The Run For The Border
Robb Hadley
Fayetteville, AR
9/30/98
The Run For The Border
Perhaps you have heard the stir concerning the recently-pulled commercials for Calvin Klein. John Leo, writing in U.S. News and World Report, said these ads show “young teens posed in what look like opening scenes from a porn movie.” Leo goes on to quote a spokesman for Calvin Klein as saying the ads are targeted at “people who do only what they want to do.” The writer, while obviously repulsed by the offensive nature of the Klein campaign, is also concerned about the rule-breaking attitude of these and other ads and what they say about our culture.
You may recognize some of these slogans which have recently rolled down Madison Avenue into Middle America:
“Sometimes you just gotta break the rules.” —Burger King
“Nothing is taboo…break all the rules.” —Don Q Rum
“Peel off inhibitions, find your own road.” —Saab
“We are all hedonists and we want what feels good. That’s what makes us human.” —Nike
An ad for Bacardi Black Rum might sound a little familiar to Bible students: “Some people embrace the night because the rules of the day do not apply.” It almost sounds like a very free translation of the words of Jesus in John 3.19: “…and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil.” The only major difference in the two statements is the former has been made with admiration for a philosophy condemned in the latter.
Why do companies carefully craft a rule-breaking perception of their products? Because the consumers targeted with the ads identify with that image. Because it works. Because it sells. What a sad illustration of the downward spiral of American culture—a few years ago content to “grab all the gusto” it could grab in life’s one go-round, now willing to do that grabbing in flagrant disregard of rules, limits or borders.
When the sinkholes of this latest cultural cave-in appear down at church, as such phenomena tend to do, what will be our response? If you thought the “Have it your way” philosophy was divisive, just wait until you see the fruits of “I’m getting it my way no matter what!”
Society’s apparent bent toward self-destruction should strengthen our resolve against allowing this philosophy to make its way into the church, our families, and our individual lives. It is in the best interests of all of us to reject the self-obsession of the world in favor of the attitude of Christ “who humbled Himself by becoming obedient.” (Philippians 2.8.) May we never become “people who do only what they want to do.”
—ROBB HADLEY
Fayetteville, Ark.
