News Risk It -- 7 Weeks Without Caution

[p-no]

I am outraged, to say the least! (Maybe I'm overreacting, but I can hardly catch my breath.)

I was about to turn the tv off when there was an ad by the Evangelische Kirche (Protestant Church) of Germany. They are having a fasting campaign for a week the motto of which is "Risk It! 7 Weeks Without Caution" (I'd even say: 7 Weeks No Risk No Fun!) (original German: "RISKIER' WAS, MENSCH! 7 Tage ohne Vorsicht"). Webpage (German only): http://7wochenohne.evangelisch.de/

The ad on tv caught my eye because in some remote area, a car stopped, two men (tatooed, pierced, all in black etc. listening to hard rock music) inside. An elderly lady, in her 70s for sure, by the road side. One of the men gets out of the car and says to the woman, scanning her head to toe: "Okay, if you are willing to listen to loud music, we'll give you a ride." The lady smiles and gets in the back seat.

Up to then, I didn't know what it was about. Then they gave the motto.

Then I looked the whole thing up online and there they are saying "Some say, now we've gone to far." (with this campaign) and what they really want to accomplish is make people think over what they do and say and to pluck up the courage to do and say what needs to be done and said.

I'm still outraged! Maybe because I am very naive, due to all my abuse, I believe in the good of people, still, despite all the abuse, and can't seem to get rid of it much. I have been working on it but it's had little effect on fast and effective, adequate reactions to e.g. strangers asking for my name on public transport. Things like this I have taken serious in the past.

On another web page (German Scouts) they are suggesting cancelling your job before you have a new one, trusting you will find one in time. Etc. (They are not really saying you should do it, but they are giving examples of what one could do.)

Does anyone else think this is crazy?

 

[WillThereBeCake]

I don't speak German, so I couldn't get clarification from the website, but are they trying to get people to open up to others, not prejudge, etc.? If so, this seems a little over the top, and yes, very reckless.

I am all for people being less judgmental, but to advocate abandoning "caution" is the wrong choice of words to say the least. Telling people to ignore their instincts is dangerous. I know so many people that felt a situation was wrong but didn't want to be judgmental, or racist, or stereotype, and got in trouble. It wasn't those negative characteristics that was setting off their internal alarms, it was their instinct of danger.

Again, I might be missing something due to a language barrier, but this also strikes me as crazy.

 

[p-no]

re they trying to get people to open up to others, not prejudge, etc.

That is what they are saying, yes. They also say they do not mean to encourage people to get into dangerous situations. But that is exactly what bothers me: in the tv ad, all you see is that elderly woman get into the car with strangers. While elderly people often end up being the ones beaten up and killed around here, by strangers, often teenagers! In the ad, all you hear is the motto (as above) and that it's the evanglische Kirche who's behind it. They do not make clear in the ad what their intentions are.

What bothers me is that we teach our children to never ever hitchhike, to not open the door for strangers, to never get into a car with anyone you don't know.

Telling people to ignore their instincts is dangerous.

That's exactly what I mean.

I know so many people that felt a situation was wrong but didn't want to be judgmental, or racist, or stereotype, and got in trouble.

I am one of them, again and again.

I think they're trying to confront and get people to think. But I think most people don't even bother looking up the webpage to verify what the whole thing is about. And, honestly, I took on that attitude (to not judge) in church. But judging really is important. You can only have boundaries if you judge. And keeping them up and effective means judging all the time![DOUBLEPOST=1362423461][/DOUBLEPOST]I am sorry this is in German only. I was looking if they have an English webpage, but did not find one. It still bothers me though and I hope you all don't mind me having posted it.

 

[WillThereBeCake]

I like hearing other people's take on just this sort of thing. I think a lot of people here, myself included, are trying to navigate the overall trusting of people, and it's good to see someone else point out that this is just crazy. Language barrier aside, I think their ad was off-base. Sure, they were trying to show that people probably thought it was the tough guys that were dangerous, and then showed they were the ones scared of the old lady. While it might be cute on TV, it puts a bad message in people's minds, especially children. So, you're right on the mark and I'm glad you highlighted the issue.

There is a similar ad series here in the US sponsored by the Mormon Church, but none that I have seen go to this level. In fact, if their own church practiced many of the messages in their ads, they'd be a lot more effective ;)

 

[p-no]

Thanks, WillThereBeCake.

In fact, if their own church practiced many of the messages in their ads, they'd be a lot more effective

And: ditto. Same here.[DOUBLEPOST=1362427830][/DOUBLEPOST]By the way, I tried to find a video of the ad but couldn't.

 

[Pencil]

Now why would a church run this kind of campaign? What the hell (no pun intended) do they hope to gain or what message do they want to get across?

It is insane to encourage people to throw caution to the winds.

 

[Whitneys story]

I truly believe in the power of positive thinking. With caution. It is way over the top for me.

Evangilist's in the US are the ones protesting at funerals that dead soldiers deserved to die! That gay people don't deserve to live. Next it will be mentally ill people.

Your right Prime-No it is an outrage. I am sticking with my boundaries.

 

[Whitneys story]

Oh Pencil, There is that word "church"! Love the pun.

 

[Pencil]

There is that word "church"

Ah, of course, Whitney, how could I have missed it? :)

 

[Pencil]

Brilliant, Cake, you're right. They should run a campaign:

7 weeks without hell and brimstone!
7 weeks of letting up on homosexuality!
7 weeks of living in peace with those of denominations, even [gasp] other religions!
7 weeks of considering gender equality!

Oops, that would be the end of the church. Bad idea. Scrap.

 

[Pencil]

But could someone please explain the link between fasting and old aunties getting into cars with heavy dudes?

Despite my anti-church sentiments, I am (more than) drawn to Christianity, and the beauty of Lent. But how they fit 7 weeks, Lent (40 days), high risk and garden variety stupidity into one framework, beats me.

Please help me!

 

[a3a2]

I truly believe in the power of positive thinking. With caution. It is way over the top for me.

Evangilist's in the US are the ones protesting at funerals that dead soldiers deserved to die! That gay people don't deserve to live. Next it will be mentally ill people.

Please recognize that this is a very tiny, but vocal population. As a Christian, I am appalled by this cultish sect.