Since I've joined this forum I've heard from many people how they don't like it when they are being "preached to" by Christians. I'm sure for them it's annoying to be told something contrary to their beliefs, but I'm wondering if anyone has ever thought that the reverse could be true? Are the Christians being preached to by the secular community?

I was just watching the TV and was hit with two commercials. The first for an LG plasma TV which starts off with a narrator saying something similar to "while your neighbour is out of town you sign for a package. You open it up to check it isn't broken. It's an LG plasma tv. It looks great............... (spiel on how good the TV is)................ A few days later, your neighbour knocks on your door and asks if you signed for a package? and you ask yourself "did i sign for a package?"

The second commercial has a man in a woman's house. When suddenly the woman's husband (well, spouse at least) comes home unexpectedly. While trying to run, the man gets side-tracked eating a bowl of Kellogs Crunchy Nut Corn Flakes.

The first ad advocates coveting your neighbour's property, in direct violation of the tenth commandment, while the second clearly shows the breakdown in the family relationship. These ad's, from a Christian perspective try and tell us to live in a way contrary to our personal beliefs, and I'm wondering how this is any different to the Christian speaking out on their beliefs?

The only difference I can see is that one is socially accepted and one is considered "preaching". What do you guys think?

Regards, PA

Commercials, media advertising in general is designed to make you want.

You can be younger, sexier or whatever if you buy the product.

Jeans are more important than relationships.

Yes we are 'preached' to by the media. They play to different values. It is considered acceptable due to freedom of speech.

I don't find this kind of 'preaching offensive at all. It's the world I live in. If I find an add offensive I write the product manufacturer. I don't buy the product. I doubt my little boycotts amount to anything to any companies, as I don't tell a friend to tell a friend and so on......

I don't preach to anyone here, they have their beliefs and I respect that. I have my beliefs and I expect the same. I will answer questions, but I don't like being preached to so I won't preach

They're not really the same because it's not like that Crunchy Nut ad is telling people is morally acceptable to cheat on your spouse. That's like saying reading murder mystery novels make is morally acceptable to kill someone.

Big difference.

While I'm not disagreeing. To an extent your correct. It is done more with a sense of humor than lessons in moral values. However, the facts that the situation is funny makes you wonder about the morals of folks in general.

Without getting into a debate about religious morals as opposed to any other type of morals. It interesting that we find it funny, that a woman and/or man is cheating on their spouse.

Just like you see housewives that look nice, but plain, in adds for floor cleaning supplies, but well endowed women for sports cars. It depends on the market your targeting.

Has for reading murder mysteries, The bad guy more often than not gets it in the end.

Dang it...if it weren't for these dang forum rules, there are at least 5 incredibly witty remarks that I could post in response to that one...

Well...use your imagination.

FB get your mind out of the gutter, It's getting too crowded down here.

You're not being preached to by non-christians P.A. you are being preached to by the advertising media. They are different things.

I am just as offended when the advertisers try to make me accept thier religion as I would be offended by anyone else who preached their religion to me.

First I wanted to point out that I noticed that everyone who posted here was a mod. What's up with that?
The media is doing their job. They are hyping on the fact of what is real. People are cheating on their spouses and have been for many years. So it really is the norm so to speak reguardless of whether your christian or not. Why is this any different than any other time in history. Things always repeat themselves.
If you live by a code of ethics/ morals and you stand firm you will be the better person.

gee, pa, haven't you ever seen the car commercial with the obviously divorced couple, with the exwife dropping off the kids to her ex hubby, and she feels safe because he has a good car? can't believe you missed that one. i have to watch ads for the mormons and other christian groups all the time.should i write the networks?

I just don't see why people LET themselves get more offended if someone says "only people that believe in Jesus are going to heaven" than if someone says "Only people who own Fords are cool." If you don't believe in heaven and really want to get there, why should it bother you? If you don't believe Fords are cool, why should it bother you? To the non-christian-believer, the idea of heaven should be as effective as the idea of being a "cool" car owner. Which is to say.... it shouldn't be.

So why get offended and start complaining about being preached to? You are "preached" to about things all day long: car choice, politics, fashion, which hamburger to buy. I would think that non-christians would rate the importance of Jesus right up there with the hamburger.

Thanks guys.

First up, let me say i was not offended by these ads. I was just using it as an example. Like stillcrazy said, it says something about the society when something like a cheating spouse is supposed to be considered as funny.

GM - I don't think i know that ad you're talking about. It's not like all the ads played in America are automatically played here. In any case, I was just using these two ads as examples.

On similar note I could have just as easily used articles from Cosmo or Cleo or some other such (if I read them that is) and see the exact same preaching happening as the gossip world tries to tell me that it's "cool" to be the same as Brittney Spears, or that in order to be accepted by society I have to look and dress beautiful, or that a "normal" person has a different girlfriend/boyfriend every week, or an article "10 hot ways to spice up your sex life"..... The principle is much the same really - the morals of the world being subtly preached to us every time we look at a magazine.

Perhaps there is a difference after all - a religious person will usually ask if they can talk to you about Jesus/Krishna/Mormonism etc, whereas Cosmo will tell you subtly without you even realising it.

Regards, PA

Where in these commercials is religion of any kind mentioned?

I don't think it is so much teaching 'religion' as it is making statements about morals. If you have Spike TV some of the ads can get pretty risque.

If your a person of faith, and it does not matter what faith, some commercials can and are offensive.

I know in other countries, they allow partial nudity in their commercials, I do not find the nude body in and of itself as offensive, it is how the nudity is used that I find disagreeable.

Just MHO

Yeah they can.

Just as with religious channels you (Or who ever) has the option of turning the channel.

And a good opinion at that.

exactly. there is also nothing forcing you to watch, agree with, or internalize the message of anything. Use timeshift to record your programming and skip all commercials. Get the programs (if available) on DVD. There are many options available.

As for a reflection on society: the types of ads that are not allowed tell as much as the types that are allowed. (and the shades of grey)

usually people are more prone to think they are being "preached" to when they are either in disagreement with the message or uncertian of their own stance on the issue. (this is separate from whether or not any "preaching" is really occuring).

i really am amazed with all this,considering how much the christian right controls and censors the media.

PA Pigs may fly today because i agree with you, its criminal the way the advertisers get away with the crap they do , I am very involved in the removal of the food commercials for Mc Donalds especially with the obesiaty and health issues with our nations children, they also have very liberal laws governing what can be said on t.V. versus what can be written i have done my homework on the sells expertise of the media , whatever your religoin I see it as bothersome also to condone cheating as glamourous behavior. Now on the other hand for those that are gonna tell me if i don't like it don't watch it but I'm the consumer and i in the end decide how my money is spent and so do you beleive me things get changed when the threat of the loss of profit or reputation enters. For me gone are the days of Oh this is just the way it is ,

Story: There is a corner store in my neighborhood that was selling pellet guns to children, one day they sold one to my 11 year old and I was livid i went to the store and reamed the owner and his attitude was not one of regards to the care and love of children I saw it as advocating violence encouraging children to be violent with each other (in my area the cops shoot first and ask questions later and we have lost 2 children to accidental shootings the cops thought it was a gun anyways had he of worked with me alittle it could of been solved but he wouldn't I happen to have clients in the police department being a hair stylist I network because you never know and my friend went and talked with him he stopped selling pellet guns ,Even if I had no friends to call upon I would of never quit until he stopped selling them, as citizens we have to pick our battles and not be afraid to stand up one person can make a difference and often does. Namaste sheri

It's a matter of what's happening.

You have a christian preaching to you "If you don't accept that Jesus is your saviour... then you'll be judged and sent to hell."

Then you have an amusing commercial for.. some store that accually sells something you can use. *shrugs*

I have no need for "the word of god" it's not what I believe in... it's something I don't need. And if I see/hear something on tv I don't need/want I ignore it.

The only difference is you can't turn a human off... and some (a select few) have gotten violent if you tell them to stop.

Though I'm seeing more and more advertisments on TV for some church or another... >.>

Ahhh.......the real reason for religion...money??????

I think you guys are completely missing my point. Read my second post. a TV ad is only an example. Gossip magazines tell us that it's important to know who Tom Cruise is dating, and what clothes they're wearing. TV soapie's tell us that sordid love triangle's is the "norm". Movie's tell us that violence is a good thing.

Of course I'm only thinking of certain examples, and I know that just because I think something doesn't make it "right" or "wrong". The fact is that people get up in arms every time a religious person preaches what they believe, yet almost everything in society is geared towards anti-religious sentiment and the religious man or woman has no choice but to accept things the way they are.

Am I the only one that can see it. Am I making sense at all here?

Regards, PA

What bothers me is that the Christians of this forum love to quote the Bible in their posts, as if they're trying to tell us something they can't form with their own words.

Seems to me as if the Bible has the monopoly on wise words about love, friendship, kindless...

Stop doing that, it's annoying!

PA, I totally agree. People swallow this religion-paradigm and don't even try to think for themselves.

No.. I completely got your point. I was working with what you gave me... TV Ads vrs Religion. And like I said... I noticed that alot of the christian preachiness is also among them commercials for McDonalds and that latest drug that'll cure your illness and give you several hundred side effects.

Well, I don't eat at McDonalds, I don't take them drugs, and I don't go to which ever church that needs to make a TV ad to get parishners. Moving on to the other garbage... I don't give a care who's dating who in the star world, I hate soap opras... and I don't even bother watching the news on the TV. And I avoid violent movies. Not much of what I watch is really "preaching to me"

And again, the difference is... if you don't like what's being told to you on your TV... you can turn it off. You don't like them gossip mags? Don't read them. You can choose the things you read or watch. But when someone comes knocking at your door to preach to you, you can't turn them off or "change their channel", or "not read" them. And alot of the times, you tell them no.. they come back again anyways... You can't turn a human off like a TV. ;P

Yes,The world is being preached to, whether by a lying politican or commerical ads or by religious people.

The difference between the three, that I find, is that the religious, mainly, the christians, are relentless in proclaiming their beliefs with the strongest of beliefs being that they are doing you a service in saving your life! .......and all of which is based on stories,emotional experiences and an invisible being.

Like I've said in previous posts, they are salesmen of the Church and no more, leaving their foot in your door as you try to close it.

If a christian doesn't agree with the moral concepts of advertising, then he/she should turn the TV off. That's what I do on Sunday mornings.

Religion: A vaccum cleaner that really sucks, bagless(no holding power),and leaves you in the dust.

There are those pesky "FLYING PIGS" again!

Zannie What no links oh come on they are so cute those little piggys. namaste sheri

Siver well put and i agree 100% Namaste sheri

Thanks for the replies people. I guess i'm just trying to understand how saying "no thanks, not interested" to a religious person is any different to turning off the tv or not going to the movies, or saying "no thanks, not interested" to those pesky people wanting to sign you up for American Express even though you're only a student and don't earn enough to be eligible for one.

Regards, PA

Ok, let me finish up my McDonald's hashbrowns here.

I live in a small rural community, so I can't turn a corner without seeing and advertisment for a church, or church billboards telling me I'm a sinner. It is a little harder to just not pay attention. Even on the TV, every other commercial is for some church service somewhere. We have about 5 channels devoted to religion (only one kind mind you).

Now while I know I'm not a christian (been there done that), I'm not really sure if I want to follow any other religion. Personally I think it's all hear say and superstition. I've had enough of the leeches coming around trying to force their way in to sell me whatever religion they're carrying around this week. And yes I've seen them try to open the door, and come in even before they knock. Thankfully my grandmother had the door locked. Otherwise I would have knocked them back out of the house with her cane. Anyway, it's just easier if you can to ignore the stuff on TV or whatever you don't want to hear, or don't like. You don't have to read it, and you don't have to watch it.

Well that is just wrong. It's an invasion of privacy, and criminal behaviour, not to mention just plain rude!

I must admit I've never had anything like that happen to me. Maybe things are a little different out your way.

Regards, PA

Yeah, when I was at college you couldn't walk any where without the Baptist Student Union coming up and trying to save your soul. I've been stopped several times, and just because of the way I was dressed I was an immediate case for the Lord. No matter what I'd tell them they wouldn't believe that I went to church. Which is part of the reason why I don't have a good view of the religion. I've seen too much of it's "Love"

Sorry here is a link and some pictures
flyingpigs.org

Because most of those religious people don't know the meaning of 'no thanks, not interested'. Don't be naiive to think that people will separate 'YOU' from other religious people.

We put you all in the same boat, and if there be a God, we'd pray you'd sail away!

Times like that I start to miss the old (?) guy....then I wake up!

Like I said.. saying that dosn't work. Sometimes you'll be lucky enough to get one that understands the meaning of no. But most of the time, you can say "No thanks..." And they keep pressing. And shutting the door in their face is just as rude as them not taking no. Atleast when you change the channel or turn off the TV, Tony the Tiger's not going to keep pounding on your TV to turn it back on.


But most the time, if you do that... they'll just come back and try again, or pound on the door to tell you how rude you were.

You know.. it took freaking a couple of "visitors" out to get them to leave me alone? No wasn't working... (long story...)

I will have to tell you what I had to do to some JW one day to get them to stop.

*chuckles* I lived like.. a block from the Kingdom Hall.. so I was in ground zero for visitations... X)

They were next door....

i had a friend who once was under seige from the JW's. What finally got them to leave him alone was one day they pounced on him just as he got home and he said something to the tune of "i can't talk right now. i am feeling a bit tired from giving blood."

Zan.. yeah more or less...

Hyp.. ROFL!! That's one way to do it X)

Mine was simply inviting them in for a "ritual sacrifice". I was wearing a halloween leopard skinned cape I made. Also had my cat and mouse in my hands while speaking with them. X) It was kinda funny.. they looked between me, the cat and the mouse.. eyes popped out wide and jaws dropped. X)

Never heard from them again!

Mine was similar, they seemed like nice people so I invited them in, completely forgot that my broomstick, witches, wizards, tarot cards and other heathen belongings would scare them.

It's a real shame to, I almost had them converted.

The ex (We were still together at the time) and I were moving into a house and every load they were wanting to "Talk to us" but never offered to help. I got so tired of it i dropped what i had I my hands and asked them it they heard the word of satan lately.......They ran off the porch down the sidewalk and into the house next door.

Never heard a word from them after that.

Kismet me too i try to be nice too and gracious except they are never interested in sharing my ideas about God too or my interpretations of scripture. they always leave so upset. Namaste sheri

The last that came knocked on the door were a couple of Mormon's, they said "Do you want to hear the truth of Jesus Christ", I said, "Look, I'm a Christian, I've already found the truth thank you - do you want to hear it?". They said they'd send someone to speak to me about it sometime. That was a couple of years ago now and i haven't heard a thing from them.

Saying "no" to people in the street works. They just say "ok, thanks" and speak to the next person. Though it seems it may be a little different for you overseas............

Regards, PA

In my opinion, anyone who imposes (not expresses) their beliefs upon someone else, is preaching to that person.

PA, I know quite a few Mormons and if you really want to talk to that "someone, sometime" person, I am sure I can pull strings and get them to send him over. You would make a good Mormon, I'll bet you would enjoy the multiple wives!

No thanks Mako - looked into Mormonism, just didn't work for me. The book of Mormon just doesn't sit right.

Though an extra wife or two would be..... handy

What will 101 say?

She'll be one of my wives, don't worry

What man in his right mind, would WANT more than one wife?

It just means you'd have that many more people telling you what to do, and how you've screwed up.

JMPD!:


your comment made me think of "Harry Mudd" from a Star Trek OS episode where he is the only person on a planet of androids. In the beginning he has a harem of "lovelies" that are there to service his every need, but Kirk fixes the situation and by the end of the episode he is surrounded by a rather large group of "nagging" wives.

It could go both ways. Some men prefer solitude, some prefer one, and for some one is never enough..... perhaps the best advice is "don't bite off more than you can chew"