Jesus Walks into an Apple Store

An interesting discovery was made recently in rural China: an Apple Store. The discovery was made by a blogger who had no idea that there was an Apple Store there. This happens a lot. I recently learned that there is an apothecary in the Pike Place Market. But this discovery was unique: as things go, not even Apple knew that this particular Apple Store existed.

Obviously, the store was a fake. Modeled after real stores, a perfunctory look at the store would absolutely make you think you were looking at an actual Apple Store. However, a closer examination would quickly reveal the fraudulent nature: poor paint and shoddy construction, two of the many, many things Apple CEO Steve Jobs will simply not tolerate.

The article that I read was first published yesterday, so there is no news as to what Apple is doing. This being said, one thing I know: you do not want to make Steve Jobs angry. I'm sure whoever is behind this will live to regret it, unless Steve Jobs decides to take his or her life. While this seems extreme, from everything I know about Jobs, the orator of this faux-seller will probably wish this were his fate.

Always I like to ask myself, "What is the takeaway from this?" If we look at it, nearly everything is on some level didactic. Whether we learn positively or negatively (that is, good example or bad example), we can generally glean some lesson. And as a Christian, I think that lesson is quite often centered very clearly on Jesus.

We see these people in China, who probably know very little about Apple. They see the words “Apple Store” and don't notice little inaccuracies*. They buy products that are probably stolen goods, run-of-the-mill (at best) knockoffs, or slipshod refurbishes. As far as they know, this is Apple. They've know nothing about Apple. They haven't taken any real time. They just know it's a Western status symbol, in a culture desperate to break away from many of their traditions. To further complicate things, the employees do not know that this is not a real Apple Store. They legitimately think that they work for Apple. They believe the products that they are selling to be top quality products produced by Apple.

We live in a culture in which Christianity carries a certain value-based connotation - I don't drink or smoke or chew, and I don't go with girls who do. I don't say any of the following words, and I vote straight ticket Republican, even when that clearly goes against the Bible. And some people have figured this out. They then use Christianity as a means of attaining various things, whether that be money or power or any of a seemingly endless list of things (1 Timothy 6:4b-5**). Labeling oneself as a Christian can assist in your election campaign (as long as you are in the right part of the country - this doesn't work in Seattle). You can trick people into giving you money. You can advance in a company. The possibilities are endless. For a perfect example, see this article in The Atlantic about Christianity, the prosperity “gospel,” and the financial crisis.

The Bible tells us about Jesus. As we learn what he is like, it becomes easier to know what is not like him. When people try to attach Christ to their cause, we should compare the cause to the real Jesus Christ and his character and evaluate accordingly. But until we learn about Christ, we're just pedaling a knock-off gospel (Galatians 1:6-8***).

*A photo of a far more obvious knockoff was also published in the article, lacking the Apple logo but featuring the text “Apple Stoer” beneath Chinese characters.
**He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. (1 Timothy 6:4b-5)
***I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:6-8) For more, see 2 Corinthians 11.

An interesting discovery was made recently in rural China: an Apple Store. The discovery was made by a blogger who had no idea that there was an Apple Store there. This happens a lot. I recently learned that there is an apothecary in the Pike Place Market. But this discovery was unique: as things go, not even Apple knew that this particular Apple Store existed.

Obviously, the store was a fake. Modeled after real stores, a perfunctory look at the store would absolutely make you think you were looking at an actual Apple Store. However, a closer examination would quickly reveal the fraudulent nature: poor paint and shoddy construction, two of the many, many things Apple CEO Steve Jobs will simply not tolerate.

The article that I read was first published yesterday, so there is no news as to what Apple is doing. This being said, one thing I know: you do not want to make Steve Jobs angry. I'm sure whoever is behind this will live to regret it, unless Steve Jobs decides to take his or her life. While this seems extreme, from everything I know about Jobs, the orator of this faux-seller will probably wish this were his fate.

Always I like to ask myself, "What is the takeaway from this?" If we look at it, nearly everything is on some level didactic. Whether we learn positively or negatively (that is, good example or bad example), we can generally glean some lesson. And as a Christian, I think that lesson is quite often centered very clearly on Jesus.

We see these people in China, who probably know very little about Apple. They see the words “Apple Store” and don't notice little inaccuracies*. They buy products that are probably stolen goods, run-of-the-mill (at best) knockoffs, or slipshod refurbishes. As far as they know, this is Apple. They've know nothing about Apple. They haven't taken any real time. They just know it's a Western status symbol, in a culture desperate to break away from many of their traditions. To further complicate things, the employees do not know that this is not a real Apple Store. They legitimately think that they work for Apple. They believe the products that they are selling to be top quality products produced by Apple.

We live in a culture in which Christianity carries a certain value-based connotation - I don't drink or smoke or chew, and I don't go with girls who do. I don't say any of the following words, and I vote straight ticket Republican, even when that clearly goes against the Bible. And some people have figured this out. They then use Christianity as a means of attaining various things, whether that be money or power or any of a seemingly endless list of things (1 Timothy 6:4b-5**). Labeling oneself as a Christian can assist in your election campaign (as long as you are in the right part of the country - this doesn't work in Seattle). You can trick people into giving you money. You can advance in a company. The possibilities are endless. For a perfect example, see this article in The Atlantic about Christianity, the prosperity “gospel,” and the financial crisis.

The Bible tells us about Jesus. As we learn what he is like, it becomes easier to know what is not like him. When people try to attach Christ to their cause, we should compare the cause to the real Jesus Christ and his character and evaluate accordingly. But until we learn about Christ, we're just pedaling a knock-off gospel (Galatians 1:6-8***).

*A photo of a far more obvious knockoff was also published in the article, lacking the Apple logo but featuring the text “Apple Stoer” beneath Chinese characters.
**He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. (1 Timothy 6:4b-5)
***I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:6-8) For more, see 2 Corinthians 11.

Jesus Walks into an Apple Store