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The following words are going to be disturbing on several levels.

1.  I am going to be talking about doing laundry.

2.  I am going to be talking about how girls should dress, which will make some think I am a prude.

3. I am going to be talking about doing laundry (I said that, already, but I hate doing laundry).

I do have to do laundry at times. It is not the norm, mind you, because my wife is very particular about how things are to be done. She can go totally postal (sorta) if clothes are not washed and dried properly. Towels have to be folded just so-so. Colors are an important, for some reason. She even wants it done on a regular basis. For crying out loud! I don’t know if I can handle all of the stress.

My wife is pretty particular about our laundry, but we are both capable of handling the job. However, I may know more than I want her to think. If I volunteer too much info, then you know what will happen – she’ll make me do more laundry.  I would rather wash the car, sweep the garage, or go on vacation. So, don’t be surprized to learn that a few colored items end up in the wash with whites every now and then. I don’t want her to trust me too much.  But when it comes to detergent, we are in total agreement and get along just fine. We do NOT use Tide.

What is wrong with Tide? Nothing is wrong with the product.  As a matter of fact, Tide rests on the top of the laundry pile when it comes to quality – it does what it promises.  So what is the problem? Tide’s advertising.

It seems to me that someone at Proctor & Gamble needs to learn a little about parenting, marriage, and ethics.  A couple of recent commercials leave me wondering whether or not they understand the role of a mother or a father, or the difference between love and enabling. First there was the commercial showing a mother lying to her daughter about wearing and soiling a particular top. Then came the newest commercial depicting a caring dad as a prudish killjoy, while the mom becomes the hero when she washes the daughters miniskirt.  What is going on, here? Well, it’s called advertizing.

Tide’s slogan is now, “Style is an option. Clean is not.” Style is an option. As a recovering legalist, I try to be careful when it comes to choices people make about clothing. I don’t want to be too quick to judge, for there are many options available to those who have the money to spend; yet, taste should not take precedent over decency and modesty. As a company, P&G may think it is making a point about clean clothes, but the commercials are encouraging real ethical problems.

Let’s take, for instance, the mother lying over the daughter’s green top (http://youtube.com/watch?v=1cljX9iMwgQ). The commercial is cute, for sure. It even gives a shout out to grown ups for still being able to get down and have fun (you go, Mom!). But what about lying to your children? What about taking things without asking? OK, so it’s pretty harmless, right? It’s not like the mom is causing the girl to sin, or anything, you think? Maybe not, but there’s more.

Picture this: dad walks by clothes line, sees white miniskirt, takes it down with dirty hands, then throws it away. Next, girl finds miniskirt in trash, takes it to mom who promptly washes it in Tide, then looks begrudgingly at husband before smiling with approval at scantily dressed daughter who walks passed a shocked dad. Please tell me I am not the only one who sees something wrong with this.

Again, “style is an option,” but clean is not. The only problem is that the role of the parent is to protect and mentor the child, not just provide her clean clothes. Whether or not the dad should have thrown away his daughter’s skirt is debatable (I would have, especially if she was underage). What is not debatable is that the dad did not want his daughter wearing something that was meant to make guys want to see more.  The dad wanted to protect his little girl. Mom, on the other hand, showed no respect for her husband and gave the impression that crimping one’s style is more dangerous than causing boys to lust. That’s what is wrong with this kind of advertising.

For a while there have been rumors circulating about Proctor & Gamble (makers of Tide) giving money to the Church of Satan. According to Snopes.com, the stories are completely false, maybe scandalous (http://www.snopes.com/business/alliance/procter.asp). This is not why I chose not to purchase Tide. I simply do not want to encourage a form of advertising that clearly belittles parental perogatives and elevates unethical behavior.

Style is an option, but a clean heart is not.

For the record, if you are a parent and let your daughter wear miniskirts and the like, don’t complain when you end up dealing with pregnancy, STD’s, abuse, or abduction. Even more, don’t be astonished when you stand before the Lord and give an account. Your allowing your daughter to dress that way not only puts her in danger, but leaves you partly responsible for causing another mother’s son to sin, “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” – Mat 5:28 ESV

One more reason why I don’t use Tide is this: it reminds me too much of Alabama…ugh!