Money Talks

“Money talks,” Brother Louie said, “put your money on the counter, son.” Brother Louie was the monk who ran the bookstore at Holy Cross Abbey where I attended high school decades ago. But I can still see and hear him telling us that when we’d ask to buy something. We might all benefit today from these words of wisdom spoken by this humble Benedictine monk.

The Context

Our present culture shows increasing animas toward religion and especially the Catholic faith. In a previous article, I presented some statistics showing how this has played out in attacks on churches and pregnancy assistance centers. And don’t think for a second that we’ve seen the end of this.

In addition to the pro-aborts, other special interest groups demand “tolerance” of them and their ideologies. Readers can think of any number of such groups–starting with LGTBQIA2S. That’s the ever-expanding acronym for people who self-identify with respect to their God-given sexuality.

What have we learned about this notion of “tolerance”? Properly translated, it really means they want our acceptance and celebration of whatever they’re doing. It doesn’t matter, for them, that what they espouse runs afoul of natural law and divine law. They claim that they can have their “truth” and we can have our “truth,” Yet, we must embrace and support their “truth,” even though it’s not the Truth. It’s a one-way type of tolerance. 

Money Talks – Ask Anheuser-Busch and Target

Recent efforts by large corporations to force false “truths” on us include Budweiser’s Bud Light promotion with a trans rights activist and actor. In that case, after the company’s huge marketing misstep, disgruntled consumers showed how their money talks in a boycott of the brand. Budweiser reported a one-month, 23% drop in year-over-year sales from this boycott. Now, Modelo Especial has overcome Bud Light for first place; Anheuser-Busch has lost over $20 billion in market value. Money talks.

Target, in anticipation of June (“pride month”), rolled out its new collection of LGBT clothing for kids–I repeat, for kids.  Concerned consumers took notice. In a week’s time, the value of its stock declined by about $10 billion. Money talks.

Whose Money Talks to the LA Dodgers?

The Los Angeles Dodgers announced in May that they’d invited a group of drag queens whose schtick includes mocking Catholic nuns, the Catholic faith and Jesus. After feedback from the concerned faithful, the Dodgers disinvited the drag queens. But, then after pushback from special interest groups, the drag queens are now back on the agenda for June 16th. This group that’s being honored is bigoted toward Catholics, our religious sisters and nuns. Their act is blasphemous.

Unfortunately, from what I’ve seen the Los Angeles Archdiocese has not taken a really strong, proactive approach in all of this. Fortunately, Bp. Strickland will come from Texas and will lead a prayerful procession during the game.  Some other bishops have spoken out about this (not many, but a few). As well, a few MLB players have taken a stand against it. This is all well and good, but we, the church militant, need to do more. It’s up to the laity to make a difference here–and our money talks.

Money Talks: Boycott the Dodgers

We’ve seen what a difference changes in consumers’ buying patterns can make in the Bud and Target cases. This is a call to action to all people of faith to boycott the Dodgers, their farm teams and all related merchandise. Let them know that you don’t appreciate them blaspheming Jesus and mocking our faith and nuns. Money talks.

Don’t attend any Dodgers games for the rest of this year. Don’t attend their farm teams’ games for the rest of this year. If your local MLB team has home games scheduled where the Dodgers will be playing, boycott those games.  Beyond the June 16-18 series with San Francisco, for example, they’ll be playing in Denver at the end of June. Don’t go. It’s that simple.

ESG Scores and “Values Alignment”

The main reason we’re seeing so many large corporations adopting stances that fly in the face of natural law and Christian morality is that money talks. For one thing, over the last few decades, corporations have reported on environmental, social and governance policies (ESG). These scores, which seem to continue increasing in importance,  attempt to quantify how well companies are doing in the three areas they cover.

Many large investors, such as mutual funds, wield a lot of influence here and invest in companies whose values align with theirs. One, with about a trillion dollars under management, seems very LGBTQ-friendly based on its materials. Do you think that the woke management of funds like these might want to influence the social policies of corporations in which they invest? And do you think they might have some clout in doing so? Their money talks. But so does ours.

Micro Economics

Business value generally is a function of income stream. Unless a business sells and collects for its goods or services, it has no value. Lower sales mean a lower income stream, which translates to reduced value. The enemy of human nature is turning up the heat in this battle. Are we willing to take a stand on key issues and make our voices heard?

Brother Louie was right–money talks. Our buying patterns can make a difference. Of course, we’re all free to choose to relax, watch the games, have a beer and go shopping, assuming all is well–nothing to see here. That’s a typical approach of the “sheeple” (as my friend Mike refers to them). But we’re not sheeple, we’re sons and daughters of God, members of Christ’s Mystical Body.

It’s A Spiritual Battle Demanding Both Prayer and Action

Recognize that this is a spiritual battle in which we’re engaged. St. Paul tells us,

For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (Eph 6:12).

So, first of all, we need to live out our Catholic Christian values, imitating Christ in all that we do. Walk the talk. Be charitable. That includes loving all, regardless of their political or ideological leanings. Loving them is the act of willing for their good. Pray for the conversion of hearts of all those souls who are far away from God, including our enemies and persecutors. Pray, as well, for those believers who simply don’t get it or don’t care. But keep in mind that God put each of us here in this time and place for a reason. He’s given us virtues, gifts and charisms, with the varying material resources and means we have for a reason.

As good stewards, we’re called to use all that He’s given us for His Greater Glory, the salvation of our souls and the souls of others. That means we must not only work on our own sanctification, we must pray and we have to take appropriate action. Boycott those businesses who egregiously mock our Lord and Savior. Be steadfast in your faith. There are many of us who, individually and collectively, will make a difference.

He said, ‘Fear not, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ Then Elisha prayed, and said, ‘O Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes that he may see.’ So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha (2 Kings 6:16-17).