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Over on the XY Code, I mentioned I came across a lingerie ad on a Bible site while working on a sermon. Then today while reading an article on the website of a well-known Christian magazine, I saw ads for an easy way to end toenail fungus and what was almost certainly a scam for “losing unsightly belly fat”.
I understand having to pay the bills. But what shows up on a website affects how readers see the site. If the ads put us off, that harms how we view the site. A big company can pick and choose to some degree, but small sites have to accept a plugin that shows all manner of ads, including lingerie ads.
I have two thoughts on this:
- In all areas of our life what we allow to be shared with our “audience” affects how others see us. So that friend who is with a different woman every month is affecting how your wife thinks about you. It’s also hurting your attempts to get your kids to keep their pants on until they get married. And how does it affect your witness to unsaved friends? Your choices in TV shows, books, and magazines have a similar impact.
- We get this because not enough of us are willing to financially support the things we like and use. We’ve decided the internet should be free and that pushes content providers to advertise. If you like what a website or podcast does, find a way to support it. I know many Christian marriage sites are running in the red and a number of good resources have gone offline or stopped adding new content because they can’t afford the time necessary to keep going.
I should note this is not a sneaky way to ask for contributions. God uses our followers to keep us paying the bills and we are blessed by that. There’s a link at the bottom if you want to donate, but that’s not my motivation for this rant.
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I’ll go against McLuhan,
and spare y’all some tedium,
because, according to God’s plan,
the message is the medium.
It matters how it gets there,
no corners can be cut,
because we’re in that bright place where
no ifs or ands or buts
can be allowed attendance
to undercut the theme;
we have an independence
that we may live the dream
of standing with the Lord of Hosts,
but in that we can’t count the costs.