Whosoever Believeth In Him Should Not Perish, But Be Forever 21

In my book, Jesus will always be Forever 21:

Forever 21, a popular chain of cheap-chic clothes with stores throughout New York, is literally spreading the Gospel with every sale. When customers leave the shopping emporium with bags full of red cocktail dresses and panties emblazoned with phrases like “Y is for Yummy,” few realize that they are also walking away with a bit of religion.

The owners of the company are devout Christians who print in small type on the bottom of the company’s iconic yellow shopping bags the words: “John 3:16.”

One of the most frequently referenced passages of the Bible, John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

New Yorkers differed about the message’s significance:

Shoppers interviewed this week said that they had no idea about the John 3:16 on the bottom of their shopping bags.

“Jesus wore clothes,” a 22-year-old from Brooklyn, Jason Schultz, said when informed about the phrase on his bag. He said it didn’t bother him that the company wanted to spread a religious message.

Not so for the rock guitarist Dani Neff, who was out shopping for a black sparkly halter-top to go with a pair of red high-heeled shoes.

“That’s so freaky,” she said. “It kind of annoys me that I’m carrying this around without even knowing it.”

But the discreet placement — and the religious content — of the phrase could be a smart advertising move, according to Pamela Klein at Parsons The New School for Design.

“Religion is hot — it’s in the air. Madonna has a crucifixion in her current show and it’s cool to be interested in God these days,” Ms. Klein said.

Has there already been a Sunday Styles article about how religion is hot? Freelancers, sharpen your pencils!