Eden Foods: The Hobby Lobby of Organic Food

[TheLurkingFrumper]

These damn cheap ass CEO's are really starting to piss me off. Seriously they bitch and moan about paying for birth control, but not a stickin peep for paying for Viagra. News flash Viagra is a lifestyle drug as well.

Yes, that's probably why Eden Foods, on page 10 of the legal brief they filed, referred to Viagra and similar drugs as "lifestyle drugs" and wants exemption from covering them as well. Before the mandate, Eden did not cover Viagra either.

Just sayin'. I mean, snark away, but at least bother to get the facts.

[alba]

Huh. I didn't know endometriosis and PCOS were lifestyle choices :roll:

I'm not saying it's OK to judge women for wanting to have sex without getting pregnant, because it isn't, but it pisses me off when the assumption is that anyone using hormonal birth control is doing it for that reason, because it fails to acknowledge that there are genuine medical reasons for using birth control.

[Salamander]

Managing conditions like endo and PCOS with hormonal birth control can also help preserve a woman's fertility so she can conceive later in life. But it's never been about the actual babbys for these people; it's always been about controlling women's reproductive choices.

[formergothardite]

It is a complete lie that the morning after pill causes an abortion. You would think the whole not lying thing in the bible would keep fundies from using this, but no, they would rather lie so they can control the lives and bodies of women.

[apple1]

It is a complete lie that the morning after pill causes an abortion. You would think the whole not lying thing in the bible would keep fundies from using this, but no, they would rather lie so they can control the lives and bodies of women.

(Yes, I think this started with outright lies). However, a lot of the "rank and file" who pass on the crap on FB I think really do believe that the morning after pill causes abortion. Some of these are the same people who think that the ordinary BC pill is immoral because it "can cause a fertilized egg to fail to implant" (also incorrect). There is a whole group of people who just believe what they have been told, and do not check things out for themselves.

[MamaJunebug]

There is an organic brand called "Ezekiel (verse something)" that slaps bible verses on it's boxes. Sad, but hippies and some fundies really do intersect in the whole "organic, natural food/living" movement, so you can't assume that just because you get it at a co-op or Whole Foods that you are not lining dominionist pockets. :angry-banghead:

Whoa, AreteJo/Nelly!!!

TTBOMK foodforlife.com is not dominionistic. They do "slap" Bible verses on their products but said products are also certified Kosher, so there's that. And yes, I know that bunches of fundies think they're keeping Kosher, but consider that the Pareve symbol appears on about every processed food out there, and has done for at least the past 30 years (when I first noticed and asked a Jewish friend what it was about).

The Ezekiel and Genesis passages that name some of the bread products are logical, since they're basically recipes for what grains, etc., to use together.

Moreover, that Ezekial Sesame Seed bread is .... hoo boy. You toast a slice of that, top with butter or whatever acceptable spread you like, and you've had lunch. (This is making me wonder why I don't have any ... oh, yeah, my recent discover of The Best Bakery Ever in the next town over!)

http://www.foodforlife.com My former gyn swears (not really) by them, and he's a cancer survivor and natural-foods guy from way back. Until I can find some documentation that they're Friends Of Rushdoonys/Sprouls/Servens/Zeses/Niednagels/Thomases/Phillipses, I'm not saying they are.

[TheLurkingFrumper]

Huh. I didn't know endometriosis and PCOS were lifestyle choices :roll:

I'm not saying it's OK to judge women for wanting to have sex without getting pregnant, because it isn't, but it pisses me off when the assumption is that anyone using hormonal birth control is doing it for that reason, because it fails to acknowledge that there are genuine medical reasons for using birth control.

It's been said, pointed out, noted, and discussed like 80-bajillion time on this forum alone that when birth control is used to treat endometriosis, PCOS, acne, and any other medical condition (besides actually controlling birth) it is covered even on exempt plans. :angry-banghead: Which means the assumption is not that "that anyone using hormonal birth control is doing it for that reason." I don't see how you expect to fight things like this if you don't bother to inform yourself about what these exemption means so you can actually talk about them intelligently.

We're not fundies; we don't have to ignore facts in order to get our snark on.

[formergothardite]

Well the fact is is that they are using lies(birth control=abortion, morning after pill=abortion) to deny medical coverage. They need to be publically humilitated for using lies and refusing to believe science.

[GeoBQn]

I went on the pill for PCOS, and I hate the idea some people would have that I'm using the pill for a "good" reason when there should be absolutely no stigma in using birth control as birth control. When I first went on it, I was 17 and my parents' insurance didn't cover it. Then my dad came home one day saying, "Good news! Our insurance will cover your pills! We just have to send them a letter from your doctor saying that you aren't using it for birth control!" I wasn't happy--I was mad that my insurance company still wasn't covering medication if someone was using it for its intended purpose.

[Arete]

Whoa, AreteJo/Nelly!!!

TTBOMK foodforlife.com is not dominionistic. They do "slap" Bible verses on their products but said products are also certified Kosher, so there's that. And yes, I know that bunches of fundies think they're keeping Kosher, but consider that the Pareve symbol appears on about every processed food out there, and has done for at least the past 30 years (when I first noticed and asked a Jewish friend what it was about).

The Ezekiel and Genesis passages that name some of the bread products are logical, since they're basically recipes for what grains, etc., to use together.

Moreover, that Ezekial Sesame Seed bread is .... hoo boy. You toast a slice of that, top with butter or whatever acceptable spread you like, and you've had lunch. (This is making me wonder why I don't have any ... oh, yeah, my recent discover of The Best Bakery Ever in the next town over!)

http://www.foodforlife.com My former gyn swears (not really) by them, and he's a cancer survivor and natural-foods guy from way back. Until I can find some documentation that they're Friends Of Rushdoonys/Sprouls/Servens/Zeses/Niednagels/Thomases/Phillipses, I'm not saying they are.

I stand chastised on the domionist accusation, MJB. You're right, they do not have any verifiable links to those crazies, and without a verifiable link I should not throw out that accusation.

However, I am still very leery of this brand. The references to "Holy Scripture" when refering to the verses on the packages rings all sorts of alarm bells language wise for me. As do the references to them being kosher. Once again, a possible warning bell. Most bread and pasta products in the US carry at least a triangle K, if not the U in the circle that makes them acceptable to modern Orthodox Jews. Almost none of them specifically point this out in their electronic and print advertising.

It might be the paranoid "papist" (actually orthodox) in me, but they do sound like they have fundementalist evangelical leanings. Which I realizes is not one in the same with dominionism, so I will retract the dominionist accusation. I still prefer not to give my dollars to evangelical enterprises, and this company gives off that wiff in the packaging and advertising.

The sesame bread does sound delicious. :(

[MamaJunebug]

Thanks for taking my post in the spirit it was intended, AreteJo, I'm going to do my best to find out who owns Food For Life and see if indeed they do have any shady leanings. Gosh, I hope not!!!!

[alba]

It's been said, pointed out, noted, and discussed like 80-bajillion time on this forum alone that when birth control is used to treat endometriosis, PCOS, acne, and any other medical condition (besides actually controlling birth) it is covered even on exempt plans. :angry-banghead: Which means the assumption is not that "that anyone using hormonal birth control is doing it for that reason." I don't see how you expect to fight things like this if you don't bother to inform yourself about what these exemption means so you can actually talk about them intelligently.

We're not fundies; we don't have to ignore facts in order to get our snark on.

Hey, sorry, I'm not trying to ignore the facts, but maybe I'm not quite up-to-date (I've not been around here much recently) as I read an article a while ago about people struggling to get insurance to cover BC for medical conditions, and it really stuck in my head. Perhaps it's changed, or that was an isolated incident, but I've honestly never seen anything that says it is covered. Ever. Everything I have read about American birth control coverage (it's totally different here, as we have a single-payer healthcare system) suggests that women with medical conditions have as much difficulty getting it covered as women without.

So I was ignorant. Thank you for alleviating the ignorance.

[Janes Heir]

Does anyone know what denomination the owners' belong to? Also curious if anyone knows about the owners of Ezekiel Bread or Manna Bread. (Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought most Evangelical Fundies weren't all that health-conscious, so it makes me wonder if they're Seventh-day Adventist.)

[infooverload]

Yes, that's probably why Eden Foods, on page 10 of the legal brief they filed, referred to Viagra and similar drugs as "lifestyle drugs" and wants exemption from covering them as well. Before the mandate, Eden did not cover Viagra either.

Just sayin'. I mean, snark away, but at least bother to get the facts.

I'll admit I didn't read the whole brief and was just irritated in general when I made this comment. I personally think we are entering a precarious place when an business can try to opt out of covering drugs due to personal beliefs. After all what will they try to deny next. Lets say they notice employee X has a high BMI and also has diabetes. Are they going to say oh we regret to inform you we are not covering treatment for your diabetes, because of your lack to control your weight.

[MyName]

Because insurance now covers birth control, I believe these companies are trying to get out of providing insurance at ALL, thus that would be a big money saver for the company. Correct me if I'm wrong though, I have admittedly not read the entire Eden document.

[GeoBQn]

Eden owner Michael Potter makes revealing statements about why he doesn't want to cover birth control for his employees.

“I’ve got more interest in good quality long underwear than I have in birth control pills,†[Potter] said to me. . . . asked why he said he didn’t care about birth control, since he filed a suit about it and all.

“Because I’m a man, number one and it’s really none of my business what women do,†Potter said. So, then, why bother suing? “Because I don’t care if the federal government is telling me to buy my employees Jack Daniel’s or birth control. What gives them the right to tell me that I have to do that? That’s my issue, that’s what I object to, and that’s the beginning and end of the story.†He added, “I’m not trying to get birth control out of Rite Aid or Wal-Mart, but don’t tell me I gotta pay for it.â€

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/0 ... h-control/

[Peppercorn]

Quite the intellectual, isn't he? Does he stomp his feet when he argle-bargles?

[Seal]

Thanks for sharing... putting them on my "naughty list". I have always detested Hobby Lobby and could never quite put my finger on in until I heard of their business practices and the insurance issues. I call them "Hate Lobby" now.

[formergothardite]

So all that stuff about it being a lifestyle drug and killing a person was just a lie? He just doesn't want The Man telling him what to do?

[MissA]

Eden owner Michael Potter makes revealing statements about why he doesn't want to cover birth control for his employees.

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/0 ... h-control/

Hey, I've got a great idea! Instead of paying our employees that cash which they can use to buy naughty things like Jack Daniels or birth control, let's pay them with company scrip which they can use at our company store! Or better yet, let's just NOT pay them and we'll simply give them all the things they need to live like clothing or housing. Neither of those are a system which can be abused at all!

End sarcasm. But come on, that has to be the most bullshit argument ever. Insurance is part of our compensation. And some of our compensation undoubtedly goes to things our bosses wouldn't care for. So our bosses must go put on their big girl panties and deal.

[PennySycamore]

Moreover, that Ezekial Sesame Seed bread is .... hoo boy. You toast a slice of that, top with butter or whatever acceptable spread you like, and you've had lunch. (This is making me wonder why I don't have any ... oh, yeah, my recent discover of The Best Bakery Ever in the next town over!)

I love their whole grain sprouted English muffins. I'll bet their sprouted bread would be good. as well, and that Sesame Seed sprouted bread sounds out of this world! Their English muffins are the only ones that can compete, IMO, with Thomas's. In fact, I think they're better.

[Black Aliss]

For more info (about Eden foods and other fundie-granola companies, not about cooking kidney beans in a crockpot) links to the story on Pandagon:

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/04/11/u ... t-nutters/

and Salon:

http://www.salon.com/2013/04/11/organic ... ng_agenda/

[BabyFullOfSin]

I didn't think we had Eden Foods in Canada but I was in line behind someone buying a can of their beans on the weekend - really wanted to ask the woman if she knew about their business practices but didn't want to horrify my husband :)

[Beammeup]

Managing conditions like endo and PCOS with hormonal birth control can also help preserve a woman's fertility so she can conceive later in life. But it's never been about the actual babbys for these people; it's always been about controlling women's reproductive choices.

My fertility was saved by bcp. I have PCOS and had cysts galore. Never ovulated. 1 year rest, and baby. But women only use BCP if they are sluts. Nice married women don't use it. That's one if the reasons I hate the whole use an aspirin shit. Umm... A lot of husbands would get pissed.

[alba]

Eden owner Michael Potter makes revealing statements about why he doesn't want to cover birth control for his employees.

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/0 ... h-control/

Yay, male privilege :roll:

I can't get over what a sexist jerk this guy is.