Subliminal? I don't think so.

This past Sunday, while in church, I created a new word. Sublaminal – pronounced SUB-BLAM-INAL

Definition – an intentionally over emphasized subliminal message. As in “BLAM”, in your face.

According to Wikipedia, a subliminal message is a signal or message embedded in another medium, designed to pass below the normal limits of the human mind's perception. These messages are unrecognizable by the conscious mind, but in certain situations can affect the subconscious mind and can negatively or positively influence subsequent later thoughts, behaviors, actions, attitudes, belief systems and value systems.

Within the church world, I think we are often guilty of SUB-BLAM-INAL. We want to get a message across to the folks/fold, we don’t want to be overt, but we are a little too obvious… BLAM, suBLAMinal.

What are some good examples of suBLAMinal? I am trying to recall some I have been part of.

A few years ago, when we had a Sunday evening church service, we’d want to encourage people to make the effort to come out for that service, yet we’d try to not-so-subtly hint that “real Christians” come out for the service. There probably are some more substantial measurements of a “real Christian.” In fact, I read several of them in Galatians, Ephesians and Philippians today.