Mixing commerce with that old- or new-time religion isn't exactly revelation, if you'll pardon the expression, but the Christian Coalition – hunting new ways to raise money in an economic downturn – has hit the Net running, urging its members to shop in cyberspace.
The group has joined a program called SharingCertificates.com, selling gift certificates redeemable at a variety of stores and businesses, with a share of the proceeds going to the group, the Associated Press reported.
"We realize there are many of you who would like to help, but do not have the resources to send a gift monthly," Christian Coalition president Roberta Combs wrote in an e-mail fishing for signups. "We all shop, go to restaurants, stay at hotels, etc. The SharingCertificates program was developed to enable us to support God's work at no cost to you."
Combs also told the Associated Press the group took a cue from Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, who's raised over $5 million in cyberspace for his Democratic presidential nomination campaign this year
She compares e-commerce to mall shopping. "I think people are starting to be more creative in their fund raising through affinity programs, through the Internet, through different programs that people are offering them," Combs told the AP, adding she's seen a drop in fund raising in the economic downturn "but could not quantify it."
