American Advertisements

I was in the movie theater the other day. A Coke commercial came on. Crackling ice, bubbles, and a sizzling sound. They really know how to get you. It sparks the senses and is supposed to empty your wallet magnetically. I was not fazed, but many began to salivate. Advertisements like that can entice people like black magic where they immediately begin to think that they really do desire a soft drink.

I’ll make a transparent public confession. I don’t drink soft drinks due to the carbonation. It sounds kind of funny, I know. As a child, I never enjoyed the taste of carbonated beverages. So I literally never drank them and still don’t. When a commercial for a soft drink pops across the screen, it does nothing for me. Yet, for millions of people, there is a neurological impact.

If you give me illegal drugs, it won’t faze me, but for some, it would be awful. I’m not better than anyone that has used or been addicted to illegal or prescription drugs. But…since I have not delved into those chemicals (including rarely prescription meds) it is not something that is alluring. For millions, it is a constant struggle. It is an everyday battle.

This post is not about Coke…or coke, whether the drink or the powder. The point is that we are all tempted by something. My addictions and struggles are different than yours. Even though some people have struggles that are internal or can easily be hidden, it is no less a problem than for those with external struggles that cannot be so easily hidden. How do we resist and fight these battles? Will there always be a war within?

There is a way to build up resistance. Some with no self-discipline are hooked by things like simple advertisements. It is as if they are advertisement junkies. The substance is not even physically in front of them. It is an illusion that sparks muscle memory and triggers a desire. How do you build up resistance without just becoming Buddhist and denying all pleasure and desire? Do you close your eyes every time you see a billboard, magazine rack, commercial, or pre-movie advertisement?

Jesus Christ made us to desire and feel pleasure. It is a product of Himself. He has fun, and He has passion. We get it from Him. Yet, we live in a broken world in which our desires are out of control. Our passions are ultimately self-driven and eventually destructive. The only way to build up resistance is to focus on something or Someone beyond what we desire. We must shift our attention. The only way this works is to focus on something more powerful than our base temptations. Over time, if we focus on Christ and how satisfying He is, we both experience pleasure and deny our deviant passions. We experience desire, but it is directed constructively rather than destructively. With time, the temptation or advertisements that used to control us now becomes meaningless.

Are you tired of being bombarded by the American consumeristic culture that sways you to make unhealthy decisions? Are you looking for ways to resist while still living life to the fullest? Jesus Christ is the answer. He will help you right down to saying “no” to simplest persuasion. Ask Him to help you. What do you have to lose? If you have questions, contact us! We struggle just like you!