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Ancient Iraqi Artifacts Imported By Hobby Lobby to be Forfeited

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Re: Ancient Iraqi Artifacts Imported By Hobby Lobby to be Forfeited

#51
post #42

Per Hobby Lobby statement: https://newsroom.hobbylobby.com/articles/artifact-import-set... "At no time did Hobby Lobby ever purchase items from dealers in Iraq or from anyone who indicated that they acquired items from that country." lol. Don't ask don't tell, amirite? It's funny to see HL running through the motions defending themselves on this one. Surely nobody there is stupid enough to think that we actually buy…

So in your mind it's just flat-out impossible that the decision-makers here didn't fully grasp the complexities of the arena they were entering into?

The linked article says that the most we know for sure is that "an expert on cultural property law retained by Hobby Lobby" warned the company of some things and the company ignored those things. It doesn't say who heard the warning, who called the final shots, or what their motives were.

Do you know something these we don't? Perhaps you read a source that I didn't here.

Re: Ancient Iraqi Artifacts Imported By Hobby Lobby to be Forfeited

#52
post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> They've (almost certainly) Is that true? More importantly, is there evidence that makes it more likely than not that (1) this is true; and (2) that Hobby Lobby knew about it, or was willfully blind about it? Like, what percentage of unprovenanced antiquities sales are used to support terrorism? It's like saying buying drugs (or diamonds, or products containing certain metals) finances terrorism. Yeah, some does. Bu…

Any percentage above 0 makes it true.

That makes no sense. Say 10% of unprovenanced sales go to funding terrorism. In that case, it's vastly more likely than not that any given sale does not go to fund terrorism. Moreover, you're not willfully blind as to the risk of funding terrorism if you do buy unprovenanced articles, because statistically speaking it's probably not funding terrorism. Willful blindness doesn't just require ignoring a risk, but an unacceptably high risk.

Re: Ancient Iraqi Artifacts Imported By Hobby Lobby to be Forfeited

#53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And perhaps equally infuriating and insulting is this Christian company not taking any responsibility for the theft or funding terrorists. From the BBC articles; >'Hobby Lobby said it "did not fully appreciate the complexities" of the import process when it began' and >'The company imprudently relied on dealers and shippers who, in hindsight, did not understand the correct way to document and ship these items," Hobby…

The 3rd (of the 10) commandments should loom large enough in the Evangelical faith that religion should just never be brought into business. No matter how good the intention at the outset, this seems an entirely predictable (and often repeated) result. I think it's great to be a Christian in business and try to live out your faith, but I think it's trouble to try to be a "Christian business" and use it as part of you…

Yes, according to the Bible, God clearly wants his followers to be closeted.

Re: Ancient Iraqi Artifacts Imported By Hobby Lobby to be Forfeited

#54
post #4

Saw on Twitter that someone called them the "Wahhabi Lobby". But actually, it seems ridiculous to me that this only warranted a $3m settlement. They've (almost certainly) been indirectly funding ISIS by robbing a country of its cultural artifacts. Not cool.

And perhaps equally infuriating and insulting is this Christian company not taking any responsibility for the theft or funding terrorists. From the BBC articles; >'Hobby Lobby said it "did not fully appreciate the complexities" of the import process when it began' and >'The company imprudently relied on dealers and shippers who, in hindsight, did not understand the correct way to document and ship these items," Hobby…

> who said religious beliefs barred them from paying for certain kinds of contraception in their employees health care

And who actually offered that contraception as part of their health care for decades, no problem, until obamacare mandated it, at which point they suddenly realized they had a deep-seated religious conviction against it.

Re: Ancient Iraqi Artifacts Imported By Hobby Lobby to be Forfeited

#55
post #48
post #4

Saw on Twitter that someone called them the "Wahhabi Lobby". But actually, it seems ridiculous to me that this only warranted a $3m settlement. They've (almost certainly) been indirectly funding ISIS by robbing a country of its cultural artifacts. Not cool.

> They've (almost certainly) Is that true? More importantly, is there evidence that makes it more likely than not that (1) this is true; and (2) that Hobby Lobby knew about it, or was willfully blind about it? Like, what percentage of unprovenanced antiquities sales are used to support terrorism? It's like saying buying drugs (or diamonds, or products containing certain metals) finances terrorism. Yeah, some does. Bu…

These are great questions that need to be answered. Nearly all the rest of the comments in this thread are think veiled vitriol for Hobby Lobby and Christianity. I expect more of the HN community.

Thanks for trying to improve the level of discourse here.

Re: Ancient Iraqi Artifacts Imported By Hobby Lobby to be Forfeited

#56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And perhaps equally infuriating and insulting is this Christian company not taking any responsibility for the theft or funding terrorists. From the BBC articles; >'Hobby Lobby said it "did not fully appreciate the complexities" of the import process when it began' and >'The company imprudently relied on dealers and shippers who, in hindsight, did not understand the correct way to document and ship these items," Hobby…

The 3rd (of the 10) commandments should loom large enough in the Evangelical faith that religion should just never be brought into business. No matter how good the intention at the outset, this seems an entirely predictable (and often repeated) result. I think it's great to be a Christian in business and try to live out your faith, but I think it's trouble to try to be a "Christian business" and use it as part of you…

[deleted]

Re: Ancient Iraqi Artifacts Imported By Hobby Lobby to be Forfeited

#57
post #12

Does anyone know what the purpose of the purchase was? Hobby Lobby isn't a place people would go to buy things like this. So, I'm assuming it was something unrelated to their main line of business.

The owners of Hobby Lobby are building a museum of the bible in Washington DC. via http://www.npr.org/2017/07/06/535823149/hobby-lobby-agrees-t...

Well... I don't know what I expected.

Re: Ancient Iraqi Artifacts Imported By Hobby Lobby to be Forfeited

#58

Anyone else reminded of Snow Crash by this?

Honestly no. Which part?

The themes of Snow Crash include anarcho-corporatism, psychological hacking, and virtual reality. Which of those involves ancient artifacts, smuggling, and Christian craft stores?

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