Add the Eucharist to the List of Items Prohibited for Sale on EBay

Update from a letter from eBay to an author of a similar petition: "We understand that the listing of the Eucharist was highly upsetting to Catholic members of the eBay community and Catholics globally. Once this completed sale was brought to our attention, we consulted with a number of our users, including members of the Catholic Church, concerning what course we should take in the future should a similar listing appear on our site. We also consulted with members of other religions about items that might also be highly sacred and inappropriate for sale. As a result of this dialogue, we have concluded that sales of the Eucharist, and similar highly sacred items, are not appropriate on eBay. We have, therefore, broadened our policies and will remove those types of listings should they appear on the site in the future." This petition will not close, though, until eBay actually puts the Eucharist on the list of prohibited items for sale.

To:  EBay

Add the Eucharist to the List of Items Prohibited for Sale on EBay

On April 11, 2005 EBay auction #6169851381 closed at $2,000. A transaction was arranged between a seller from Sloan Iowa and a buyer from California--like the many exchanges that occur on EBay every second of the day. However, this was no ordinary transaction. The seller had on the auction block a Host that was consecrated by His Holiness John Paul II.

We as Catholics firmly believe Jesus’ words in John 6. We believe that in that $2,000 auction is the Body Blood Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ truly present in every Holy Eucharist. We are not impressed by the seller’s description of the Bread of Life as a “COLLECTIBLE” or “momento from that great afternoon with Pope John Paul II” (poor spelling was the seller’s). We are disgusted with EBay’s Pontius Pilate response: “However, even though these auctions may be offensive to some, please
remember that most of the time the law does not prohibit the items.” EBay continues by putting the Holy Eucharist in the same category as “Catholic relics of saints, LDS garments, certain Buddhist tablets, etc. However, eBay has made the decision not to prohibit any item only the basis of the item being endowed with sacred properties by
certain religious groups.” This is a further outrage considering that certain Nazi items are not allowed. Jesus’ Body can hit the auction block in EBay’s worldview, but Nazis—that’s offensive!

EBay must act now to halt future sales of Holy Communion on its auction site.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

The Add the Eucharist to the List of Items Prohibited for Sale on EBay Petition to EBay was created by and written by Dawn Axelson (dawndiebeth@yahoo.com).  This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.