by Rissa Watkins

Created on: February 16, 2008

In Singapore retailers pulled a line of cosmetics whose tagline "looking good for Jesus" offended Christians. With products promising to "Redeem your reputation and more," the product line included a "virtuous vanilla"-flavored lip balm and a "Get Tight with Christ" hand and body cream, as reported by The Straits Times. Since before Jesus threw the money changers and other vendors out of the temple people have been using religion to hawk their wares. How is using Jesus to sell cosmetics any different?

Christians believe angels are the divine messengers of God. Yet angels have been used to sell everything from a baseball team to underwear. Victoria's Secret advertises that you can "give your favorite angel a little piece of heaven" by buying their Dream Angels Heavenly. Who knew Heaven costs the clearance price of $13.99 plus shipping. How is the "looking good for Jesus" line any different than having scantily clad underwear models dressed as angels selling Heaven?

Remember the WWJD bracelets of the 90s? "What would Jesus Do" started out as a reminder to live your life in a way that Jesus would. So what exactly would Jesus do? He would serve God. He would love, help, accept and teach others, according to whatwouldjesusdo.org. This simple idea spawned bracelets, books and t-shirts. Retailers lined up to get a piece of the action. Wouldn't all those that purchased "What would Jesus Do" bracelets and t-shirt want to have the cosmetics that help keep you "looking good for Jesus"?

According to Dictionary.com, sin is a "willful or deliberate violation of some religious or moral principle or any reprehensible or regrettable action." The Bible tells us that there is a dire penalty for sin and that is death. Death means eternal separation from God not just on this earth, but in the life after our physical bodies die. But don't worry you can buy bar soap that can wash away your sins at evolvefish.com. Don't have enough sin? You can buy it at Sin in a box. Buying sin seems a much worse offense than trying to look good for Jesus.

There is a local bar here in Phoenix called The Monastery. A monastery is supposed to be a place occupied by persons living under seclusion under religious vows. The closest thing to religion in this place is when a guy prays he won't strike out. The bar has outdoor volleyball, food and drinks. It is a fun place to go with great burgers. What better place to go when you are looking good for Jesus but a monastery?

Religion has been used as an excuse to kill people as in the Crusades. It has been used to line the pockets of immoral televangelists. It has been used to discriminate against others. Why has the public created such an outcry over these cosmetics that help you look good for Jesus? Is this cosmetics line any worse than the many others out there using God for their own gain? I guess you need to look to your own moral compass when you decide whether or not to support these companies or protest them. After all, what would Jesus buy?

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