Hey Andy,

Funny you should post this as I am reading it from my hotel in Winnipeg!!! I see what you are saying... however, as I sit her "IN" the hotel experience... I can understand where they are coming from. I have found it very friendly and 'convenient' here as I sit on the Executive floor printing work emails... helping myself to the diet coke, coffee, water and basket of apples. All the people have been very friendly... even as I sit working away... people walk by, smile and make a friendly comment.

I think we can exude a feeling of Jesus love or community... just through a smile, where ever we are. I felt that today even on the phone with the front desk making request, with the bell man, and with the taxi driver.

That being said, I realize it is not what Jesus describes in his bride, nor the deep community we are created for. My experience is NOT the norm in our heart broken society.

I am just so very fortunate to have Jesus, my family, my friends... the community I do have... and the INTERNET to stay 'connected'.

JUST ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE :)

Love you all from Winterpeg!!!
Rebecca.

Personally, I'm saddened and even disgusted at times with this stuff. To me, it's the profaning of something sacred; taking our (God-given) desire for a sense of community and belonging and manipulating that desire in order to make a buck. Advertisers have found that it's increasingly difficult to differentiate their products and services purely through describing what they offer, and as a result, they turn to using emotional manipulation to lure consumers.

Just take a look at the company I work for. We sell computer software that helps you
- turn data into organized information (through pretty reports and graphs)
- share that information with anyone who needs it.

However, this description of what we do doesn't create a very strong emotional attachment to our company, and so along comes our Marketing dept who comes up with a new (trademarked) brand identity: "Let there be light." The idea behind the branding is that as companies use our products, they will find themselves totally "enlightened" through the experience. Once again, I'm saddened as I see the profaning of the sacred. In fact, it's laughable, really, that we would compare what we do as a company to God's ability to speak something into existence. Yet, we, and other companies, will keep doing it because it seems like an effective way to generate more more revenue.

I still haven't exactly figured out what my role is to play in how to speak the message of God's kingdom into the organization. Part of it undoubtedly is some apprehension about rocking the boat; it's harder to raise a critical voice when it could affect your job. Still, that's really no excuse--I want to be bold to speak truth to the powers that be, just like what Peter and John did in Acts 4 (besides, unlike for them, the threat of jail is pretty minimal). Also, I don't want to be just a critical voice--I want to provide a solution that reflects more of what God's kingdom is about. I'm open to hearing from others in this regard.

The other thing to note is that I also see an opportunity here too. People are open to the emotional manipulation of marketers because they truly are searching for something of meaning and value. Christianity as a national religion has collapsed and everyone is looking to move into the vacuum. It's an opportunity for us as Jesus followers to show that every other attempt at filling the vacuum is not even a pale reflection of the true light of Jesus.

-Jonathan