This is true in life.\u00a0 This is true for brands.<\/p>\n
A bit of background.<\/p>\n
For the un-initiated, the Christian theological debate over faith vs. works is a lively one.<\/p>\n The proponents of the latter inevitably look to and cite the book of James, a small book tucked away amidst the Pauline epistles.\u00a0 The author<\/a><\/strong> is thought to be the half-brother of Jesus and some believe was written to counter any misperception from Paul’s preaching that good works aren’t important.\u00a0 (If you’re REALLY interested you can look up “legalism<\/a><\/strong>” and “antinomianism<\/a><\/strong>“.)<\/p>\n Basically, James says that faith without works is a bunch of hooey.\u00a0 To prove his point (and my favorite part of the book) James writes in a prose laced with criticism something to the effect of the following<\/a><\/strong>:<\/p>\n “If someone is poor, hungry and needs clothes for the family and all you do is give them a smiley face, buck them up with some cheap words of encouragement, slap them on the back and say … ‘don’t worry … be happy.”\u00a0 Well if you actually think that by doing that you’re really helping that person you’re an idiot.\u00a0\u00a0 Well ok.\u00a0 You’re either an idiot or a hypocrite.\u00a0 Because your actions always speak louder than your words — words being always cheap and oftentimes wrong (James also has a lot to say about that!).<\/p>\n Want to do something that will really help the poor and the hungry?\u00a0 How about getting up off your fat, lazy ass and giving people something to eat?\u00a0 How about dipping into your pocketbook and buying them some clothers?\u00a0 Stop all the idle, hang-wringing, self-indulgent chit chat.\u00a0 DO SOMETHING!!!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Or something to that effect.\u00a0 Perhaps not that strident but I think I’m directionally correct.<\/p>\n Which leads me to the Washington Redskins<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n Based on the reports in the Washington Pos<\/a>t<\/strong>, among those being sued by the Redskins are unemployed grandmothers, recently laid-off and divorced moms and dads, as well as those who’ve lost their life savings to illness.<\/p>\n So you sue them.<\/p>\n Somebody should tell the Hogettes <\/a><\/strong>that they better keep their day jobs.<\/p>\n Last I knew there was a waiting list for Redskins season tickets.<\/p>\n Times must be really tough.<\/p>\n But not really.<\/p>\n![\"james\"](\"http:\/\/jerrysjuicebar.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/09\/james.jpg\" "\\"james\\"")
Last Sunday I started on a series of email exchanges with friends on things theological.\u00a0 What prompted the online discussion was a close friends’ bridling at the Pontiff’s message to the Kennedy family following Senator Ted Kennedy’s death.\u00a0\u00a0 The discussion took many different twists and turns and involved several people — some you’d recognize — but ended (or last left off at …) in a discussion of faith and works.\u00a0 The closing observations even included the catchy and often derided “WWJD<\/a><\/strong>” or “what would Jesus do” acronym — and this favorably by a theologian of much repute seemingly not given to religious market hoopla.<\/p>\n![\"washington_redskins\"](\"http:\/\/jerrysjuicebar.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/09\/washington_redskins.jpg\" "\\"washington_redskins\\"")
According to reports this week<\/a><\/strong>, the Washington Redskins are suing those season ticket holders who are unemployed, desolate, and out-of-luck or who otherwise, because of recent circumstances, can’t fulfill their contractual multi-year, thousands of dollars season ticket obligations.<\/p>\n