Written by The Scribbler
It’s a line that’s quick to be fired off at church, particularly post-service when recruiters are scrambling to grab sharp women and cart them off to the Golden Corral for their unit’s weekly “Onion Rings and Opportunities” event. “Mary Kay puts God first,” you may have heard them gush. “How many companies can make that claim?”
Well, Chik-fil-A, for one, but that’s not the point. As I’ve explained in previous articles, when God is mentioned in Mary Kay, it is the God of the Bible that is implied, in accordance with the faith that Mary Kay Ash practiced. But is God really first in Mary Kay – or is that throne reserved for someone else?
Check out these quotes and hang onto your chairs, cowgirls; there’s a new Messiah in town.
- “What if Mary Kay visited us at our next sales meeting – WOW! Something to think about, isn’t it? I like to pretend she’s with me whenever I am representing our company. What would she see – how would I be dressed – what would she hear me saying?” (“Mary Kay is Watching!” training document)
- “She called me her “Mary Kay daughter.” Once she took my hand, I couldn’t stop the tears from flowing no matter how hard I tried.” (NSD Gillian Ortega “A Moment in Time With Mary Kay,” Applause, Jun 2006)
- “I read the daily MK quote in my datebook; it said something like “You might be the only Mary Kay someone will ever meet.” Immediately, I thought, isn’t that a Christian phrase, like “You might be the only Jesus someone will ever meet?” (Former IBC)
- Referring to the act of IBCs signing a written promise to Mary Kay Ash: “Keep it close to remind you of the commitment you made to keeping her dream alive.” (Lessons in Golden Rule Thinking: Signing “My Promise to Mary Kay Ash.”)
- Independent Executive Senior Sales Director Stephanie Valure’s thoughts regarding an MK retreat: “The whole first night I sat there, starry-eyed and stunned… that was the night Mary Kay truly came into my heart.” (“Dimensions of Caring” Applause Mar 2006)
Friends, while Mary Kay Ash overcame many challenges in her lifetime, she is not divine; none of us are. When mere mortals (and the companies they spearheaded) are hailed as redeemers, however, confusion and contradiction become the soul’s bedfellows. These deceivers slip into your home, silently entwine their fingers around your neck, and squeeze until the light that once shone bright in your eyes flickers and fades to black.
While it’s claimed that “God is first…” in Mary Kay, be absolutely certain you know which god that is.
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- Mary Kay’s Senior Sales Director Oath
- Mary Kay’s Star Recruiter Oath
- Another Mary Kay Sales Director Lying About Her Income
Visit the 
Thank goodness I’m an atheist.
I second that
Third it!
It’s one less button that can be pushed, although I like to see the reaction of people who try it.
Any IBC reading will first be offended, thinking, “Of course we don’t view Mary Kay as a God.” She might also argue that she always puts God first and her family second. She does this because she doesn’t realize the compromises that she’s made that has put her family in third and her career first. For example, how often does she use going to church as a means to further her business (drop off product, make a sale, warm chat, recruit, etc.). If you are using going to church as a means of business then God is not first in your mind, your business is. Of course you will rationalize that since you are going to church anyway, why not work your business as well, it’s not hurting anyone is it? Well, yes, you’ve now put women in an awkward place. They want to be nice but honestly are in church to worship and reflect on God, not you and your business.
Another example is family. How often do consultants say that they are sacrificing going to their children’s events and activities for long term gains. Honey, that is putting your business over your family. I don’t care how you make excuses… you set your own schedule and when you schedule business over your children your business comes first. Then there’s the money. If you can’t go on family vacations or do family events because you put all of your finances in stockpiling product (which you could order for 50% or less off of ebay at any time) then you put your business over your family.
Pinkiu, you’re right on. I remember watching in one of MK’s official DVD (I think it’s called “Making the Connection”) that exact situation: and IBC or whatever going to church and doing business there. I don’t think it’s necessary to explain the problem with it, and the followers of the Judeo-Christian religion (the vast majority if not everybody in MK) seem to forget one of the main stories in their religion: when apparently and according to it, their prophet Jesus took all the merchanters out of the religious Jewish temple, thus making the point that he didn’t like business and religious matters mixed. I can’t imagine a Estee Lauder, a Lancome, or any beauty consultant of any of the major and really serious companies sinking that low in order to make a sale. Mary Kay is disgusting in every single way and it (along with all MLM’s) needs to disappear. It is no longer viable in this modern times.
The whole “Mary Kay got into your heart” comment still makes my skin crawl. These women look to her as if she was the Messiah. She wasn’t. Not even close. She was a very shrewd businesswoman who was also a smooth talker. She knew what buttons to push to get a woman to do what she wanted them to do and she pushed them. Her legacy is totally different for those who have been in that cult and gotten out. We see her for what she really was. Those women who are still drinking the pink kool aid see her for what they want her to be. She is not a God. I think it is appalling that these people try to make her out to be one. That, in itself, is the reason why Mary Kay is blasphemous in all of it’s Godspeak.
Why would anyone worship MK Ash? I mean, just look at her. Link below if you’ve never seen her:
http://horrornews.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/killer_klowns_from_outer_space_movie_6.jpg
lol…….ok that was a surprise, but definitely a funny one!
As a Christian, the whole God first thing (as MK uses it, not real life practice lol) really rankles me. The teachings of some of the NSD’s fly in the face of what Jesus taught and the very documents you mentioned made my skin crawl the first time I read them.
Another example of a company that puts God first is a southern chain of craft stores otherwise known as Hobby Lobby. They close their doors on Sundays to allow their employees to attend worship services and spend time with their family. It’s a pretty vivid comparison in my opinion to the idea of using church as a means to recruit or sell. Somehow I doubt that a single one of their employees are focusing on how to stock scrapbooking paper or talk someone into joining their company during said services.
During my brief and unfortunate stint with Mary Kay in the early 90′s, this constant mantra is what first impressed me and then began to sicken me. Constantly someone was chanting, “God first, family second, business third…” but eventually I realized that they were leaving out the most important part. What they really want you to believe is, “God first, Family Second and Business Third… and what God wants is for you to sell more Mary Kay!” The whole thing was like some kind of circular logic that took business right from third to first while making it appear you were doing God’s work by selling Mary Kay. I hated that phrase so much. I only lasted about 2 weeks and only signed up in the first place because of intense pressure from my consultant. I am not in agreement with you about MLM in general, but certainly do agree that from my experience, Mary Kay is more about taking advantage of women than it is about helping them!