If we were to believe some of the advertisements in circulation today, we might assume that happiness, success, health, serenity, security, beauty, and joy are dependent on matter. But there are probably very few people who really do believe the more fanciful claims—that to eat Krunchy-Bitz for breakfast will enable one to score a home run that wins the game. Or, that to use Bubbly-Fome for the dishes will lead to the winning of a beauty contest.
Extravagant statements never convince reasonable thinkers. Yet, even though they are not fully believed, such advertisements may sow seeds of negative suggestion. They may persuade us that material things are very important to our welfare, or that they contribute, at least to some extent, to our happiness and success—indeed, that without certain objects we never can be wholly satisfied.
But this is not true. Man is dependent on God, not on matter, and to believe otherwise is to exclude ourselves from the full enjoyment of His spiritual provision. While advertising of the right kind can be of real service to the public, offering useful information, it is wise to keep sharply alert to the negative kind that fosters reliance upon matter for happiness and success.
