The "Lord's Prayer" cinema ad

Discuss anything interesting but not remotely Countdown-related here.

Moderator: Jon O'Neill

Post Reply
User avatar
JimBentley
Fanatic
Posts: 2820
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 6:39 pm
Contact:

The "Lord's Prayer" cinema ad

Post by JimBentley »

Here's some examples of the coverage of this story:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34891928

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... ristianity

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religio ... peech.html

Is it just me, or is this a total non-story that is being reported in a way that seems to be designed to stir up yet more trouble between religions?

As far as I can see it, DCM (the body responsible for the majority of cinema advertising) has made a commercial decision not to accept the advert and the Church of England are branding it as a ban. It is not a ban. It's a policy of not accepting any religious or politically-motivated advertising, which I am entirely behind. When I go to see a film, I expect to see adverts for commercial products, it's part of the dance that cinemas have to do to mitigate their costs. I don't expect to see overt adverts for religious or political organisations, especially weirdoid extreme ones like the C of E.

If they accepted this advert (which is paid for by the Church of England, let's not forget) then they are opening themselves up to taking adverts for any religious organisation and I think that would be an awful slippery slope. I can totally understand why they don't want to do that.

Added to that, the DCM got quite badly burned recently by showing pro- and anti- independence adverts in Scotland, leading to quite a loss of revenue to small independent cinemas that led to some of them having to close. Given that, their position on this religious advert (which is far more contentious) is entirely sensible.

It just bothers me that it's being reported as a "ban" when it's not a ban at all and the C of E are acting all wounded about it and crying "censorship". I believe there even legal challenges planned by the Church. Luckily they will lose all these but it's a bit disturbing that they're planning on spunking out a shitload of money to lawyers over something that anyone with half a brain would tell them was a losing battle.

Religion eh? Isn't it great? Fucking idiots leading idiots.
User avatar
Jon O'Neill
Ginger Ninja
Posts: 4545
Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 12:45 am
Location: London, UK

Re: The "Lord's Prayer" cinema ad

Post by Jon O'Neill »

Amen
Gavin Chipper
Post-apocalypse
Posts: 13213
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:37 pm

Re: The "Lord's Prayer" cinema ad

Post by Gavin Chipper »

Yeah, bit of a non-story, but I would also say it's fine not to make a cake with a political message.*

*Although arguably the reasons given could be relevant. Just like it's fine not to give a black person a particular job, but not because "You were the best applicant but I'm not giving you the job because you're black."
User avatar
Jon Corby
Moral Hero
Posts: 8018
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 8:36 am

Re: The "Lord's Prayer" cinema ad

Post by Jon Corby »

JimBentley wrote:Religion eh? Isn't it great? Fucking idiots leading idiots.
Testify

Image
Gavin Chipper
Post-apocalypse
Posts: 13213
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:37 pm

Re: The "Lord's Prayer" cinema ad

Post by Gavin Chipper »

They got the words wrong anyway. It's not "Our father in heaven". Can't even remember how your own religion works.
User avatar
JimBentley
Fanatic
Posts: 2820
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 6:39 pm
Contact:

Re: The "Lord's Prayer" cinema ad

Post by JimBentley »

Inevitably today those eternal fuckwits David Cameron and Boris Johnson have condemned the "cinema ban". Boris even says than he thinks the "ban" will be "overturned". Note the repeated use of the word "ban" throughout this article, even though it's been quite well established that is not a ban, it is a commercial decision.

This raises a number of questions:

1. Why is David Cameron telling a private company operating in his holy "free market" what they should and shouldn't be doing?

2. Why is David Cameron getting involved in religious arguments, given his insistence that the Church of England has no place criticising his policies (re. wealth inequality, food banks, etc.)

3. Are Cameron and Johnson so lacking in understanding that they genuinely believe this is a "ban" and not a simple commercial decision? Really if they are, they have absolutely no place in government.

4. Why is this story being reported so inaccurately (re. the "ban" thing) pretty much everywhere, even after it has been repeatedly pointed out by the DCM that they are being grossly mispresented?

5. If Boris Johnson is right and DCM are forced to show this mawkish drivelling saccharine shit as part of their advertising, then look forward to my Satanism advert. It'll be fucking exciting, lots of jokes and explosions and will blow that fucking Christian advert away. I guarantee that my advert will convert more people to Satanism than the C of E's pathetic anodyne crap will convert to their discredited, immoral, hypocritical judgemental "religion".

Next: Join ISIS - Play with bombs and blow up things! Unlimited opportunities for rape and torture! 72 virgins are in store for you in heaven!
Post Reply