Dear Church: Let's talk about Fast Fashion
I recently received a message that I want to address publicly. The topic was on exploitation in fashion manufacturing. (see more on this topic under highlight Fashion) The message read: "How do you address the argument of [Well then we shouldn't use Apple products, buy that couch, etc then either, where does it end?] My pastor made this argument to me and I didn't know how to argue it back... but he presented it back like a slippery slope of the attempt to be holistic in all things as if it's impossible."
This is a topic we should talk about no matter your spiritual/religious beliefs but right now, I specifically want to address the church.
The Prophet Isaiah received a vision of God — of his great power, his glorious majesty, and his purifying holiness. A recurring charge throughout the book of Isaiah is that the leaders were unfaithful to God’s covenant because they pursued wealth and status at the expense of the poor. As the people of God, they were called to be different from the surrounding and competing cultures. The exploitation of the poor for the advancement of the social elite was a breach of God’s covenant claims on his people to be his people. This pattern can be seen earlier in Israel’s history in the reign of King Ahab through his foreign wife, Jezebel, who stole the vineyard of a farmer named Naboth after having him murdered. The prophet Elijah was incensed, stating, “The dogs shall eat Jezebel within the bounds of Jezreel!” (1 Kings 21:23). As Isaiah saw that pattern continuing in Judah, he prescribed the antidote to this selfish ambition at the expense of the poor and the marginalized: true kingship will come when “with righteousness [Yeshua] will judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth” (Is. 11:4). While Isaiah zeroed in on the sins of God’s people in Judah, he included God’s judgment on the nations: “This is the plan that is planned concerning the whole earth; and this is the hand of judgment upon all the nations” (Is. 14:26). Babylon would be brought down (Is. 13:9-11); within three years Moab’s glory would end (Is. 15); Syria would go down (Is. 17:7-8); as would Ethiopia (Is. 18), Egypt (Is. 19:11-13), and Tyre (Is. 23:17). God would bring down Assyria’s king for his arrogant heart and haughty looks (Is. 10:12). “The earth lies polluted under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed laws.… Therefore a curse devours the earth, its inhabitants suffer for their guilt” (Is. 24:5-6).
God’s concern for justice and righteousness leads him today to judge nations, corporations and individuals who defraud and deceive others for personal gain. God will ultimately judge those who gain wealth or preserve their jobs or privileges by exploiting the poor and “the least of these” (Matthew 25). Just as significantly, we see — and engage in — seemingly minor injustices such as unfair compensation, excessive workloads, oppressive contract terms and conditions, ect. in the way we spend our money and our time.
God IS clear that this world is going to get worse. As much as I love the optimism that slavery is going to end, that justice will be served, all the bad guys will pay... this will not happen until the return of Messiah Yeshua. Until then, God calls us to take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness but to expose them. Don’t let Satan deceive you in how he makes the dark look light. (Speaking to myself as well)
It is overwhelming thinking about all the things we purchase that could be produced through exploitation, not only in the fashion industry but at large. I definitely have moments of feeling defeated or exhausted. But does that mean we shouldn’t even try? If we can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em? Then does that mean, we shouldn’t try to feed the poor, stop sex trafficking, or stand up for other injustices? I think not. I love this quote from Arthur Ashe: Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.
I could write so much more. This is just the tip of the iceberg but I’ll leave it at this for now.
*I am not here to point fingers or judge. I am here to educate and give resources to those looking/asking.