Obvious Truth
by: RyanSlacktivist is talking about a Larry King interview with Rick Warren:
let me pick on Rick Warren for a moment, or at least on something he said the other night. While responding to a question about “spiritual hunger” in America, he said:Emphasis mine“There are really two stories going on in our culture right now. There is the story of things are getting more worse in some ways. We’re seeing the increase in violence. We’re seeing terrorism. We’ve seen these recent shootings …”
This isn’t really Warren talking. He’s reciting, but not citing. This is all common knowledge, received wisdom, accepted truth. Larry listened to this litany of woes without batting an eye — he found these claims to be self-evident, obvious, unremarkable.
…
But all that is beside the point. Those reciting and appealing to the narrative about ever-increasing violence and “things getting more worse” don’t really care much whether or not this narrative is technically true. The point of the narrative is to sell you a solution to the supposed crisis — and it matters little to them whether the crisis is actual or fictional, as long as you perceive the idea of the crisis you will be receptive to the solution they’re selling.
Dr. Harry G. Frankfurt provides a technical term for this rhetorical device in which the speaker is unconcerned with the truth or falsity of the claims he or she is making. Frankfurt calls it “bullshitting.”
…
The anxiety that such a perception creates is the basis for their marketing of whatever solution, religion, candidate, war or topical cream they happen to be peddling.
I think this comparison of church rhetoric to business marketing is spot on. Churches are mimicking businesses in so many ways, especially on the public facing side.
My favorite line from the post is: “He’s reciting, not citing.” I think it is quite difficult to speak truthfully when not citing evidence for one’s claims.
And just to be clear, I think that is a ridiculously wrong way for churches to communicate.
Start with the solution and then market the problem. It’s why I always had a problem with door to door evangelism (regardless of religious views). It is an attempt to create a need in someone that doesn’t already exist. Knife salesman try to get you to believe you need some new knifes, theirs to be specific. But it is so artificial. If the person needed some knives they would have bought some damn knives. These sort of create and solve systems are enticing because there are answers for every question. Real life doesn’t offer such comforts. Unfortunately.
In the early 70s, I did a project for my Mass Communications Law class on Faith Center’s church-owned television stations (which after founder Tim Schoch’s death, Dr. Gene Scott would control). Schoch expressed his motivation very succinctly:
So Schoch was saying this kind of stuff in 1973, so was Aimee Semple McPherson in 1920s Los Angeles. But it may go back a long, long way. If you read some of the writings of Robert Eisenman you begin to suspect that a very similar debate pitting accuracy vs. accessibility may have raged in the mysterious four centuries after Christ’s life among his disciples.
This is an important conversation for Christians. What is Warren trying to “sell” here? Should our faith be a reaction to the perceived moral tailspin our culture is in? I believe there is more to our faith than an opposing force to societal moral degradation.
By the way, I’m psyched about this site.
notiraglass-
Of course, for me the first problem is the untruth. Its one thing to be selling something, another to be making shit up to scare people into buying your product.
And thanks for the support!
“The simple Truth” All too often what “church folk” attempt to do is use faith (in Christ) as a pretence to indoctrinate people into a particular religious system. This is a complete reversal of what is supposed to happen in simply introducing the person of Christ embodied in ourselves allowing people to develop individual relationships with Him based on “The simple Truth”. Point is is that it’s free. If someone’s trying to sell you something you need to tell them to take a hike!