Dear Dreamers,

Several years ago a commercial artist became involved as an adult sponsor with the high school group at the church my family attended. He was kind, funny, thoughtful and an important influence on my spiritual and social life. He had a contract with several restaurants and companies in the Omaha area—he even landed the Godfather’s Pizza account and created interior designs for what was then the fastest growing fast food franchise in the U.S.

For several years he had done layout work for a local store that sold waterbeds. He was invited to visit their corporate headquarters in Chicago; you may remember the company, Peppers Waterbeds. Pat, my friend, was excited to possibly land a national account, that was until he met the CEO. After Pat shared several proposed designed for logos and store layouts, the Chief Executive expressed enthusiasm for Pat’s artistic eye. Heavily influenced by Peter Max and Alphonse Mucha, Pat tapped perfectly into the store’s late 70’s vibe with bold colors muted by soft flowing lines. But the CEO wanted something more. Leaning in, he said, “Pat, I want people to covet our product.”

Returning home, Pat told the story at youth group. While he was offered a lucrative contract, he expressed reservations about whether his artistic talents could be exploited for such unambiguously crass motivation. He said that one way or another, as a commercial artist, he knew he was always working to entice people to appreciate his clients’ products, but something about the blatant invitation for customers to break the tenth commandment for a waterbed was just one step too far.

Forty-five years later, I still think about Pat’s moment of conscience. When does persuasion cross the line into manipulation? For what reasons do I want to do a “good job”? For Pat it boiled down to the primary goal of creating such a fevered desire for flotation sleep that otherwise reasonable people would put a purchase on a credit card that they could not reasonably afford. I think the line is found on the edges of what we might consider the difference between a committed group and a cult. What relationships, values, integrity will be sacrificed for the sake of a cause, a person, a piece of furniture? When we encounter aggressive persuasion, how hard is it to walk away?

I would suggest that whatever is being sold, if you are being told you will be less of a person if you say no, there’s your sign. It’s the same rhetoric used by abusers: “If you leave, you’ll be alone.” “Only an idiot would walk away.” “You’re special if you stick around, but a loser if you leave.” “Step out of this chance and you will experience a world of hurt.”

If there’s soul-crushing pain threatened with voluntary disassociation, run—don’t walk—to another store.

Perhaps unrelated, Peppers Waterbeds declared bankruptcy in 1983.

Finding ways to sleep at night, I remain,

With Love,
Jonathan Krogh
Your Pastor