Bleeping Jesus

Submitted by Sheldon Rampton on

The CBS and NBC television networks are refusing to run a 30-second television ad from the United Church of Christ. The ad states that - like Jesus - the church seeks to welcome all people, regardless of ability, age, race, economic circumstance or sexual orientation. According to a written explanation from CBS, the implied acceptance of gay and lesbian worshippers makes the ad "too controversial." According to the Rev. John H. Thomas, the UCC's general minister and president, "It's ironic that after a political season awash in commercials based on fear and deception by both parties seen on all the major networks, an ad with a message of welcome and inclusion would be deemed too controversial."

Main Source: 
United Church of Christ news release, November 30, 2004
Topics: 
Gay / Lesbian
Media
Religion

Comments

SCOTTSDALE TONY replied on

I find it depressing, that mature adults, living in a well educated modern society, are still intelectually in cabable of grasping how utterly childish and ignorant is this obsession over what other members of their society do with their genitals in the privacy of their homes. Really, cannot we all grow up here?

Courtney Findlay replied on

A church that practices the faith of loving everyone just like Jesus promoted, is causing a problem? Firstly, we have a church that promotes love without a "but . . .". Secondly, has ABC and NBC seen the television shows and advertisements that they allow to be aired? So let's see if I have this right, the words of Jesus are not permitted, but using sex and nakendness to sell everything is the standard? Maybe the pharmacuetical companies can come up with a drug for stupidness.

RickMorganinMaine replied on

I think education is the key to this topic. If more people KNEW that sexual orientation has nothing to do with choice, but is in fact likened to the color of ones hair or eyes, or for that matter, gender. A person is born with sexual orientation; they do not choose to have the sexual attractions they have, any more than a woman who finds a tall dark athletic type attractive, or a man finds blonde haired blued woman with great legs attractive, they just do find those characteristic appealing. Could you tell someone to stop finding those characteristics attractive? I think not.
As a gay man I can tell you that a lifestyle that creates hatred for who and what you are is not something a sane human being would choose. I would prefer to be about 3 inches taller but guess what, these are the cards I was dealt by my creator, for whatever reason, I am created in his image, not mine.
Having said that, do people have the choice to act on who and what they are? Yes. Do people have a choice to live their lives with honesty, or choice to live their lives in denial, and live life in a lie? Of course. I had to come to terms with the cards I was dealt, I can NOT make myself taller, and I can NOT make myself straight. I COULD pretend to be what I am not, but that I do NOT chose to do, and personally believe God does not want me to be anything but who and what I am. So congrats to the UCC for understanding that we are created in Gods image, not society's. Of course CBS and NBC care nothing about the facts, they care about the ratings.
That they would find a church welcoming all people to come and worship in their church, controversial because of the "acceptance of gay and lesbian worshippers", only shows the hypocrisy of the main stream media. If this was a church who accepted everyone BUT gay and lesbians, you can bet it would be headlines on the evening new of their networks.