So this letter came in the mail to my address today, and it was very clear before I opened the envelope that what was inside would be highly religious material - this was evidenced by an ornate looking cross placed where the sender's address would normally be, and words in about 18-pt. ornate (but not calligraphic) font, telling me that "inside would be the prophecy that would change my world..." I was both amused and bemused at the same time. It came from Tulsa, and when I opened the envelope, there was another sealed sheet inside it - it instructed as follows:

"Only break open this [/b]sealed prophecy after you have put this postcard and your [b]prayer requests back in the mail to this 58-year old church ministry.

If for any reason you are not going to return this Church Prayer Card then this sacred prophecy must be destroyed, unopened and unread, because this is a sacred, spiritual prophecy, sealed word, concerning you and your future. Remember, the Bible saus, "Let your requests be made known unto God." Philippians 4:6.

I opened it anyway, as you might guess, and inside was mainly a letter with more talk about what purpose prophecy really served, but it also took a "tent revival" turn, and started really trying to elicit an emotional response from me . It even went so far as to say "Even now you are facing a decision that must be made..."

I won't bore you with the rest of the details. That's not the point of posting this. It's very odd that I get this letter the day after studying something in my Humanities class - about the differences between Apollonian and Dionysian responses. The following is taken from my text:

"He identified as Apollonian that side of the human personality dominated by disciplined, analytical, rational and coherent thought...He dubbed as Dionysian that side of the human personality dominated by emotion, intuition and freedom from limits, the side that responds emotionally to music, as well as the force and fury of tragedy.

It further goes on to explain (summarizing) how movie companies have crafted the cinematic experience, where there will be a certain scene in a movie that will get right at our soul (popcorn syndrome), and while this is okay, it then urged the reader to be ready for a "popcorn hangover."

I just happened to see two commercials just now - one was of an anime DVD compilation that offered over "2,000 minutes", and the other was for a basketball DVD game" - and I made a very interesting connection. The way I felt about these commercials was the exact same way I felt about receiving this letter - it was like all three were trying to go after a part of my spirit; a part of my spirit that I wouldn't normally be open to. A Dionysian response, as far as I can tell.

I know it took a while to make my point, but I want to ask the org if they've had similar experiences (or if they've even received the same letter or a similar letter), and if yes, how did you feel/what did you think? It will be tempting to respond "I just thought it was some whack job outfit that was just trying to prey on the weak-minded" or some other such response.

Your thoughts, org?

I feel that advertising targets people's emotions so that they spend, and not think.
Some of the things they advertise I can do without,
but they make you think and feel that you absolutely 'need' it.

I used to use Melaleuca products before, and it was like a club,
and to purchase the products, first you had to go to a presentation.
The presentation, to me, felt like it was designed to corner the attendee,
because it made them feel like they couldn't live without the products.
Then again too, salesmen know that spending is based on emotions, so they try to appeal to the person's 'needs'.

I don't know if that makes sense, but that's what I felt from those presentations and sales pitches.

it does make sense. I was involved with a certain self-empowerment company for a while several years ago, and I got a TREMENDOUS amount of good out of it (and still use the precepts I learned to this day), but a bit part of their education involved having people call their friends and family and have them come attend an introduction. I wouldn't call it coercive, but it was more like what you described. They would say things like "if you needed to go to a doctor, you wouldn't wait months before you could afford it, would you...?" I also heard from others who tired of the whole sales aspect of it, and said they felt cornered, in the sense that at every available opportunity, there was someone around the potential new registrant telling them what the program had done for them. I'm fortunate in that I was put through on scholarship, and subsequently assisted in other courses to get the value of the seminar (and then some). I contemplated going through some more courses and paying for them, but changed my mind, because it seems like I've gotten everything I need from the program.

those letters, they suck...i got one similar,it never asked for money,just
basically asked you to return something in it(some penny or nickel they had sent) if you needed prayers..and
but my life hasn't been the same..and not exactly in a good way.at the time it came,i was doing rather well in life work and home...and i kept getting back things from them..'good things are coming to you' never asked me to buy or for money (weird)but things did change and the direction was not good
i've been more than 3 years trying to staighten things out and i'm not done...
but i stopped communicating(sending back respones) i'd say within a year after sending the first...it was the only thing i've done with a church mailing..
the only time i've responded...and only a month ago,in cleaning out my trunk and the spare tire area, i found a letter from the church(St.Michael's or St.Matthew's) i ripped it into many tiny pieces..i can't say exactly why, but i felt better...
no i don't know what point i'm trying to make..
maybe it was just that i've never reponded to a 'church' mailing before that
and later i thought,maybe if i just hadn't bothered...
but it seemed to relate to your letter. even when they don't ask,it seems like they take something...

is this a letter from the Pat Robertson show? (CBN)

I would have burnt that bitch immediately.

JustErin said:

i get them still...i do just as it says.. 'if you don't need the prayers, don't even open this'
but you are right, it says nothing about burning it...

an avon lady left an avon catalog on the front seat of my car at the bank the other day. My window was open, so I guess that was an "OK" for her to put her hands and her shit in my car.

JerseyKRS said:

damn rude i would say..
but then,when people saw something in my car they wanted, they just broke my window and took it..
since these people are in the same area,i'll trade..
j/k

JerseyKRS said:

Can't you legally shoot an Avon lady for that in the US? The gun laws must have some upsides, after all.

I got a letter in the mail from the Jehovah's Witness church around the corner from my house the other day. I guess the person who sent it knocked on my door, but I wasn't home. I wasn't sure if I was to feel amused or angry. It's bad enough that they knock on your doors; now they send you letters too???? I put a sign on my door now that reads, "No solicitors / Jehovah's Witnesses please!!!!" That should stop them. And if someone knocks on my door, if I'm not expecting anyone, I'm just not answering it. I don't care if they hear my TV on, or hear me talking. I'm just going to ignore them.

psychodelicide said:

one day (when i knew they were in the neighborhood)..

they knocked on my door and i answeared it wearing my black robe, they turned around and left without sayin too much...seemed to be in a hurry,too...
i wonder what it was ...

peb319 said:

They probably didn't like that you were all dressed in black. They probably thought you were evil (which I know you're not).

psychodelicide said:

maybe they didn't like my necklace?
or was it my hair??
i don't know... i know my house was clean and the kids weren't trying kill
each other,and the cat box was cleaned out,so that didn't smell...

i just can't figger it out...

peb319 said:

eaglebear4839 said:

I had no idea God lived in Tulsa! does monigram know this?
[Edited 1/28/09 16:32pm]

I don't get that kind of letter but when people, namely Christians, tout these singular success stories as a way to manipulate the way I feel about women's rights I laugh in their face and tell them succcess stories make for bad law

psychodelicide said:

but they never came to my door the rest of the time i lived at that
apartment...the 3 nails in the door didn't tell them a thing..

A local church always sends me a picture of Jesus with his eyes closed but if you stare at it long enough, his eyes will appear to open. One of those eye trick pictures. I'm not religious, but it creeps me the fuck out. I throw it away immediately.

peb319 said:

You're lucky they didn't come back. I'm hoping my sign on the door keeps the JWs away. If not, I need to dress in all black or something.

JuliePurplehead said:

That IS creepy!

JuliePurplehead said:

I would get a weird vibe from that.

eaglebear4839 said:

So did you get a free education from that?

I've seen this one salesman from a different company who was so convincing,
he even cried, we thought he was sincere.
But those stories he told us and cried about were false.

JuliePurplehead said:

Weird. They think creeping ppl out will make them join the church?