I know, I know, the Superbowl was
so last week...or was it two weeks ago? I've been ruminating on something and am finally finding a bit of space to sit down and write about it. I love Superbowl commercials, unless the Seahawks or 49ers are playing, the commercials really are the reason to watch the big game (that, and it's an excuse to consume large amounts of sour cream-based dips which somehow seems allowable because it's practically unpatriotic to not eat potato chips and onion dip on Superbowl Day). For the most part, the commercials are entertaining and relatively clean, and we "consume" them with about as much thought as we are giving to the quantity of potato chips we're ingesting. Go Daddy (some internet hosting site, whatever the heck that means) has always pushed the boundaries using sexy models to get guys to go visit their website, but I've never been interested in internet hosting, so besides being annoyed by their commercials the company has no impact on my daily life. This year, however, many of you might remember the Sketchers commercial towards the end of the game where Kim Kardashian sexily leads her physical trainer on, then breaks up with him because apparently the Sketchers Shape Up shoes work better than he ever has. Some of you may disagree with me, but I would argue that it was borderline pornographic. She had some clothes on, but the commercial was so suggestive and so blatanly using sex to sell their product that I was uncomfortable watching it. We were watching with the youth, and several moms in the room started telling the boys to look away. I agree, this wasn't an appropriate commercial for any age really.
The next day in class we were talking about practical theology--what it is and how it works. Chap was explaining that we all participate in practical theology, most of us just aren't consciously aware that this is what we're doing. But everytime we make a choice based on our theology, that's practical theology--where the rubber hits the road if you will. He used this commercial as an example. We discussed how over the top inappropriate this commercial was, and now as Christians we have a choice to make--will we continue to purchase Sketchers products? Or will we choose a different brand of shoe that has advertising that better lines up with the values we have? I hadn't thought about it much, but at some level, this is a theological issue. Where we choose to spend our money, the companies we choose to support, the brands we wear and what these companies do or don't stand for are all theological issues. I have a pair of Sketchers, I love them, they've lasted 4 years now and are wearing out, so I was recently thinking of replacing them. However, I hate the way they used their Superbowl slot. As much as I love the shoes, my theology says our bodies are God's temple not advertising ploys, that sex is for marriage, not for selling foot wear. It's tough in our world today. Will my choosing to not buy a brand of shoes for my family anymore have lasting impacts on a company? No, and I realize that. However I think at some point we have to start taking some small steps to say "hold on, this isn't right...my kids are watching this game and I don't want to have to tell them to turn their heads at commercial breaks." What I do know is that it is important to be mindful patrons of businesses, to be wise in how we use our money to support companies and causes, and that we are all called to be practical theologians--to let the rubber hit the road as we live out this crazy journey of faith.
I know, I know, the Superbowl was so last week...or was it two weeks ago? I've been ruminating on something and am finally finding a bit of space to sit down and write about it. I love Superbowl commercials, unless the Seahawks or 49ers are playing, the commercials really are the reason to watch the big game (that, and it's an excuse to consume large amounts of sour cream-based dips which somehow seems allowable because it's practically unpatriotic to not eat potato chips and onion dip on Superbowl Day). For the most part, the commercials are entertaining and relatively clean, and we "consume" them with about as much thought as we are giving to the quantity of potato chips we're ingesting. Go Daddy (some internet hosting site, whatever the heck that means) has always pushed the boundaries using sexy models to get guys to go visit their website, but I've never been interested in internet hosting, so besides being annoyed by their commercials the company has no impact on my daily life. This year, however, many of you might remember the Sketchers commercial towards the end of the game where Kim Kardashian sexily leads her physical trainer on, then breaks up with him because apparently the Sketchers Shape Up shoes work better than he ever has. Some of you may disagree with me, but I would argue that it was borderline pornographic. She had some clothes on, but the commercial was so suggestive and so blatanly using sex to sell their product that I was uncomfortable watching it. We were watching with the youth, and several moms in the room started telling the boys to look away. I agree, this wasn't an appropriate commercial for any age really.
The next day in class we were talking about practical theology--what it is and how it works. Chap was explaining that we all participate in practical theology, most of us just aren't consciously aware that this is what we're doing. But everytime we make a choice based on our theology, that's practical theology--where the rubber hits the road if you will. He used this commercial as an example. We discussed how over the top inappropriate this commercial was, and now as Christians we have a choice to make--will we continue to purchase Sketchers products? Or will we choose a different brand of shoe that has advertising that better lines up with the values we have? I hadn't thought about it much, but at some level, this is a theological issue. Where we choose to spend our money, the companies we choose to support, the brands we wear and what these companies do or don't stand for are all theological issues. I have a pair of Sketchers, I love them, they've lasted 4 years now and are wearing out, so I was recently thinking of replacing them. However, I hate the way they used their Superbowl slot. As much as I love the shoes, my theology says our bodies are God's temple not advertising ploys, that sex is for marriage, not for selling foot wear. It's tough in our world today. Will my choosing to not buy a brand of shoes for my family anymore have lasting impacts on a company? No, and I realize that. However I think at some point we have to start taking some small steps to say "hold on, this isn't right...my kids are watching this game and I don't want to have to tell them to turn their heads at commercial breaks." What I do know is that it is important to be mindful patrons of businesses, to be wise in how we use our money to support companies and causes, and that we are all called to be practical theologians--to let the rubber hit the road as we live out this crazy journey of faith.
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