Question from a reader:

Since I’ve read Safely Home, I’ve been looking for your opinion, and the opinion of other ministries like Voice of the Martyrs, on whether or not Americans should buy Chinese-made products.

Answer from Randy Alcorn:

I am really torn on this one. There’s no way to know what products are made through forced labor of religious and political prisoners, though I would guess it would be less than 10 percent. On the one hand, it can be argued that buying products made in China indirectly endorses the government, which violates human rights. On the other hand, buying those products results in financial benefit to Chinese commoners, and further reinforces the benefits of capitalistic enterprise, which ultimately furthers individual freedom in any society. It also causes China to interface with the rest of the world, giving the Chinese government more vested interests to heed our concerns about human rights violations.

Personally, I feel the freedom to buy items from China, though I respect those who choose to do otherwise. I’m open to further guidance, but that’s where I am now.

For more information about this book, see Safely Home.