So says church180 in their new television adverts (they had one on during the NBN news). church180’s slogan is “turn it around“, their new advertising campaign suggests that you can’t find all the answers in google and if you need to turn your life around you need to join their church.
church180 seems to be inferring (see their websites) that by finding God you can fix relationships, your job, health and finances. Do you think the church can do this? Is this perhaps false advertising?
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Oz Atheist's Weblog 
I can do without reading what is an all to common ploy of some churches, so I will respond generally.
We are all on a journey that is based, I believed, on knowing and being known. For many of us, the journey is one that (hopefully) leads to God. For many, the pursuit does not entail any theistic entities whatsoever. I suggest, however, that all paths are journeys of faith – faith in something that gives us hope.
False hope, like that proposed by “prosperity theologies” like the one referenced are spiritually and ethically criminal. It is false advertising aimed, generally, at making the church leadership prosperous at the expense of the prospective membership. The church jargon for this is, “The minister feeding on the flock.”
Hope comes from a yearning for something better. Finding God, if that is the way you realize hope, simply gives tools to continue hoping in the face of tribulations – it does not make the journey a smooth one.
If they infer it, no. If they promise it, yes.
Is this perhaps false advertising?
It’s really far too vague to say, and depends on the services the church offers. Your relationships? You’ll make new friends among the flock. Your job? Maybe the church will hire you. Your health? Placebo effect of prayer and all that, though perhaps the church provides pro bono medical services, dietitians and fitness consultants. Your finances? Pro bono financial planning and accountancy. (Didn’t say it was likely.)
How funny is this! I was a fundie until university and I turned my life around – a total 180 degrees. For me, to know what is truth (both science and how my ex church operated) was the best thing that has happened to me. I have a hope in what is now and present. I want to help those in need and I cringe at those who do wrong to others. I am a much happier and fulfilled person and my friends see that. I have no guilt for living my life to the fullest and for living with my beautiful fiance who has stood by me through thick and thin. I find myself more honest and open in discussions and have so many more genuine friends now because of it. I will never discriminate or hate anyone’s actions (unless they affect others negatively) and really hate it when religion has a grip on people and they are sad or have no way out. I will never ram my thoughts down anyone’s throat, but if someone asks, I will show them both sides of where both religion and atheists come from. I love life thanks to being an atheist and I live for now as no one really knows what there is after death even though we like to think we know. Life is beautiful and I love it!
Huh. I hate it when they do this – religions hijacking philosophy, that is.
It’s always a case of creating a false dichotomy whereby if science/technology doesn’t have the answer, Religion must have it.
Well maybe google doesn’t have all the answers, but religion surely doesn’t have them either. If you agree that the unexamined life is not worth living, then run!!! Run away!!! Run for your (examined) life!!! From the church, that is.
Google has a pretty damn good track record. For instance, today I was looking up something totally random that had to do with the movie Mallrats, so I googled it, and my google was answered.