Grapes of Galilee, Using Jesus To Sell Wine

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
Oct 2nd 2007 at 11:03AM

Using a cute rabbit or a kangaroo to sell wine is old news. Last week I mentioned wines with Hitler on the label; this week comes news of a wine importer going in a completely opposite direction -- it has Jesus on the label. The Grapes of Galilee is a new Israeli wine label aimed at American Christians. The grapes are grown in the region where Jesus Christ is said to have lived, and they are irrigated with water from the Jordan River, where he was baptized. Wine from Israel is nothing new, but most of the Israeli wine sold in the U.S. has previously been to Jewish consumers. In fact, the Grapes of Galilee wine comes from an existing Israeli winery, only the Jesus-themed label is new. As Ad Age reports, the importer, Pini Haroz, sees the chardonnay, merlot and cabernet sauvignon wines as being perfect for holidays and he is marketing it in areas with high concentrations of Catholics. The wine sells for $13.99 a bottle online.

Tags: catholic, christian, grapes of gailee, GrapesOfGailee, israeli wine, IsraeliWine, wine

Filed under: Wine

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Reader Comments (Page 10 of 11)

janet conway Oct 9th 2007 3:32PM

What a cheap, superficial marketing scheme! Definitely NOT a believer!!!

Kristi Oct 10th 2007 2:48PM

It's so hard for me to believe that in the 21st century, we are still having arguments of this nature. Please people-wake up and realize that there is no heaven or hell-just the beautiful cosmos above us and the earth that sustains us. The time has come for superstitions to die and reason to awaken. We are all members of the human race and we will all meet the same end regardless of what fairy tale belief system we choose to cling to.
To the writers who think Jesus only drank pure wine-how do you know this? Because a book tells you? It's just a book-filled with stories-most of them about a mean, vengeful, spiteful and murderous god who cared very little for the objects of his so-called creation. If Jesus really "turned" the water into wine, then I suppose he could have turned into any kind of wine of his choosing. We are all supposed to drink wine in communion and believe it is the blood of Christ so what is so "sacreligious" about this product. It's time to come out of the spiritual trance that hovers over this planet and get down to real issues that effect real people in real situations.

Richard Mar 5th 2008 10:00PM

I don't know what Bible you're reading, but if it IS the Christian Bible, you are not reading it in the same Spirit who wrote it.

God is a loving God. Read The first 3 chapters of the first book, Genesis.(Please) We turned away from Him; He did NOT turn away from us! God created everything good. Death, disease, labor, etc. did not appear until we disobeyed his ONE command.

I don't know who or what has hurt you, but I pray that you find healing and peace. God loves YOU personally. He went so far as to become human through His Son, Jesus. Think of the humility and love it takes for an infinite God to don human flesh and limitations! (Just think, the very God who created the universe became a helpless little babe, dependent for everything on the very creatures He created!)

Then when the time was right, He submitted to a very cruel, extremely painful, tortuous death, just to heal the rift between humanity and God. He loves you so much, that even if YOU personally were the ONLY person in the whole world in need of salvation, He would still have gone through it all--just so you could have a chance at eternal perfect happiness with Him in heaven.

He longs to enfold you in His loving arms. However, He will not interfere with your free will. You must accept His willing sacrifice on your part. He loves you enough that He would never force you to accept it.

I am more than willing to discuss this further if you wish to find out more of the TRUTH about God and His true role in salvation history.

I pray that you experience the love and joy He has to offer.

Cabello Oct 9th 2007 3:49PM

......perfect for holidays and he is marketing it in areas with high concentrations of Catholics.

Iam so excited...I can't wait to witness what Jesus will do when He comes for me and see's this mess... Leave it to the Catholics? Gotta be a democratic thing....doesn't surprise me.

Suzana Oct 9th 2007 3:50PM

Didn't Jesus throw the merchants and other moneychangers out of the Temple??? This is just as sacrilegious now as that was then, even more so, using the face of Our Lord as a marketing device...will it make alcohol-related offenses okay to commit because they were staggering around drinking the Grapes of Galilee???

This is absolutely disgusting. They'd never get a nickel out of me.

norma armstead Oct 9th 2007 4:07PM

since when is drinking a little wine , a sin??

Mari-lyn Oct 9th 2007 5:06PM

personally do not drink wine but we do buy books and pictures and clocks etc. that have a picture of what someone else decided that Jesus looks like------ so to say that no one has ever used Jesus to sell things in incorrect---------remember no one knows- if someone served it at their house I would not waste time starting an argument-

Gary Trahan Oct 9th 2007 5:35PM

Too many of these comments assume:
1) that the sellers of the wine are Jewish - and if they are, so what?
2) that the label mentions Jesus by name - it does not.
3) that the depiction on the label is Jesus - we do not know for sure.

For centuries the image that is accepted of Jesus is of a homogenized, anglo saxon, sometimes blond figure that is easily digestible to the habitually prejudiced masses. That's partly because many Christians, while they may acknowledge that Jesus was Jewish, do not want him 'too Jewish'. And are also happy that he converted to Christianity.

Yeah, we all have sound minds when talking religion.

Michelle Oct 9th 2007 8:09PM

#19 is obviously an uninformed liberal who can't resist the temptation to bash Bush. Maybe he should run the country for a while w/ all his "wisdom".(how dare you judge) pertaining to the subject at hand...Jesus is the one who will judge the motives of our hearts and I personally think too much wine leads to debauchery."(Eph 5:18)God's word says it best!

dave clayton Oct 10th 2007 9:54AM

make that true meaning of profit

Susan Oct 10th 2007 8:14AM

Ok, so if they are trying to sell wine and feel Jesus on the label will sell it, then maybe they should put the Divine Mercy Picture of Jesus up, then when it's bought his Scared Heart will be all over the place. With Prayer maybe we can convert these people when this wine sells.......or maybe I'm just dreaming.....but things that are impossible with man are possible with GOD. I truly can't decide if it's in good taste or not, I just know the more I see Jesus' picture the better I feel.
God Bless

Joe Chaos Oct 10th 2007 11:39AM

Look.
Jesus is used to sell Crucifixes
Jesus is used to sell Religion
Why Not Wine???
Jesus sells to mindless religious idiots!

Joe Chaos
www.WorldDomIndustries.com
myspace.com/WorldDomIndustries

G M LITTLE Oct 10th 2007 2:48PM

Well first thing I do not agree that the picture on the wine bottle would be an accurate depiction of my saviour. I don't have pictures and I do not think anyone else has either. Next, I do believe that any attempt to commercialize and capitalize on the use of diety in this manner is contrary to what the bible teaches about christianity. So as a christian I must say it is offensive. Last, I have to consider the freedoms our country has given to every man, woman and child allows them to act (within boundaries of law) according to how they feel. However they should think about the freedom we have been given through the shed blood of Jesus to live according to His will. Perhaps these people are not aware of the will of the Father (like so many others) and need to be shown via the scriptures where this advertisement and anything else contrary to what God's word teaches is an abomination. The beauty of this whole scenario is Christ died for us all to live our lives according to knowledge...knowledge of Jesus or the devil. Your choice of obedience is just that..YOUR CHOICE! Just remember that Jesus will have the final word at judgement...PRAYER HELPS AND IT WORKS!

Joe Chaos Oct 10th 2007 4:12PM

Exactly.
People need to stop complaining so much because their "GOD" is ona wine bottle.
Learn Tolerance.
You spew forth garbage like What Woul Jesus Do?
I dont think Jesus would be on the message boards, saying how people will go to hell.
No wonder I an agnostic

www.WorldDomIndustries.com

Anna Oct 11th 2007 1:13PM

Okay, there is a wine listed as Cleavage Creek Wine for beast cancer research, why isn't anyone harping on that one??? No comments posted there today! I don't think people realize that the miracles, like Jesus turning water into wine, had a few differences than todays wine. First of all, wine symbolized JOY in their day and be it all JOY that Jesus first miracle was to symbolize why he came to earth, so we could have LIFE and have it ABUNDANTLY! My word, wine back then was a watered down version of what we serve today! So, it was more like grape juice than liquor. Now, I am not condoning drinking, our family has suffered enough with THAT addiction, my husband bout lost every thing over it, his job, his family and his life. He put a gun to his mouth 5 different times, because he couldn't control his drinking and drug abuse! Now, he is a Christian, who CHOOSES not to drink, but obnly by the power of the risen Lord in his life... if he drank, it would start all over again! His father died at 60 because he was such an alchoholic! Sure he slowed down when his health MADE him, but it's a disease for some, a pleasure for others. I enjoy a glass of wine, but I don't care WHO made it, how they package it, or if they use Jesus supposed image to sell it. If you are going to drink, you will buy wine, no matter what is on the bottle! Does Santa sell Christmas, or a ghost sell Halloween, or an Easter bunny sell Easter junk? You bet! So, if someone wants to put his resemblance on there, that is their choice! I wonder what is on the breast cancer cleavage wine bottles??? And to the one who said Jesus had sons, what Bible did you read that from??? Not mine, or any historical documents?!! He was pure, sinless, if he had sex and had sons, or daughters, he would have defiled his perfect body, because he never married. So, chew on that one for a bit, and let me know how that comes out.

wolfthatwhispers Oct 11th 2007 3:07AM

to those of you who think this is wrong, i applaude you, to those of you who thinks its ok , you need to get on your face before god and ask forgiveness, this is not only wrong, its useing jesus's name in vain, and since jesus and god are one in the same, you are helping those who make this wine use gods name in vain. God will not be happy about this, and just a lil reminder to everyone there will be a judgement day, and those of you who side with this, will have to explain your doings to God. you need to repent and ask god for forgiveness for your foolishness.

No one in particular Oct 11th 2007 4:30AM

#6 makes sense to me. #14 makes a good point and asks a valid question. #2 gets points for suggesting that any Supreme Being would have a sense of humor; to suggest otherwise is somewhere between short-sighted and blasphemous. I can't disagree with #19; often those who flaunt their piety most openly are the least godly and most harmful of us all.

"What would Jesus do?" is a question often asked in situations like this one. I was raised, baptized, and confirmed an Episcopalian, so I recognize how inappropriate answering that question usually is. But the God of the New Testament is a forgiving God, and I'm inclined to think Jesus would have a good laugh and then suggest the profits made off of his image be donated to worthy charities, to feed and cloth the poor and cure the sick. Then he'd quietly say to the winemakers, "That's what you had in mind all along, isn't it? I thought so."

Joe Chaos Oct 11th 2007 8:51AM

Jesus Sells.
It is as simple as that.
You people cant be throwing bible quotes at people who dont follow the bible.
You cant assume that we should be asking for forgiveness, just because it doesnt offend us.
That is BULL.
Maybe you should ask for forgiveness because you are assuming you understand what offends God. That seems like something that would make him/her/it very angry.

If something doenst offend someone, there is nothing that can be done. DEAL WITH IT
and STOP ASSUMING YOU HAVE LIFE, GOD, and Religion all figured out

Joe Chaos
www.WorldDomIndustries.com

Myspace.com/WorldDomIndustries

Joe Chaos Oct 11th 2007 10:33AM

Awesome point # 194!

That is what we have been trying to say!
Jesus sells stuff
All of a sudden its a crime because Jesus can get you wasted?
I think its awesome!
Jesus Juice sound delicious!

Joe Chaos
www.WorldDomIndustries.com
Myspace.com/WorldDomIndustries

Joe Chaos Oct 11th 2007 1:50PM

There is no historical text saying Jesue even existed
So you cant argue if he had children or not.
Or if he was married or not.
That is fact

Joe Chaos
www.WorldDomIndustries.com
Myspace.com/WorldDomIndustries

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