Hi Tim! Bah Humbug?

Hi Tim,

How's it going?

I got your e-mail today advising me "Don't be fooled. PetSmart is playing games."  According to your e-mail, PetSmart had sent an e-mail shortly after you announced your boycott of the chain.  They used the word "Christmas" in the e-mail, but all the links that were included in the e-mail...ah, I'll just quote you here, because it's much easier than typing it all out.  Hope you don't mind.

Consider this:
- The email was launched within hours of the boycott and only to those who subscribe to their emails.- The email had the word "Christmas" in it, but the links all went to webpages that are exclusively "holiday." Christmas appears nowhere else but in that email!- PetSmart still does not acknowledge "Christmas" in any other corporate advertising.- If PetSmart is really sincere, they will reach out to AFA for an honest discussion about how to end the boycott. We've reached out to them numerous times.


You and I have communicated about PetSmart a couple of times now, and it seems like you are giving them a lot of attention.  You know what my mother used to say about people who bothered me?  "Just ignore them."  You seem to be pointing them out a lot, and kinda giving them free advertising.  So much so, that my atheist husband is thinking about shopping there, and as I mentioned before, he rarely shops there.  He cracks me up.  He's kinda militant.  I know that you and he would butt heads, but he's super-nice.  Everybody likes him.  He's probably the nicest person that I've ever met.  So I don't mind his religious beliefs.  And he's ok with my being a Christian.  It's awesome to be able to respect your spouse's beliefs, no matter if they are the polar opposite of your own.

One thing that puzzled me, though, was the use of your phrase "Bah Humbug."  We all know that "Bah Humbug" comes from Dickens' "A Christmas Carol."  This story is almost completely secular, so I was a bit surprise that you opted that phrase.  And Dickens, while being an Anglican for his whole life, did have a problem with evangelicalism, from which the Pilgrim faith was formed, and in turn, the foundation of religious freedom in our country.  But that kinda thing takes a lot of research.  You may have wanted to get the word out about PetSmart as soon as possible, and didn't have the time.

At any rate, I hope all works our well with you and PetSmart.  I don't think that they have you singled out.  So take my mom's advice.  Just ignore them.

Take it easy, Tim.

Yours in Christ,

Jason