Death to all Muslims on Amazon

While not hateful, as the above incident, one of the things that deters me from buying from Amazon third-party sellers is that many of these sellers feel free, perhaps compelled, to package “unwanted religious inclusions” with the order.

Case in point: Formerly a bookseller I will not by books at Amazon, but there was this boxed CD set , and so affordable. The CDs arrive and are as advertised, BUT there is also a stack of literature about becoming Mormon featuring a full color postcard of the temple in Salt Lake.

There was no Mormon connection I could see with the CDs (a little know jazz group in Japan) so I can only think this seller sends this stuff out to all customers. Such zealotry would not be acceptable in “regular” business but Amazon from the first fostered a “wild west” or “anything goes” attitude, which seems to have given a green light to a host of behaviors ranging from unwelcome to hateful.

Could it be an aspect of spending all your time alone with a computer, away from the socializing effect of other people?

imho, zealotry and its accompanying blindness has little to do with even extreme computer usage and isolation, so i do not agree with Ed's point, although i sympathize with his reach for insight.

zealots act as if their beliefs give them a right to trample any code of society and conduct they perceive as counter to said beliefs. in Ed's case, he could have been the archbishop of canterbury, and a zealot would still have included religious tracts aimed at conversion.

zealotry is narrow and active, a frightening combination sometimes, especially when ignorance and a punitive attitude are also in play.

may we all strive for open minds, embrace diversity, and keep church and state as separate as possible.