In 1956 movie producers began to first experiment with a technique in advertisement that was, at that time, completely new. It was called subliminal advertisement. Twenty one years later the FCC released a report on the subject. In that report, "subliminal projection" was described as “a technique of projecting information below the viewing audience's threshold of sensation or awareness. It involves flashing a message lasting only a fraction of a second on the television screen.” Theoretically, the viewer receives such a message without realizing he or she has observed it.
In a Fort Lee, N.J. movie theater, during a six-week period, patrons reportedly were exposed to two advertising messages projected subliminally on the screen during the regular presentation of the motion picture "Picnic." The words "Drink Coca-Cola" and "Hungry? Eat Popcorn" were flashed on the screen every five seconds at the subliminal level of 1/3000th of a second. As a result, increased sales in popcorn and Coca-Cola were reported.
Apart from using it in television advertising, radio stations have also used an audio version of the same technique by inserting and fading in under musical recordings, in quick low voices, a barely audible phrase. Thus there is both a visual and audio version of the same technique.
In subliminal projection, while the viewer or listener is not consciously aware of the message, the advertiser is fully aware of the design of his project. In contrast, I believe that in our church world today there is such a thing as a subliminal teaching that is so subliminal that both the teacher and the learner are less than fully aware of the process. So that we might not be guilty of acting, either consciously or subconsciously, in a way that would not be constructive to the kingdom of Christ, would it not be helpful to examine this theory? I believe that it would!
As with subliminal projection, so there is more than one version of “subliminal teaching.” 1) There is first of all subliminal teaching by insinuation. This form can be very powerful. Certain issues which are usually personal beliefs as opposed to universal mandates, are briefly mentioned in such a way as to leave the implication (whether intended or not) that they are universally-held positions, and as such need no elaboration. Therefore anyone believing or practicing the contrary is made to look like a willful rebel.
2) There is also what I refer to as the “sandwich” technique. A belief or teaching of insignificant proportion is thinly sliced and sandwiched between two weightier matters of thought or Biblical theology. This way, that which is very small in and of itself is categorized along with that which is indeed of great importance. This explains, in part, the inverted priorities of some. For example: a preacher might be listing some of those issues of dress and personal appearance to which we as Christians should adhere. He might condemn short hair and pants on women and in the same breath condemn beards on men. While the first two are clearly Scriptural principles, the latter at best might be classified as merely prudential. But by listing the prudentials in the same breath as these that are Scriptural essentials, the prudentials are given the same weight as those things that are clearly Scriptural mandates.
3) There is, in addition to these, the isolation technique. By isolating ourselves from those who would vary even slightly in their beliefs on nonessentials, we subliminally teach our young people by giving them the “illusion” that anyone of any importance in the Christian world believes exactly like our church or pastor. What happens many times is that when they are eventually introduced to the real Christian world and their eyes are opened, they become “disillusioned.” But now the disillusion is with the ones who subjected them to the isolation technique and subliminally taught an Elijah mentality, when there are indeed many who have not bowed the knee to Baal.
4) Then there is what I will call the “monkey-see-monkey-do” technique. More than by what is systematically taught, the preacher or teacher’s underlying belief system is taught by what he does. Nothing could be more true than the old adage “Your actions speak so loud I can’t hear a word you say.” One man said that more is caught than is taught. It is common for a man to verbally teach only that which is strictly orthodox but do so with contradictory overtones. For instance: a man might verbally teach that sin is a willful disobedience to a known law of God, but at the same time the obviously unenlightened or less enlightened Christian from the non-conservative church is treated, in many respects, as a non-Christian.
This underlying belief system is also subliminally taught by the high level of priority placed on outward conformity to the dress code held by the church. Not that the outward man is not important, but in this case the inward state of the heart is forced to take back seat to the outward merely by the over-emphasis placed on the latter. This man might clearly teach in his sermon that it is`by grace that we are saved through faith; and that not of ourselves: it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast--- yet the more persuasive message is that which is subliminally taught by what he does.
We must also realize that this “monkey-see-monkey-do” technique works both ways. The same thing happens when a man verbally teaches separation from the world yet puts his approval on everything he condemns when those who have ignored the teachings of God’s Word are placed in leadership positions. “Oh consistency, thou art a jewel!”
May God enlighten us that we might wholly teach what we believe, believe what we teach, and be consistent in all things.
Philip Burch
In a Fort Lee, N.J. movie theater, during a six-week period, patrons reportedly were exposed to two advertising messages projected subliminally on the screen during the regular presentation of the motion picture "Picnic." The words "Drink Coca-Cola" and "Hungry? Eat Popcorn" were flashed on the screen every five seconds at the subliminal level of 1/3000th of a second. As a result, increased sales in popcorn and Coca-Cola were reported.
Apart from using it in television advertising, radio stations have also used an audio version of the same technique by inserting and fading in under musical recordings, in quick low voices, a barely audible phrase. Thus there is both a visual and audio version of the same technique.
In subliminal projection, while the viewer or listener is not consciously aware of the message, the advertiser is fully aware of the design of his project. In contrast, I believe that in our church world today there is such a thing as a subliminal teaching that is so subliminal that both the teacher and the learner are less than fully aware of the process. So that we might not be guilty of acting, either consciously or subconsciously, in a way that would not be constructive to the kingdom of Christ, would it not be helpful to examine this theory? I believe that it would!
As with subliminal projection, so there is more than one version of “subliminal teaching.” 1) There is first of all subliminal teaching by insinuation. This form can be very powerful. Certain issues which are usually personal beliefs as opposed to universal mandates, are briefly mentioned in such a way as to leave the implication (whether intended or not) that they are universally-held positions, and as such need no elaboration. Therefore anyone believing or practicing the contrary is made to look like a willful rebel.
2) There is also what I refer to as the “sandwich” technique. A belief or teaching of insignificant proportion is thinly sliced and sandwiched between two weightier matters of thought or Biblical theology. This way, that which is very small in and of itself is categorized along with that which is indeed of great importance. This explains, in part, the inverted priorities of some. For example: a preacher might be listing some of those issues of dress and personal appearance to which we as Christians should adhere. He might condemn short hair and pants on women and in the same breath condemn beards on men. While the first two are clearly Scriptural principles, the latter at best might be classified as merely prudential. But by listing the prudentials in the same breath as these that are Scriptural essentials, the prudentials are given the same weight as those things that are clearly Scriptural mandates.
3) There is, in addition to these, the isolation technique. By isolating ourselves from those who would vary even slightly in their beliefs on nonessentials, we subliminally teach our young people by giving them the “illusion” that anyone of any importance in the Christian world believes exactly like our church or pastor. What happens many times is that when they are eventually introduced to the real Christian world and their eyes are opened, they become “disillusioned.” But now the disillusion is with the ones who subjected them to the isolation technique and subliminally taught an Elijah mentality, when there are indeed many who have not bowed the knee to Baal.
4) Then there is what I will call the “monkey-see-monkey-do” technique. More than by what is systematically taught, the preacher or teacher’s underlying belief system is taught by what he does. Nothing could be more true than the old adage “Your actions speak so loud I can’t hear a word you say.” One man said that more is caught than is taught. It is common for a man to verbally teach only that which is strictly orthodox but do so with contradictory overtones. For instance: a man might verbally teach that sin is a willful disobedience to a known law of God, but at the same time the obviously unenlightened or less enlightened Christian from the non-conservative church is treated, in many respects, as a non-Christian.
This underlying belief system is also subliminally taught by the high level of priority placed on outward conformity to the dress code held by the church. Not that the outward man is not important, but in this case the inward state of the heart is forced to take back seat to the outward merely by the over-emphasis placed on the latter. This man might clearly teach in his sermon that it is`by grace that we are saved through faith; and that not of ourselves: it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast--- yet the more persuasive message is that which is subliminally taught by what he does.
We must also realize that this “monkey-see-monkey-do” technique works both ways. The same thing happens when a man verbally teaches separation from the world yet puts his approval on everything he condemns when those who have ignored the teachings of God’s Word are placed in leadership positions. “Oh consistency, thou art a jewel!”
May God enlighten us that we might wholly teach what we believe, believe what we teach, and be consistent in all things.
Philip Burch
