Subliminal much?
Faith isn’t the problem. But using it as silent policy? That’s worth calling out.
The Gist:
A VA News article quietly slipped a baptism photo into a story about justice outreach—without ever mentioning faith. It’s not just bad editing. It’s soft messaging. Patterns?
Hey VA: if you’re going to use baptism photos in your outreach stories, at least have the guts to say so.
In this official VA News article, there’s a striking image:
A female veteran stands waist-deep in water. Eyes closed. Hands clasped. A chaplain steadies her arm.
It’s a baptism—obvious to anyone paying attention.
The caption?
“Chaplain Chris Gueydan and Christina Wagner.”
The article?
Not a single mention of faith, religion, or spirituality.
Let me be clear: I’m not anti-faith. I’ve leaned on it. I’ve seen it help others.
But I’m also for every veteran.
The Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) program doesn’t require a spiritual component—and yet this photo, dropped beneath a header labeled “The First Step” with no context, sends a quiet but pointed message about what “transformation” is supposed to look like.
That’s not honest.
It’s not inclusive.
And it’s not okay.
And this isn’t just a VA problem.
Subtle messaging like this is showing up all across the federal government—faith-based imagery, redemptive framing, moral tests for public support. I notice it more in the VA, because that’s where I’ve spent years advocating, researching, and paying attention.
But it’s everywhere. And it’s getting louder.
We noticed.
And we’ll keep calling it out—one subliminal message at a time.
This isn’t about banning faith from the conversation. It’s about being honest in how the government tells these stories—because who does and does not get centered in public messaging says a lot about who belongs.
Seen something similar in VA or government outreach? Drop it in the comments or send it my way. Let’s keep the receipts.
🧠 Bonus: The Quiet War of Symbols
“In 1984, language was weaponized—truth reshaped through slogans and symbols. But Orwell didn’t foresee how effective governments could be with images, not just words. Faith-drenched photo ops, patriotic framing, carefully cropped redemption stories.
This is propaganda in soft focus.”
“The most effective propaganda is that which no one notices.”
Not Orwell, but he’d probably agree.