACT.
.-= Tom Davis´s last blog ..Praying for the Victims of Sex Trafficking =-.
Well, allow me to reiterate and add an adendum:
You’ve added 2 things to the viral twitter conversation and action that were never stated. “Christian” and “boycott”. There is no intention of a formal ‘boycott by Christians’ or the church in this. Specifically veered away from that considering Target, Disney stuff in the past.
We (people of Faith and non-believers) are wanting to bring attention to the facts as stated by NYTimes, Huffington Post, SF Chronicle and many others and ask folks to speak out against the problem of Craigslist being the ‘Largest venue of trafficking in the US” (NY Times).
Would be wonderful if you would do the same.
And finally, we are not concerned with ending prostitution in America, just speaking out against organizations that contribute to or provide a safe haven of anonymity for perpetrators that traffic children and women against their will.
We are not an equal opportunity protester. We don’t have delusions of curbing all of those that contribute to this, just the largest one.
PS – we love your book
Great post Anne… I personally think boycotting is a little overrated. So many people around the globe are boycotting so many different things…I just cannot keep up with all of them. I think it just makes us feel like we are doing something when it really solves nothing.
The real problem comes in when people go to CL and lack the self-disciple to not view the “adult” ads. People have to take ownership of their decisions and quit making it someone else’s fault for their actions. I say we ban together for a solution rather than just add another place to the boycott list.
.-= Connie Firmin´s last blog ..Things I learned from Princess Miley today…I =-.
I see it like a city. I can go to Orange Blossom Trail in Orlando to pick up a prostitute. It’s a known fact that they are there, but I don’t go. I don’t park my car where drug dealers peddle their products. I have porn filters to the max on my computers because I don’t want to go there. I stay away from the places that offend the Spirit of God in me. I still live here. These sins are in my zip code, but I don’t move away from my city. I couldn’t live anywhere if a perfect city was the mandate.
God did not create us all as the tongue or lips, but diverse members. It’s easy for most Christians to try to be the mouth when their calling is to be the foot or the hand. Talk is cheap, faith in action is priceless. We can spend our time rebuking Craigslist, but I don’t think Jesus would have done it. He saw prostitutes and changed their lives with one touch. He didn’t fight against the framework of the market, he targeted the soul. He even broke up a “prostitute firing squad” by being silent.
Oh that we would be like Jesus in dealing with these types of situations. We have more power in silence through the Holy Spirit when He calls us to be the finger that writes in the sand. The finger that writes “I’m not going to waste my breath on deaf ears, but I’m going to use the power in me to deliver this woman in need.”
Should we speak out against Craigslist? It’s not morally wrong to do so. Should we stay silent about Craigslist? It’s not morally wrong to do so. There is no mortal moral high ground here. The cross towers over every situation in our day. It’s too bad many Christians never raise their gaze above sin’s ground zero to see its shadow of grace and silhouette of mighty mercy. The cross is the only moral high ground.
In situations like this, we can be the mouth, but more earnestly, we should be the hands and feet that never utter a word in flesh. Our hearts speaking and praying fervently in the Spirit against the wicked forces behind the physical manifestation. Mere disgust and revulsion expressed in physical words are like darts bouncing off the armor of the enemy. However, fervent prayer causes the enemy to tremble and flee.
Words are more powerful when spoken through of the voice of prayer. If we are to speak fervently, let it not be from opinion, but let it be from the moving of the Spirit to break the strongholds of sin in our day. If we are to engage, let us lift up these women continually in prayer.
.-= Brian´s last blog ..Building An Audience =-.
Update: All of the comments have been recovered.
Get to the heart of the issue. The issue is not the tool it is peoples hearts. Shutting down CL personal ads will do nothing in fixing peoples hearts. They will just use other tools: email, phones, closed forums and other sex ad sites. Shutting down a CL personals will only give you warm and fuzzy feelings which will not last long because the heart issues will pop up on another site, email, and phone conversations.
I say take it a step further then boycotting or closing down the ads. Use the current flagging system that is put in place at CL. Deploy 100,000 people to flag illegal posts. In fact take it beyond that call the numbers that are left on the illegal posts and go meet them in person and pray for them and call the authorities. Then after posting illegal posts on CL becomes to hard because all the Christians in action, they will move on to the next site. And when they go to that next website do the same thing all over again. Then you will be attacking the heart issue and not the tool.
This would be the quickest way to solve it. It has the least amount of red tape. You don’t have to deal with the Government or lawyers. This debate has seem to become a battle of wills and not about the issue at hand. Both sides need to share knowledge and come up with a solution. Neither side wants the illegal posts up so the key is coming up with a solution to get rid of the illegal posts that satisfies both sides. But instead it has turned into who is right and a battle of the wills. And mean while nothing is being done. I have talked enough and now I’m off to do my part and flag a few illegal posts on CL.
Anne ~
Your approach is refreshing. Gracious.
It’ll require more effort than the traditional “Christian” standbys … boycotting, protesting, and making a nuisance of ourselves instead of being the “fragrance” of Christ.
Thanks for a helpful perspective.
“Unless something is done to help solve the problem (illegal activity), the people who are breaking the law will find another place to do it. Shutting down the adult service section of Craigslist will just make people use other sites.”
Before it was Craigslist, it was Yahoo Groups. And there are phone “hotlines” devoted to these types of services that have been around since before the internet. So you hit the nail on the head with this point. And this issue hits very close to home (hence the “anonymous” name … I’m not trying to be a coward, I promise). A member of my family used Craigslist and Yahoo Groups and God only knows what else to “do his dastardly deeds” for years. And last fall he began his recovery.
I certainly don’t know what all the answers are in this situation, but I know that boycotting a website won’t help. Life Restoration for these individuals won’t happen until good people get involved in their lives and make a difference.
As it is, I think it just makes Christians uncomfortable so it makes them feel good to say, “I’m not affiliated with THAT website. Because THOSE people are on there.” It makes an easy, black-and-white response out of an issue that involves muddling through the black, when Christians would rather preserve their white. Not exactly the picture of grace Jesus painted, is it?
Anonymous-
I just wanted you to know that the Christians involved in this boycott are doing so simply to raise their voices and bring attention to this matter. And guess what, it’s working! Anne wrote this post, huh? And it’s been in multiple news sources as well as Craig’s very own blog. We are simply looking for a way to join our voices with others to raise an issue that needs to be addressed.
And no – we aren’t avoiding the site b/c we don’t want to be around “those people”. I’m not actually sure who you are meaning. Did you mean the pimps, johns or the women in sexual slavery? Either way, of the boycotters I know (myself included) – we are doing the opposite. There is a group getting ready to go to Moldova and Russia in the fall. There is a group leaving for India to do rescues and recovery with girls/boys from brothels. Most are on a weekly prayer call for the girls involved. I just wrote a 5 day devotional on how to pray through the issues. My boss just finished a novel about a girl caught in sex slavery. We just spoke at a conference with over 1200 people about this issue.
Personally, I have walked 2 friends recently through the recovery process after they found out their husbands had been meeting men or women either in brothels or on CL. I have also walked 2 friends through the process of healing after being sexually abused all of their lives and 1 after being prostituted as a child who still resists the urge to go back to the one thing she was taught she was good at.
So yeah, no, we aren’t just avoiding the issue b/c it’s difficult. Instead, b/c we have seen the pain first hand or have chosen to enter the suffering of others we are standing up for the rights of the oppressed. Proverbs 31:8 commands us to “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.”.
Our end game is that CL makes MAJOR changes (currently, they do not even live up to their own standards as set out in the CL blog by their CEO). We are trying to reach that goal through “speaking up for those who cannot speak for themselves” in the form of blogging, tweeting, Facebooking, boycotting, writing gov’t officials, signing petitions, emailing Craigslist and asking for change, praying fervently, as well as being involved in various organizations that work in the preventions and aftercare side.
I hope that clears up the misguided judgement of who “we” boycotters are. Not really the same group that you are speaking against, huh?
I know this all makes me fairly unpopular – but I can’t help but think that the girls being sold on Craigslist (like Bethany from Rachel Lloyd’s OPEN LETTER to Craiglist) are praying every day as they see night approaching and know they will be forced to have sex that night with multiple men – praying that someone will speak up for them and will come to their rescue.
I don’t want to be so afraid of offending that I refuse to DEFEND the cause of the weak.
Brandi
.-= Brandi´s last blog ..Ok, Ok, Ok – we all know – I’m not normal =-.
Can we also not forget that some sex workers are so not out of necessity, but out of choice. I’m not talking about the single mom trying to meet her bills on her back, but about the sex workers that engage in responsible, protected sex. Most of them get their clients elsewhere (hello, escort services, word of mouth, and specialized websites), so it’s not entirely relevant to CL, but still. Not all sex workers are prostitutes like you see in the movies or read about in the papers. It may not be the way you would like to engage in sex, or see others do, but adults are free to make their own choices.
Now, the young women (and men! let’s not forget the boys!) forced into prostitution, those being bought and sold on CL, yes, please, let’s crack down on that. My personal views on sex are that it must be safe, sane, and consensual (and I want mine in a committed relationship at the very least). Forced prostitution is none of that and a worthy cause to fight.
Whatever your views on sexwork are, boycotting is so not the answer! anne, thanks for bringing this to our attention.
.-= Saskia´s last blog ..two minutes =-.
Anne, LOVE the way the conversations gets everyone’s juices “flowing”…
I completley & totally agree with you.. Making noise makes noise.
If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem – PERIOD!!
Its about time someone speaks up and calls Christ followers to STOP being so critical & judgemental (lets leave that to the One & ONLY – God), and start LOVING (and that does not mean I “agree” with the fact that CL supports & condones prostitution). I agree that the boycotting does make noise…and noise ONLY (UNLESS, whomever initiated the boycott idea has come up with some kind of system that will NOT just stop at boycotting).
.-= Gloria´s last blog ..Monday Morning Trek =-.
With respect, Anne, I disagree.
The Good Morning America segment speaks pretty clearly on Craigslist’s passive position on this. If there is a status quo, it’s not in the faith community taking action (isn’t that the opposite of the status quo?), it’s in a morally-relativistic culture saying that it’ll just happen somewhere else, so why try to stop it?
Even if that is true, should we not still speak out and demand that Craigslist is to be held accountable on some level?
The false dichotomy that seems to be represented here is that a Christian cannot boycott something (again, I believe this to be an active stance, not a passive one) and pray for, love on, or make significant strides towards addressing the deeper issues.
I like the idea that a boycott is not my refusing to engage in something that seems too “dirty” for me to touch, but rather it is a temporary protest so that corrective action can be taken.
I’m not sure if I want to boycott all of Craigslist for this, but I do take issue with the hypothesis that this somehow represents the Christian status quo. Wouldn’t doing nothing be more along those lines? Or worse – getting caught up in a fruitless debate?
For Christians who don’t think prostitution and illegal sex activities are a good thing (I hope that I’m not out on a limb here in my assumptions), they should have the freedom to address those issues in a civil and godly way.
In American politics, certain outspoken evangelicals have sought to legislate morality and done so in a judgmental way. As a result, this seems to have created a hesitancy in Christians (especially millenials) to represent their faith in the public sector at all. This is misguided thinking, in my opinion.
.-= Jeff Goins´s last blog ..Something Great Is Stirring Inside of You =-.
Er… I meant Today show (not Good Morning America). Sorry about that.
.-= Jeff Goins´s last blog ..Something Great Is Stirring Inside of You =-.
Anne, you caused quite a stir. ;)
I love your heart/perspective on the thing.
We had a great guest speaker at our church a couple months ago who talked about Christians in our world. He made the interesting point that a lot of us are living in a country that was founded on revolution, and in a faith that begins with the word “Protest.” We’re practically bred for boycotts and demonstrations and noise-making.
But is it Christlike? Is it Love? Maybe not.
.-= Lex´s last blog ..Jesus’ Leadership Style =-.
How about re-directing instead of boycotting. For instance, in the case of slavery in coffee production and chocolate production, many people choose to buy fair-trade, to support a better side of those industries, rather than boycotting the whole market.
Can we do the same sort of thing with on-line buying and selling. Do a little research to see what companies are really dedicated to conducting good business and support that instead? Even if it’s less popular and you get less exposure. Just like fair-trade chocolate being more expensive and harder to find. It’s worth the trade-off.
I offer this not as a solution, but a small piece of the puzzle, done in addition to some of the other suggestions, like finding ways to support the women in your community who find themselves in a place where they feel they must sell their bodies, and educating Johns etc (a lot of men who buy sex think that the women like it).
Action is good, but actions can sometimes seem small. Take all these little shifts together and you have a movement right? And noise is good too. It isn’t completely useless (although I agree that noise without action is less powerful). The squeeky wheel gets the grease – and it spreads the word to other people who might take action themselves.
I could not agree more Anne. Well said!
This message reminded me of something I wrote on the subject of Kathy Griffin’s “Suck it Jesus” speech last year: http://bit.ly/cuXnMQ
–Terrace Crawford
http://www.terracecrawford.com
http://www.twitter.com/terracecrawford
It seems to me that those of you who think boycotting is not the answer should ACTUALLY READ the comments of those advocating for boycotting because almost all of them are say we shouldn’t JUST boycott we should do much more – that keeps getting glossed over. I know many of those responders personally and KNOW what they are doing.
Anne seems to keep insisting that Craigslist is helping in the fight and trying to solve the problem and the evidence is overwhelming that they are not — I am dumbfounded by the defense of Craigslist in light of their clear disregard. I went on my local Craigslist and in 5 minutes found SEVERAL ads that are supposed to be a “violation” of their policy – and I live in a small town. Sometimes you just can’t defend the indefensible but I guess when you take a stand on something without having done all the research upfront it is a little embarrassing to back down.
It seems like a different kind of approach may have been better here. Perhaps just suggesting courses of action rather than slamming boycotting and those that are advocating for it. I just don’t think it is fair to make sweeping generalizations against those pushing for it.
#boycottcraigslist #notpartofthereligiousright #notdoingnothingelse #soyouarenotboycottingWHATareyoudoing #craigslisthasknowaboutitforalongtime
God provides work and determines the neighborhood I live in.
Through God’s common grace of Craigslist, I took a summer job in the Carter-Riverside neighborhood of Fort Worth.
Through God’s common grace of Craigslist, I was able to find an apartment in a very quiet, family friendly neighborhood for $375 per month.
But then His Spirit broke my heart and I am in love with this city and this specific neighborhood. I honestly yearn with the affection of Christ Jesus for my neighbors. For the record, all of them do not know God—praise be his name because no one is like him.
Then by that same common grace, I found a church plant who had the same heart for the city that I did. My home was in their mission plans.
But yea, we Christians should definitely, without question and blindly boycott Craigslist and other things like Hip-Hop, art, public schools and the like because God can’t take something meant for evil and turn it around for good.
Oh wait…
Genesis 50:20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
If we do not understand something, pray to God to understand it if it be His will. More than that, pray for His glory to be shown.
.-= Joseph Louthan´s last blog ..The End =-.
Joseph, no one said that Christians should blindly boycott Craigslist. In fact, I haven’t read a “hey-if you’re a christian you should boycott Craigslist” post yet. I happen to be a Christian, but that’s not even necessarily why I boycott Craigslist. I do it b/c as a mom I can’t stand the thought of people in power and with authority and ability standing by while little girls are sold for rape on their site.
And for the record, I really like Hip-Hop, my kids attend public school and I have no issues with art. Just sayin’ Read what those in favor of the boycott say before responding.
We are simply against rape and sexually slavery and are asking, with one voice for Craigslist to put a stop to it. We stand alongside many many many non-Christian groups (probably more than christian groups).
As soon as the site isn’t allowing sex for sale, especially that of underage minor for whom it means rape every night – I’ll go back to using Craigslist. I have in the past and I pray that I’ll be able to do so in the future.
I hope that clears up who we are a little more. And if you buy the lie that all we want is a bunch of passive boycotters who never really used CL anyways – read a few more comments. You’ll see that we are asking and doing WAY more than that!
Respectfully,
Brandi
.-= Brandi´s last blog ..Ok, Ok, Ok – we all know – I’m not normal =-.
If my comments last night seemed a bit harsh I apologize – I was grumpy.
Wow! All these comments! I really don’t know what to say. I never put something on the internet for sale and never watch on the internet to buy anything. I didn’t even check on Craigslist. I don’t know what I can add to all these comments?
Although I would like to say: people listen to each other. At the end you all want the same. Don’t judge the people who boycot and don’t tell them to do more. When you say so, say it in the mirror.
By the way I want to say that not only is Jason a sinner the person who wrote him he is a sinner, is also a sinner because we all are. And I also know that Jason is fighting against human trafficking. That is all I want to add about Jason.
I like Anne because I think she is an honest, compassionate person who fights against human traficking too as this guy Vince does, who I like too after reading his comments. Lets not be judgemental but fight this. I can only do it here in my only little country but we can encourage each other right? Look for options what to do against it, I don’t care if it’s boycotting really. All of a sudden this came into mind if this owner of Craigslist has nothing to do with it than who is deciding over de adds? Even if they don’t get your money they obviously get money from these adds. So, if he is honest and says he has nothing to do with it, he and others of CL can decide not to have those adds on CL. Right? Or not? This is just a question because I don’t know anything about CL.
And I thought I had nothing to say?
I find these comments even more fascinating than the original post! Wow.
Sound and solid insight, Anne. Keep sounding the bell of reason within the Body that sound desperately needs it.
ch:
.-= Christopher Hopper´s last blog ..Relative to What? =-.
I watched the Today Show segment again with my wife last night and did some research on where Craigslist generates revenue. Frankly, it has expanded my thinking on this issue and caused me to question my understanding of the situation. Unless it’s doing something highly illegal and lacking in integrity (accepting money from prostitution rings), Craigslist doesn’t see a dime from “adult services” postings on their site. (This is my understanding, at least.)
I do wonder if shutting down the “adult services” section would be worthwhile. (Check it out for your own local city; in my town, it looks like the ads are mostly subtle solicitations for paid sex.) However, I found this blog to be interesting: http://ht.ly/1IfDd
Apparently, this has idea already been discussed ad nauseum, and the belief is that “adult services” would just infiltrate the personals section, which some have even lobbied to remove, as well (apparently sparking the post in the first place).
So, where does this leave me? I don’t know, but maybe you’re right, Anne. Maybe this does make Christians look like haters. It seems to be a tough situation, though: How can a person stand unwaveringly in their personal convictions (e.g. “casual sex is wrong”) without imposing them on others (and still not see culture turn towards moral relativism)?
.-= Jeff Goins´s last blog ..Something Great Is Stirring Inside of You =-.
Actually, CL charges $10/’adult services’ ad, with a $5 fee to renew it once it expires. This is where the $36 Million/year revenue figure comes from, and it equates to about 32% of their income.
Somehow I cannot picture Jesus and the disciples walking around with picket signs, encouraging people to protest Herod and his ill treatment of others.
There were other ways that Jesus confronted sin and large doses involved Grace.
Why not use Craigslist as a ministry tool and when you see the illegal happening, pray for those people and even let them know you are doing so!
(Maybe naive but I don’t use craigslist anyway so…)
.-= Rick Apperson´s last blog ..5 Questions with Andrew Farley =-.
My husband and I have long agreed that boycotting really isn’t useful when it comes to addressing an issue because it either raises people’s ire against the church or focuses attention on the very thing Christians are protesting. I like your pro-active suggestions Ann…much more productive way of addressing the issue.
.-= Kristine McGuire´s last blog ..The Roar of His Voice =-.
Anne,
Awesome blog post. I definitely love the points you made about finding ways to partner with Craigslist and not just condemn them like many Christians try to do in these situations.
P.S.: can’t wait till Wednesday night when you are speaking at Generate!!!
Anne –
I love it! One of my favorite quotes (and it’s the one I’m using on the back of the t-shirts for our human trafficking walk) is by Eleanor Roosevelt:
I’d rather light a candle than curse the darkness.
Do something rather than just yell about it!
Why are some of these things legal? Strip clubs, prostitution, porn sites, alchohol…ect. This country says that in God we trust…uhhhmmm if we trust God so much than why are we not setting the right example? To boycott one website is not the solution! The issue is deeper, where is the goverment in all this, they tap our phones, they strip us down at airports but they allow some of these businesses to operate? If some one owns a strip club they need to pay taxes and get a permit right? Why is this allowed? We are all sinners and people have been given the free will to choose in life and well they will find a way to sin one way or the other. However must we make it so easy???? How do we get the goverment to stand by the words in God we trust? What God are they talking about CASH! I too am sinner and from a sinner’s point I wish they would make it harder on me to sin.
Great article. Let’s make this simple.
How about we focus on what we are for (Jesus Christ) rather than focusing on what we are against (senseless boycotts by legalistic people/organizations that don’t do anything but whine, complain, and gossip)??
I think the thing that makes some of ‘those Christians’ start movements is that God-given, Holy Spirit infused desire for justice that burns in us. Healing for the brokenhearted and setting captives free type stuff. Unfortunately, many don’t take the time to do the research warranted for big issues like this.
In the CNN report “men paid to rape me”, Craig’s List founder, Craig Newmark didn’t appear to 1) care that a girl in her bra and panties was selling herself for $250 an hour on his website 2) that his amazing filter system didn’t catch the add for removal.
Bottom line, if Craig’s List really is pulling in $36 million a year in sex ads alone, they may not care until the bank takes a beating. Can a group of people effect the income of a muti-million dollar corporate giant?
You say that people can only make noise but don’t really accomplish the change they want. Have you ever heard of Invisible Children? They are 3 guys who wanted to make some noise about child war crimes in Uganda. Those 3 guys created a movement that got the issue in front of the media, congress, and ultimately got President Obama to sign in new legislation, the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act.
I guess the point I’m trying to make is that we CAN change the way that Craig’s List ads are used by pimps to sell their ‘product’. Also, it doesn’t seem like the trafficking on Craig’s List bothers you very much. Of the girls you mentioned that sell themselves in front of the cafe, did you ask any of them their names? Where they are from? How old they are? If you ask enough questions, you may think differently.
Link to CNN article and video: http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/08/02/saar.craigslist.child.trafficking/index.html
You insain. “Thank You” for giving money to stop a problem you created a vehicle to transport. Um, I think not. Jesus walked through Damascu, he didn’t stop to buy a beer.