“Absolute cleanliness is Godliness”. That is the first line on Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap bottle. Just reading the label could keep you occupied for maybe twenty minutes. I was drawn to it while shopping at Whole Foods recently. I must have stood in the isle long enough reading, to realize I’d been standing there too long… reading. I put the bottle in the buggy and thought, “I’ll finish this at home”.
At home, I again picked up the bottle and started reading. I was perplexed because the statements didn’t flow well. I believed I understood what it said, but my curiosity needed more. I got on the internet and googled the product and was overwhelmed with information and accolades. I even watched a documentary entitled, “Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soapbox” on Netflix. It was well produced and made me understand how Dr. Bronner came to America and began his work.
He was born in Heilbronn, Germany, to the Heilbronner family of soap makers. He emigrated to the United States in 1929 and dropped the “Heil” from his name. His parents stayed in Germany and were victims of Nazi persecution.
Dr. Bronner began making products by hand in his home. His father was Jewish, so it is obvious that belief in God was important to Dr. Bronner and he wanted everyone to believe and be part of the “one faith”. He used references from both Jewish and Christian sources on the labels of his soaps.
The documentary goes into detail about the strange events which occurred in 1947. Dr. Bronner was speaking at the University of Chicago and promoting his “Moral ABC”. There were objections and Dr. Bronner was arrested and committed to a mental hospital in Elgin, Illinois, on just a phone call from his sister. Obviously, it was easier to have someone committed then. At the hospital, Dr. Bronner had to endure “shock treatments”. He escaped the hospital and eventually ended up in Escondido, California. There, his soap making grew into a large operation which continues today. Dr. Bronner died in 1997, but the business is still making soap and preaching about God!
Their business is pretty amazing. You should click on this link to visit their website. It has more info than I can possibly cover. I will tell you that their soap is organic with a vegetable oil base. Their products are completely environmentally safe and not harmful. The soaps are concentrated, so just simply mix with water to dilute. The “peppermint” is my favorite but they are all good. They may be purchased at Whole Foods, Target, or almost any health food store. I believe in bragging on good companies, because there are so many who shouldn’t be in business. Good companies need encouragement and our business!
Getting back to their business model, executive compensation is capped at 5 to 1 to the lowest paid warehouse position. All profits, not needed for business, go to worthwhile causes and charities worldwide. From watching the documentary, their employees are extremely happy and receive big bonuses each year. The website shares that one of Dr. Bronner’s “truths” was that constructive capitalism is where you share the profit with the workers and the earth from which you made it!
If you can do a little preaching along with it, that’s even better!
“Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” Psalm 19:4
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