I just found out (yes, I'm late on the news), that EBay is allowing the sale of Catholic Eucharist. They will not ban the sale of Them, saying they, as a company, cannot ban items based on it selectively offending one group.
Now, I know my readers are all different religions, but I hope you share my outrage at these for these reasons:
- Catholics believe in transubstantiation, which means the Host becomes the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ
- Catholics believe it is wrong to bring Eucharist out of the Church. Members are not even allowed to bring It back to the pew with them.
- Its sale (in this case) is being used as a way to profit off Pope John Paul II's death--which means these sellers are trying to sell these Hosts as memorabilia of the holder of the highest position in the Church. Its sale, however, makes a mockery of that same position and of anyone in the religion, as it is the Body and Blood of Jesus--a higher authority than the Pope.
- Catholics believe it is the closest one can get to Jesus, and it is the whole purpose around the Catholic Mass
- The Eucharist is cared for dearly within the Church and can never be disposed of (in the literal way)
- If the Eucharist means so much to Catholics, and it is not being banned from EBay's selling list, it is a slap in the face for their religion.
- Ebay bans Nazi items (and rightfully so), as well as the sale of items taken from Ground Zero (again, rightfully so). These items especially offend specific groups of people. (Although I'm sure most sane people would be offended by their sale, it would offend specific groups of people even more) So, Ebay has banned items from being offensive before.
There is a petition to ask Ebay to permanently ban the sale of the Eucharist. I am urging you to sign it if you are bothered by this at all. I know that according to laws of commerce, and even the basic way capitalism works, they are not required to remove it, but it is the right thing for them to do morally and PR-wise as well.
