BOOKLET - Truth or Consequences

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. (3 John 1:4)

In 1940, Ralph Edwards hosted an NBC radio quiz show called Truth or Consequences. The show had a simple format. Contestants were presented with a question. If they couldn’t answer it correctly—which they almost never did—they suffered consequences that usually proved to be somewhat entertaining and comedic in nature. In 1950, Edwards announced they would broadcast their tenth anniversary program from whatever town or city in America changed its existing name to Truth or Consequences. The city of Hot Springs, New Mexico responded by changing their name from Hot Springs to Truth or Consequences. As a result the newly named city hosted the tenth anniversary edition of Truth or Consequences. Ralph Edwards continued to visit the city of Truth or Consequences the first weekend in May for the next fifty years to help celebrate the town’s annual “Fiesta.” Truth or Consequences, New Mexico continues to hold “Fiesta” each year, and the celebration includes a dance held in Ralph Edwards Park.1

Curiously, the television show used the otherwise serious concept of “truth or consequences” to provide the thematic foundation for their comedy quiz show. The phrase “truth or consequences” would ordinarily suggest a certain degree of solemnity rather than levity. Therefore, the festive atmosphere surrounding the program’s novel use of the phrase proved to be somewhat ironic. To put this into a wider perspective, this could be seen as symptomatic—both then and now—of a society that doesn’t take the concept of “truth or consequences” very seriously. In fact, there seems to be a growing apathy and disregard—even in the church—for the consequences of not observing and maintaining truth—most especially God’s truth as revealed in the Bible.

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