30 second TV ad to make your mind spin…
Yesterday I was completely relaxed, sitting on my couch, well I guess fully laid out on my couch watching the golf tournament. (Too cold to be outside) I figured that like the golf broadcast, the commercials would be calm and not too startling. I was wrong.
This advertisement I saw really got me upset. It was a commercial for a number you can call to get a free copy of the "Book of Mormon". Let me get this out there first. I am in no way upset about free books, I am all about free books. But the way it was pitched was way off key. It was 2 women eating in a diner talking about books they read. One said she just finished the Bible and was searching for more… So far so good right? She then said she found a "Companion Book" to the Bible, still good right? She reached into her purse and brought out the companion book to give to her friend. It was the Book of Mormon.
I in no way want to come down on others beliefs, this is an issue I have with the context of the commercial.
My knowledge of the ins and outs of the Book of Mormon is limited, but I do know that when I talked with a teammate of mine on the golf team who was Mormon, we had very conflicting ideologies that stemmed from the sources of our beliefs, my Bible and his Book of Mormon. Comparing these two items as a companion to one another is very hard for me to swallow.
If I am studying Spanish and I finish all of my studies and I am searching for more… I dont think I will be told that this German language textbook is a companion book to the Spanish language.
People are seeking for hope out there, and I know that many, myself included, find strength in things we read and I have a problem being sold religion. I am still seeking while I believe, there are answers out there I don't know. I am very impressionable just like the next person to see that commercial. But for somebody who isn't a believer in either faith, may see that and assume the Bible and Book of Mormon are each part of a 2 book set. Its so easy to buy into what TV tells you, that's why they sell it.
This is what I call a dulling moment for me. Its not good. Its good that I know where I stand on the issue, but bad in that I get upset about it. Enough to write about it.
So interesting that you wrote about this…We actually did a project about a very similar radio ad in college. I don't know that it is bad that you get upset about it, it just means you have a stong opinion about it and what better to have a strong opinion about than your faith?
Yeah, I'm right there with ya brother. It's certainly not a negative thing that you wrote about what this particular commercial stirred up inside of you. However, if you were blogging everyday on here and all you mentioned were different commercials and how they frustrated you…well, then we would have a little problem.
Feel good that you stand firm in your belief in faith–in Christ–the TRUTH. I most likely would have reacted very similar to yourself in regards to marketing tactics to 'sell' the TRUTH.
You ever catch those terrible late night pastors (are they even really pastors?!?) that are on t.v. with the jewelery, and the nice suit, the perfect haircut, and the perfect backdrop to their stage? The guys that are targeting new believers, and if they would just make that financial commitment of $1,000.00 to this pastor's ministry, they will be promised a prosperous financial future? Yeah, well those are the ones that shake me up a bit. So I understand where you are coming from. — D