Gifts for the Whole Fundamentalist Family

My wife Linda is a frequent catalog shopper. Therefore it is no surprise that she gets catalogs frequently; catalogs of all shapes, sizes, and creeds. We got an interesting one last week. It came courtesy of The Vision Forum, Inc., founded by Doug Phillips. Pictured to the right is the cover of the catalog.



Inside, it offers a wide variety of products, including many books and some recordings of some the founder's messages:

Some of the products offered for children are also fascinating, not the least for what they imply about the marketers' pretty fixed ideas about appropriate child-rearing and gender roles. Girls' products come in under the heading of "The Beautiful Girlhood Collection". It includes lots of dolls, dresses, craft kits, a tea set. The closest thing to a mechanical toy is some pastel-colored Geomags.

And then, there's the Father-Daughter Purity Locket. A Special Gift of Love and Promise. "It is an especially fitting gift...to symbolize the importance of purity and remaining as a joyful daughter under her father's protection until the time of release to her future husband."



Then comes the All-American Boy's Adventure Catalog! Detective story books! Spy pens! Chemistry sets! Toy weapons! WWII military outfits! The commemorative Iwo Jima Ka-Bar Knife is "not a toy".
And then there's this this little sword and shield set from the "Chivalrous Boyhood" collection. "Boys, Defend Your Sisters!"

I was unable to find their listing for sepia-toned film camera film, with which to photograph your loved ones enjoying these gifts.

You can check out the online version here, but I think looking at the print version of the catalog would be more faithful to the intent of the founding fathers.