Rosie O'Donnell, Scope Mouthwash, and the Cross

Scope, the mouthwash company, tried to get a little advertising at talk show host, Rosie O'Donnell's expense; now they wish they hadn't. It all began when Scope named Rosie the "least kissable" TV talk show host. Rosie responded by plugging Scope's competitor, Listerine, and declaring that Scope tastes "like scum." Guests which came on Rosie's show pointedly kissed her. Listerine took full advantage of the situation and offered to give $1,000 to one of Rosie's favorite charities for every kiss she received on her show. Celebrities, including the full cast of one Broadway show, lined up to kiss Rosie. Listerine paid out over a half million dollars to make good on their promise. It was money well spent. It was an advertising bonanza for Listerine. Scope finally cried "uncle" and apologized to Rosie, but the damage was done. Their advertising strategy had backfired big time.

Something like that happened almost two thousand years ago. Satan and the forces of evil conspired to kill the holy, Son of God, but their plan backfired really, really big time. What they had intended for evil, God used for good (we even call the Friday on which Christ was killed "good"). The cross was not the defeat of God as intended, but the instrument through which He saved us. As George Bernard Shaw wrote, "We crucified him on a stick, but we have always had a curious feeling that He somehow managed to get hold of the right end of it."

1997 C. David Hess