“People Who Buy Our Stuff Are More Likely to Get to Heaven”

This is the tone of some of the T.V. and radio commercials at General Conference time. They really bug me. I don’t mind being told about books or other products that may be of help to me in successfully navigating my way through life as a person or parent, but don’t tell me I actually need a particular product that you sell in order to do it. Some of these ads seem to build or prey on our sense of pride and try to create a “better than” attitude. Can the ad execs at these companies not see the flaws in what they are doing? Truly, these products may help me, but don’t imply that they are necessary to my salvation. Tell me what your product does and simply let me decide without all the clamor. “Stuffitis” strikes the Church. Ads like this help you understand why Christ drove the money-changers and others from the temple with such ferocity.