“Raising Awareness” vs. Getting Results

I really don’t want to write this post. I probably shouldn’t. I guess I can take solace in the fact that nobody reads my blog, so I can write whatever I want. But I also don’t want somebody to stumble by and misunderstand me. Some people can be incredibly irrational, and from the depths of misguided emotion, will draw conclusions that were never intended.

For instance, I once wrote a post that did little more than make my reader(s) aware of a humorous post Tim Challies wrote comparing Joel Osteen’s (ghostwritten) sayings to fortune cookies. Somebody stumbled across my post and somehow drew the conclusion that because he had a fortune cookie with a proverb in it, we should stop reading the book of Proverbs.

And so, as this post continues, I want you to know up front: I HAVE ABSLOTELY NOTHING AGAINST BREAST CANCER OR CHARITIY. I will only be discussing and ranting about methods and terminology associated with them.

The other day, a friend of mine opened up a fecal storm with a post on Facebook. It got nasty fast. I was going to jump in and attempt to help him out, but the hits were coming fast and furious and I realized that nobody involved would listen to reason. So I caught him later and we discussed it free from the irrationality of the others involved.

Apparently, there was a campaign that was supposed to somehow “raise awareness” of breast cancer by asking women to post where they like to put their purses in the form of a sexual innuendo “I like it on…” How posting “I like it on the coat rack” or “I like it in the back seat of the car” “I like it in the trunk” or whatever else is supposed to “raise awareness” for breast cancer is beyond me.

I’m also curious as to the point. “Raising awareness for breast cancer”. Is there anybody who is not “aware” of breast cancer? Especially on Facebook? What exactly does that mean anyway? I’m “aware” of breast cancer. Therefore, your objective has been met and you can leave me alone and stop annoying me

This is what I think: this is little more than a way to make people feel better about themselves while requiring no risk or effort. You post a Facebook status. Good job, little girl! I’m sure by posting “I like it on the floor next to the coat rack” is going to cure breast cancer! Why didn’t we start this 40 years ago?

I’m not a fan of doing things that make you feel good but not accomplishing anything. Drink some booze or take a hot bath if that’s all you’re after.

The same goes for those stupid “If you love Jesus, then post this as your Facebook status”. No. I’m not doing it. I’ve never done it, and I don’t plan to start now. Or ever. Copying and pasting a status message about Jesus does absolutely nothing for Him. If anything, it cheapens His name. Go do something productive for Him. Go help the poor. Donate some non-expired food to a church pantry.

Seriously, my wife has run the food pantries for 2 churches. At our last church, we’d get up to 7 bags at a time of expired food. In 2009, we were getting food that had expired in the 90’s as donations. Most of the food that came in had to be thrown away.

All I’m saying is, if you really believe in a cause, then go do something productive for it. If your life’s mission is to eradicate breast cancer, then go to places where people might not be aware of it, or the dangers of it, or their responsibilities regarding it. But I’ll give you a hint: your efforts will not produce any results by copying a status message on Facebook.