August 23; Is There a Difference Between a ‘Business Lie’ and a ‘Life Lie’?
MANAGEMENT BY THE BOOK:
365 Daily Bible Verse &
One-Minute Management Lessons For The Busy Faithful

Chapter Eight: Communication; 23 August

…Jesus replied,

“‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal,

you shall not give false testimony,

Matthew 19:18b

Marketing Misdirection

Your Business Professor asks the above question in every class. Student answers range from the long and convoluted to the longer and confused.

The answer is short, as truth usually is: no.

Our culture, as reflected or promoted in Hollywood, depicts capitalism and business and making money as being a virtue-free fire zone, where honesty is the first casualty.

The movie, Sunshine Cleaning released in 2008, sums up the Hollywood liberal-elite’s interpretation of how business gets done. The film stars Amy Adams as Rose Lorkowski who starts her own new business. Her father, played by Alan Arkin, is a near-do-well salesman, who surprises his daughter at the end of the movie,

Father: I got to talk with you,

Daughter: OK

Father: I have to move in with you and Oscar for a while

Daughter: Why?

Father: Just temporarily until I get my own place

Daughter: –You lost the house…

Father: No–

Daughter: Dad, how could you lose the house?

Father: I didn’t lose the house—I sold the house, I had a very good opportunity and I took it—

Daughter: –I hope it’s not shrimp

Father: No, it’s not—nothing fly-by-night. I have a partner, a really good partner who knows the ropes and I’m going to be working under them…

The father points to a clean white van with a prominent company logo on the side,

Lorkowski

Family

Cleaning

Since 1963

Daughter: Dad —“Since 1963…?”

Father: Yea, it gives a sense of stability. People like that.

Daughter: It’s a lie…

Father: It’s a ‘business’ lie. It’s different from a ‘life’ lie.

Daughter: I can live with that.

Father: You be the boss…

The closing music* signals the happy business union.

Hollywood is confused about commerce: A lie is a lie.

Matthew 19:18b Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, we read that Christ puts lying in the same phrase as with cheating others of property, cheating on your spouse and cheating a person out of life.

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*The end of the movie would simply be cute. Except the movie’s closing soundtrack is “Spirit In The Sky” written and performed by Norman Greenbaum. I don’t know if there is a conspiracy or cultural incompetence but Popular culture and Pop music seem to be consistent in ethics and theology.
When I die and they lay me to rest
Gonna go to the place that’s the best
When I lay me down to die
Goin’ up to the spirit in the sky
…
Prepare yourself you know it’s a must
Gotta have a friend in Jesus
So you know that when you die
He’s gonna recommend you
To the spirit in the sky
Never been a sinner I never sinned
I got a friend in Jesus (Jeffs 2008)