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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: Banning the Lord's Prayer - daft, illegal, or sinister?
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Truman White
Shipmate
# 17290
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Posted
Picked this up today off my favourite news outlet.
If you can't be bothered to click the link, Digital Cinema Media reckon a one minute ad for the website Just Pray is a no-no 'cause it could cause offence.
Daft? Creepy? Potentially in breach of Equalities legislation?
Posts: 476 | Registered: Aug 2012
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Dave W.
Shipmate
# 8765
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Posted
Nobody's "banning the Lord's Prayer" - a company has simply decided that it doesn't think its business goals are served by making its customers sit through a prayer before they get to watch the movie they came to see.
Posts: 2059 | From: the hub of the solar system | Registered: Nov 2004
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Eutychus
From the edge
# 3081
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Posted
The original idea is completely stupid. It's just the kind of attempt at religious engagement that we don't need and that will repel people of other faiths and none.
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Let's remember that we are to build the Kingdom of God, not drive people away - pastor Frank Pomeroy
Posts: 17944 | From: 528491 | Registered: Jul 2002
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Boogie
Boogie on down!
# 13538
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Posted
Well, it was cleared by the Cinema Advertising Authority and the British Board of Film Classification, but the Odeon, Cineworld and Vue chains – which control 80% of screens around the country – have refused to show the advert because they believe it “carries the risk of upsetting, or offending, audiences”.
I think it's because the have a policy not to show political or religious adverts - which is fair enough.
This decision has given the Lord's prayer far, far more publicity than the advert ever would have done!
Edited to add - you can watch the ad here.
[ 22. November 2015, 16:50: Message edited by: Boogie ]
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Garden. Room. Walk
Posts: 13030 | From: Boogie Wonderland | Registered: Mar 2008
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Jemima the 9th
Shipmate
# 15106
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Posted
Exactly as Dave W says. It's definitely not an equality issue. The company that decides whether or not to show adverts has decided not to show this one, because it doesn't show any religious or political advertising.
I think this is an entirely reasonable stance - one is a bit of a captive audience in a cinema, after all. It's not like watching telly, where you can flick over or go out to put the kettle on.
I can't believe the CofE didn't look into whether this would be a go-er before they made it. It's also rather depressing that they're complaining about a potentially chilling effect on freedom of speech (according to the bbc news report) when they have control over entry to hundreds of primary schools, an automatic place in the House of Lords, and all the rest of it......(Can't remember if the daily religious assembly of a broadly Christian theme still happens)
Posts: 801 | From: UK | Registered: Sep 2009
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Doublethink.
Ship's Foolwise Unperson
# 1984
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Posted
I wonder if they showed The Passion of the Christ in their cinemas.
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All political thinking for years past has been vitiated in the same way. People can foresee the future only when it coincides with their own wishes, and the most grossly obvious facts can be ignored when they are unwelcome. George Orwell
Posts: 19219 | From: Erehwon | Registered: Aug 2005
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Jemima the 9th
Shipmate
# 15106
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Posted
Probably, but that's not really the point. If you want to see the Passion of the Christ, you book your tickets to said film. This is an advert for prayer stuck in the middle of all the other adverts, just before the latest Star Wars film.
It would be really wonderful if this led to some Father Ted style protest. Down with this sort of thing! Careful now!
Posts: 801 | From: UK | Registered: Sep 2009
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Doublethink.
Ship's Foolwise Unperson
# 1984
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Posted
There are a load of ads I don't partocularly want to watch before the trailers too. I cope.
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All political thinking for years past has been vitiated in the same way. People can foresee the future only when it coincides with their own wishes, and the most grossly obvious facts can be ignored when they are unwelcome. George Orwell
Posts: 19219 | From: Erehwon | Registered: Aug 2005
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Schroedinger's cat
Ship's cool cat
# 64
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Posted
The cinemas made a business decision because the advert didn't fit their guidelines.
The guidelines are based on what they believe will make them most money. They will include ads that they believe will be considered acceptable to their customers, and will not negatively affect audiences. They will include trailers that they believe may encourage audience members to return.
It is a reflection that this is not actually a very good advert. It is overtly religious and Christian, it is not very engaging, and it doesn't really make a point for me. "Just pray" and "prayer is for everyone" is weak and not engaging.
It is the old idea that something that is Christian doesn't also have to be good. If you reject it, that is persecution, oppression, religious discrimination, rather than, as often, because it is poor quality.
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Blog
Music for your enjoyment
Lord may all my hard times be healing times
take out this broken heart and renew my mind.
Posts: 18859 | From: At the bottom of a deep dark well. | Registered: May 2001
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Adeodatus
Shipmate
# 4992
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Posted
The correct secularist approach would be to collect evidence of the alleged offensiveness before taking action. To fail to do this is, literally (from the etymology), pre-judice - "judgement before (having the evidence)".
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"What is broken, repair with gold."
Posts: 9779 | From: Manchester | Registered: Sep 2003
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Eutychus
From the edge
# 3081
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Doublethink.:
I wonder if they showed The Passion of the Christ in their cinemas.
Another difference besides whether you pay to watch it is that The Passion of the Christ is a much more culturally acceptable way of engaging discussion of religion than in-yer-face advertising. Noah is another recent example that springs to mind.
There are loads of allusions to spirituality and Christianity out there in culture, and even more discussion of related themes. It's just that they don't fit some Chrisitans' traditional stereotype of what religion in the public sphere looks like.
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Let's remember that we are to build the Kingdom of God, not drive people away - pastor Frank Pomeroy
Posts: 17944 | From: 528491 | Registered: Jul 2002
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Gamaliel
Shipmate
# 812
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Posted
Our vicar made a fuss about this during the 9am service this morning. I can't say it bothers me that much - if anything I think the ad might be counter-productive. What's it supposed to achieve?
Is it supposed to make prayer look 'cool' or inclusive?
Do they really expect audiences to go home and think, 'You know, I think I'll give this prayer thing a go ...'
It smacks of desperation to me. Nobody's coming to church so let's produce a third-rate ad that can be shown in cinemas and then people might try prayer, find that God is real and then turn up at our churches on a Sunday morning ...
I'm not against prayer or offering to pray for people - although I do think that this is sometimes used as a 'putting God to the test' thing in some quarters - "let me pray for you and when you see that it 'works' you'll sit up and take notice, perhaps even be converted ..."
I'd rather see Christians running Foodbanks and soup-kitchens than spending money on ads of this kind.
It doesn't offend me, it's just that it strikes me as desparate, rather muddle-headed and optimistic and something of a waste of time and resources ... but I s'pose they think they have to DO something ...
I can understand that, and yes, there is a need to engage and to evangelise - but I'm not convinced this is the right way to go about it.
I've long since become sceptical about the value of Christian media campaigns, be it the 'JiM' thing of the early 1990s, the baleful 'From Minus to Plus' thing from the same period and so on.
At best they can reinforce/support what churches are already doing but that's about as far as it can go.
I find myself in a quandary about all of these things - I mean, this morning our vicar was talking about Christmas as if it were simply something that serves as a convenient hook to hang invitations to carol services on - where people can then be given an invitation to the January Alpha course.
Sure, he's right to stand against the commercialisation/secularisation of Christmas but to my mind is in danger of toppling into the equal and opposite danger of reducing almost anything to a mechanistic, sound-bite evangelistic opportunity.
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Let us with a gladsome mind
Praise the Lord for He is kind.
http://philthebard.blogspot.com
Posts: 15997 | From: Cheshire, UK | Registered: Jul 2001
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que sais-je
Shipmate
# 17185
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Schroedinger's cat:
... It is overtly religious and Christian ...
And just think what opponents would have said if it were covertly religious! Damned if you do, damned if you don't (metaphorically, I hope)
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"controversies, disputes, and argumentations, both in philosophy and in divinity, if they meet with discreet and peaceable natures, do not infringe the laws of charity" (Thomas Browne)
Posts: 794 | From: here or there | Registered: Jun 2012
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Doublethink.
Ship's Foolwise Unperson
# 1984
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Posted
If they did something like a John Lewis remix of the nativity story it might be more successful - anything they made good enough to go viral.
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All political thinking for years past has been vitiated in the same way. People can foresee the future only when it coincides with their own wishes, and the most grossly obvious facts can be ignored when they are unwelcome. George Orwell
Posts: 19219 | From: Erehwon | Registered: Aug 2005
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Dave W.
Shipmate
# 8765
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Adeodatus:
The correct secularist approach would be to collect evidence of the alleged offensiveness before taking action. To fail to do this is, literally (from the etymology), pre-judice - "judgement before (having the evidence)".
That's ridiculous. There's no reason why a company should be expected to run every ad that comes in before exercising any judgment over whether it makes sense for them to do so or not.
quote:
Originally posted by Doublethink.:
There are a load of ads I don't partocularly want to watch before the trailers too. I cope.
Me too - but I don't complain if the theater chain happens to decide not to run ads for products I like.
Posts: 2059 | From: the hub of the solar system | Registered: Nov 2004
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Kitten
Shipmate
# 1179
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Posted
The cynic in me wonders whether this was planned as it will now reach a wider audience, I have seen at least three reports on the BBC today and the outraged sharing on Facebook has already begun, whereas not everyone will be planning to go to the cinema (There are some people that couldn't care less about Star Wars)
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Maius intra qua extra
Never accept a ride from a stranger, unless they are in a big blue box
Posts: 2330 | From: Carmarthenshire | Registered: Aug 2001
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Humble Servant
Shipmate
# 18391
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Gamaliel:
so let's produce a third-rate ad that can be shown in cinemas and then people might try prayer,
As soon as I heard it, I thought people will complain about this. They'll complain that their not using the version they learnt at school.
Then it goes on and change the translation they're using, so the rest can complain that they're not using modern language. They even do forgive us our "trespasses" as we forgive those who "sin". What a shoddy piece of CofE wishy washy compromise.
Posts: 241 | Registered: Apr 2015
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Anglican't
Shipmate
# 15292
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Humble Servant:
quote:
Originally posted by Gamaliel:
so let's produce a third-rate ad that can be shown in cinemas and then people might try prayer,
As soon as I heard it, I thought people will complain about this. They'll complain that their not using the version they learnt at school.
Then it goes on and change the translation they're using, so the rest can complain that they're not using modern language. They even do forgive us our "trespasses" as we forgive those who "sin". What a shoddy piece of CofE wishy washy compromise.
Funnily enough, that was my first thought: 'that's not how it goes'. I wonder how many cinema-goers would've thought the same?
Posts: 3613 | From: London, England | Registered: Nov 2009
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Gamaliel
Shipmate
# 812
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Posted
I was once part of a church that produced a short cinema ad for local consumption - if I remember rightly, using a boiler-plate template someone had come up with for churches to use.
I remember squirming and sinking into my cinema seat when it was shown. The general reaction in the cinema was scoffing and laughter. I suspect that this one would have been greeted in a similar way - that's the world we live in.
Besides, Justin Welby isn't cinematic ...
I do wonder what the advocates of well-meaning but cack-handed ads like this would say if the Muslims were producing ads featuring the muezzin call to prayer or Hindus and Sikhs were advertising their temples.
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Let us with a gladsome mind
Praise the Lord for He is kind.
http://philthebard.blogspot.com
Posts: 15997 | From: Cheshire, UK | Registered: Jul 2001
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mousethief
Ship's Thieving Rodent
# 953
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Posted
I think making this anything to do with "equality" is daft. Unless they've run ads for The National Hindu Centre or Buddhists-R-Us or even Hug-an-Atheist-Day, and yet refuse to run an ad for the COE. But if they don't do any religious adverts at all, how is this an issue of equality?
Does one want to say that they should treat religious propaganda as equal with adverts for cigarettes and Mars Bars? But are they required to accept any ad of any sort that offers to pay for airtime in their theatres? Are cinema screens considered public to the extent that the people who merely think that they own them have no control over what they show on them?
Whether or not the ad is daft, or the Lord's Prayer is the right translation, a business made a business decision in keeping with a standing policy. Cue the outrage from the American religious right, of course. But it's fucking stupid, as is the American religious right in general, of course.
[ 22. November 2015, 19:32: Message edited by: mousethief ]
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This is the last sig I'll ever write for you...
Posts: 63536 | From: Washington | Registered: Jul 2001
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Raptor Eye
Shipmate
# 16649
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Posted
The last time I went to a cinema I sat for half an hour before the film started, being bombarded with all kinds of offensive images. This would have been a refreshing break.
I don't like the idea of churchgoers money being spent on adverts though, any more than charity donations being spent on adverts.
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Be still, and know that I am God! Psalm 46.10
Posts: 4359 | From: The United Kingdom | Registered: Sep 2011
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Albertus
Shipmate
# 13356
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Posted
I think it's a pity they didn't show it, though they are perfectly entitled to choose what they want to show. My only question was about how consistently they apply their 'no religious or political ads' rule. For example, what kind of ad, if any, might they accept from, say, Stonewall or Amnesty? I don't know.
Posts: 6498 | From: Y Sowth | Registered: Jan 2008
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mr cheesy
Shipmate
# 3330
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Posted
Utter nonsense. Would you like to sit through an advert by Jehovah's Witnesses, Satanists.. (insert any other religion you don't much like)?
Why should Anglicans have special pleading?
And there is a whole lot of moaning going on (looking at you Giles Fraser) about "free speech" which is totally unwarranted. Nothing has been banned.
You're not free to force me to be indoctrinated by you. You're not free to come into my house or business and force me to watch your videos.
That isn't about free speech, don't talk drivel.
(and I say that as an Anglican. I can't stand the special pleading by the church)
[ 22. November 2015, 20:09: Message edited by: mr cheesy ]
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arse
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Curiosity killed ...
Ship's Mug
# 11770
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Posted
Having spent a year watching films with a teenager the standard adverts were:
- an indirect one for sanitary products (a cartoon about a goose - freedom),
- Haribos,
- car ads,
- insurance
- trailers for various films,
- popcorn and snacks from the shop,
- the cinema chain's adverts, things about online links, subtitles and audio description.
Cigarette and tobacco adverts are banned in the UK. I don't remember any alcohol adverts either, but that's probably because I was going to 15 or under films.
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Mugs - Keep the Ship afloat
Posts: 13794 | From: outiside the outer ring road | Registered: Aug 2006
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Eutychus
From the edge
# 3081
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Albertus:
I think it's a pity they didn't show it, though they are perfectly entitled to choose what they want to show. My only question was about how consistently they apply their 'no religious or political ads' rule. For example, what kind of ad, if any, might they accept from, say, Stonewall or Amnesty? I don't know.
On that basis, if you want the church to come across as some sort of activist minority with a worthy cause, bring on the ads.
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Let's remember that we are to build the Kingdom of God, not drive people away - pastor Frank Pomeroy
Posts: 17944 | From: 528491 | Registered: Jul 2002
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Eutychus
From the edge
# 3081
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Posted
Oh, and any Christians complaining about this also complaining about the need for Muslims to give up their culture of victimhood can disappear in a puff of logic.
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Let's remember that we are to build the Kingdom of God, not drive people away - pastor Frank Pomeroy
Posts: 17944 | From: 528491 | Registered: Jul 2002
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Albertus
Shipmate
# 13356
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Eutychus:
quote:
Originally posted by Albertus:
I think it's a pity they didn't show it, though they are perfectly entitled to choose what they want to show. My only question was about how consistently they apply their 'no religious or political ads' rule. For example, what kind of ad, if any, might they accept from, say, Stonewall or Amnesty? I don't know.
On that basis, if you want the church to come across as some sort of activist minority with a worthy cause, bring on the ads.
Well, not, it wasn't that. I just wondered- and wondered was all it was- whether certain political positions, say, were so acceptable to a secular liberal worldview that their political nature might have be denied. I see from the BBC report that the advertising chain had had negative responses to poltical adverts from both sides during the Scottish Referendum campaign, so perhaps they decided to play safe.
I did have a vision of CofE ads along the lines of those old generic ones for local business you used to get, with slightly scratchy library footage in rather faded colour and a voiceover talking in general terms about the benefits and pleasures of church, rounded off for the last few seconds with a card showing a local map and an entirely different voice saying ' So come along to St Frideswides, Frogbury Parva: Sunday 8 am communion, 10 am all age worship, 7pm evening service; brownies Tuesdays 6pm, mums and toddlers group Thursday 3pm ; Alpha course starting soon. Only five minutes from this cinema'.
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My beard is a testament to my masculinity and virility, and demonstrates that I am a real man. Trouble is, bits of quiche sometimes get caught in it.
Posts: 6498 | From: Y Sowth | Registered: Jan 2008
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Martin60
Shipmate
# 368
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Posted
WHY does 'my' side score nothing but own goals?
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Love wins
Posts: 17586 | From: Never Dobunni after all. Corieltauvi after all. Just moved to the capital. | Registered: Jun 2001
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Late Quartet
Irredeemably speciesist?
# 1207
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Posted
I'm disappointed by the live prayer bit of the site, since it's unmoderated and full of hate speech and so on.
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Late Quartet is cycling closer to Route 6 than Route 66 these days.
Posts: 899 | From: Sheffield | Registered: Aug 2001
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Eutychus
From the edge
# 3081
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Albertus:
' So come along to St Frideswides, Frogbury Parva: Sunday 8 am communion, 10 am all age worship, 7pm evening service; brownies Tuesdays 6pm, mums and toddlers group Thursday 3pm ; Alpha course starting soon. Only five minutes from this cinema'.
Sounds lovely, and marginally more plausible than what was attempted.
I really think advertising is just the wrong way to go for the Kingdom of God, but I could just about live with the above on the basis that you are marketing a product or (ha ha) service. Reducing something as universal as prayer to the level of a commodity (by the choice of medium), however, has me kind of looking round for some cords to make a whip out of.
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Let's remember that we are to build the Kingdom of God, not drive people away - pastor Frank Pomeroy
Posts: 17944 | From: 528491 | Registered: Jul 2002
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Eutychus
From the edge
# 3081
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Posted
I should perhaps add that the RC church hereabouts had a recent poster fundraising campaign featuring a grinning Pope Francis giving a Facebook-style "like". I wonder a) whether it brought in more than it cost to produce and display b) whether he signed his image rights over...
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Let's remember that we are to build the Kingdom of God, not drive people away - pastor Frank Pomeroy
Posts: 17944 | From: 528491 | Registered: Jul 2002
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Golden Key
Shipmate
# 1468
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Posted
{Peering across the Pond, with American eyes.}
Um, errr, did the C of E have any reason to think this acceptable and a good idea???
(Tangentially: Is "God Save The Queen" still played/sung before films?)
Did they choose to put it before "Star Wars" because of its ongoing spiritual theme? Or maybe they wanted to counteract it?
I hate to think what would happen if it was tried over here. "Trespasses!" "No, debts!" "Shut up, you freaking weirdos! We want to watch the movie!" Then the guns might come out. And that's BEFORE any consideration of including/excluding other religions.
![[Paranoid]](graemlins/paranoid.gif)
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Blessed Gator, pray for us!
--"Oh bat bladders, do you have to bring common sense into this?" (Dragon, "Jane & the Dragon")
--"Oh, Peace Train, save this country!" (Yusuf/Cat Stevens, "Peace Train")
Posts: 18601 | From: Chilling out in an undisclosed, sincere pumpkin patch. | Registered: Oct 2001
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Ricardus
Shipmate
# 8757
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Eutychus:
Reducing something as universal as prayer to the level of a commodity (by the choice of medium), however, has me kind of looking round for some cords to make a whip out of.
Especially since prayer is one of the few religioua things that non-religious people do all by themselves. We don't need to promote it as an activity.
(I was very struck by how 'Pray for Paris' became a widespread meme after the attacks. And not, I think, thanks to religious groups.)
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Then the dog ran before, and coming as if he had brought the news, shewed his joy by his fawning and wagging his tail. -- Tobit 11:9 (Douai-Rheims)
Posts: 7247 | From: Liverpool, UK | Registered: Nov 2004
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Gamaliel
Shipmate
# 812
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Posted
In some ways I find the CofE's lack of nous and professionalism quite endearing - but I suspect big boo-boohs were made on thia occasion - either by the church's comms people or the agency booking the space.
As has been sais, you'd think they'd have checked the media owner's policy before makingbthe ad. Perhaps they weren't told, but it does seem an oversight - particularly as there'd be terms and conditions available.
Altogether, an own goal. I don't see it as an equality thing, more an example of a misconceived ad campaign that has bounced back and bitten the church's comms people on the buttocks.
I've worked in marketing and comms so I don't have a big problem in principle - but I do think it's a pretty daft premisse - ok, people might not know much about church, but they do know that Christians pray - as indeed do people of other faiths - is the Pope a Catholic?
'Gosh, here's an ad about Christians praying - I really didn't know they did that ...'
The thing is, we're up against colossal indifference. All people are likely to think is, 'So you pray, that's nice for you ...'
People round where I live seem reasonably well disposed towards religion - provided someone else practices it and not them ...
I knew a chap who'd worked in student evangelism for 40 years. The last time I saw him he told me how he no longer faced opposition on campus but only indifference. If Christianity worked for him, that was fine - but they couldn't see how it had anything to do with them.
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Let us with a gladsome mind
Praise the Lord for He is kind.
http://philthebard.blogspot.com
Posts: 15997 | From: Cheshire, UK | Registered: Jul 2001
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Barnabas62
Shipmate
# 9110
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Posted
I find ALL adverts at the cinema annoying, basically because I paid to see a movie. And I know I'm not alone in that. So the whole project struck me as probably counter-productive. But that is not a good reason for banning it. It passed the acceptability criteria operated by two responsible agencies. I'm sure that wouldn't happen if any religious body came up with something overtly prosyletising or inflammatory. And I guess the cinema chains get paid something for showing adverts as well. Banning it in the UK (rather than the US) context looks pretty risk averse to me.
But, heck, it's their cinema chains. It seems clear they have the right to make such a choice. And they may have prevented a bit of an own goal as well. So I can't get worked up about this, either way. Storm in a tea cup.
[ 22. November 2015, 22:15: Message edited by: Barnabas62 ]
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Who is it that you seek? How then shall we live? How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?
Posts: 21397 | From: Norfolk UK | Registered: Feb 2005
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Dave W.
Shipmate
# 8765
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Gamaliel:
As has been sais, you'd think they'd have checked the media owner's policy before makingbthe ad. Perhaps they weren't told, but it does seem an oversight - particularly as there'd be terms and conditions available.
DCM's advertising policy is just two clicks from their home page - you can get there via the link at the bottom marked "Advertising Policy". From which:
quote:
2. Required Standards
2.1 To be approved, an Advertisement must:
2.1.1 have been cleared as compliant with the UK Code of Non-Broadcast Advertising;
2.1.2 have received any necessary classification (for example a film classification for age rating);
2.1.3 not in the reasonable opinion of DCM constitute Political or Religious Advertising; and
2.1.4 otherwise comply with DCM’s Terms and Conditions (effective from 1 January 2015), as published on DCM’s website (http://www.dcm.co.uk/).
2.2 For the purposes of clause 2.1.3 above, Political or Religious Advertising means:
2.2.1 political advertising for the purposes of section 321 of the Communications Act 2003; or
2.2.2 advertising which wholly or partly advertises any religion, faith or equivalent systems of belief (including any absence of belief) or any part of any religion, faith or such equivalent systems of belief.
Posts: 2059 | From: the hub of the solar system | Registered: Nov 2004
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SvitlanaV2
Shipmate
# 16967
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Eutychus:
quote:
Originally posted by Albertus:
I think it's a pity they didn't show it, though they are perfectly entitled to choose what they want to show. My only question was about how consistently they apply their 'no religious or political ads' rule. For example, what kind of ad, if any, might they accept from, say, Stonewall or Amnesty? I don't know.
On that basis, if you want the church to come across as some sort of activist minority with a worthy cause, bring on the ads.
Isn't this precisely what the CofE is?
(OK, harsh, but someone was going to say it, so it might as well be me! I still love Evensong.)
![[Biased]](wink.gif)
Posts: 6668 | From: UK | Registered: Feb 2012
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Nick Tamen
Ship's Wayfaring Fool
# 15164
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Posted
Am I the only one who finds the use of a prayer—and the Lord's Prayer, no less—as an advertisement really strange? The ad doesn't come across to me as an invitation to pray; it comes across as the prayer itself, as watching other people pray.
Seems to me an ad inviting and encouraging people to pray would try to tell people why they should pray, not just allow them to watch a prayer being prayed.
I think I would be very uncomfortable seeing that ad in a movie theater, because I think I'd feel like the prayer was being misused.
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The first thing God says to Moses is, "Take off your shoes." We are on holy ground. Hard to believe, but the truest thing I know. — Anne Lamott
Posts: 2833 | From: On heaven-crammed earth | Registered: Sep 2009
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Gamaliel
Shipmate
# 812
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Posted
If you love Evensong, you'll adore Compline.
Sadly, neither are available that often in this town ...
Interesting link to the terms and conditions. I've been told elsewhet that the cinema chains initially approved the ad but then back-teacked. A case of 6 abd two 3s perhaps ...
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Let us with a gladsome mind
Praise the Lord for He is kind.
http://philthebard.blogspot.com
Posts: 15997 | From: Cheshire, UK | Registered: Jul 2001
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SvitlanaV2
Shipmate
# 16967
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Posted
Just seen it. It's a nice ad, but not Christmassy enough. If they'd had some Santas or elves in the foreground and some discrete prayers in the background it might not have come across as quite so religious.
I also agree that the current Archbishop of Canterbury is not sufficiently telegenic. Why did he appear at the beginning? At least the previous one looked a bit like Santa!
Posts: 6668 | From: UK | Registered: Feb 2012
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Gamaliel
Shipmate
# 812
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Posted
If they'd had Santas and elves then they'd have been criticised for that ...
The ad is well produced but lacks point and punch.
All it says is, 'Look, we pray - you can yry it too.'
Which is hardly going to surprise anyone.
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Let us with a gladsome mind
Praise the Lord for He is kind.
http://philthebard.blogspot.com
Posts: 15997 | From: Cheshire, UK | Registered: Jul 2001
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Kelly Alves
Bunny with an axe
# 2522
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Nick Tamen:
Am I the only one who finds the use of a prayer—and the Lord's Prayer, no less—as an advertisement really strange? The ad doesn't come across to me as an invitation to pray; it comes across as the prayer itself, as watching other people pray.
Seems to me an ad inviting and encouraging people to pray would try to tell people why they should pray, not just allow them to watch a prayer being prayed.
I think I would be very uncomfortable seeing that ad in a movie theater, because I think I'd feel like the prayer was being misused.
No, you're not the only one.
This reminds me of those memes that go around that say things like, " Share if you are not ashamed of Jesus." The word God is not a shibboleth, devotion is not a way to manipulate people, and prayer is not an opportunity to show which club you belong to.
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I cannot expect people to believe “
Jesus loves me, this I know” of they don’t believe “Kelly loves me, this I know.”
Kelly Alves, somewhere around 2003.
Posts: 35076 | From: Pura Californiana | Registered: Mar 2002
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mousethief
Ship's Thieving Rodent
# 953
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Barnabas62:
I find ALL adverts at the cinema annoying, basically because I paid to see a movie. And I know I'm not alone in that. So the whole project struck me as probably counter-productive. But that is not a good reason for banning it.
"Banning"? Was it really banned? Or just not accepted as an advert that particular company wanted to run in its theatres? How can a private corporation "ban" anything? The rhetoric is getting thick in here.
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This is the last sig I'll ever write for you...
Posts: 63536 | From: Washington | Registered: Jul 2001
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mousethief
Ship's Thieving Rodent
# 953
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
The word God is not a shibboleth,
No, but "Merry Christmas" is, in this country. ![[Disappointed]](graemlins/disappointed.gif)
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This is the last sig I'll ever write for you...
Posts: 63536 | From: Washington | Registered: Jul 2001
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SvitlanaV2
Shipmate
# 16967
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Nick Tamen:
Am I the only one who finds the use of a prayer—and the Lord's Prayer, no less—as an advertisement really strange? The ad doesn't come across to me as an invitation to pray; it comes across as the prayer itself, as watching other people pray.
Seems to me an ad inviting and encouraging people to pray would try to tell people why they should pray, not just allow them to watch a prayer being prayed.
I imagine that 'inviting and encouraging people to pray' would make for a very long-winded advert. You wouldn't be able to say much in one minute anyway.
The appeal of the ad, to me, is that it includes a variety of different types of people praying in different contexts, rather than one talking head (and I'm imaging a rather vicarish, Justin Welby-type character) telling us how and why to pray.
As it stands it doesn't belong in a cinema, but an ad in which a Welby lookalike yappers on about prayer would belong there even less.
quote:
Originally posted by Gamaliel:
If they'd had Santas and elves then they'd have been criticised for that ...
True, but they might have got it into cinemas.
Seems a bit old-fashioned, though, aiming for cinemas. I agree with the comment above that the idea might have been to create a stir rather than simply end up with another forgettable cinema ad. The ad is already available on Youtube, where it'll get lots of attention no doubt.
[ 22. November 2015, 23:12: Message edited by: SvitlanaV2 ]
Posts: 6668 | From: UK | Registered: Feb 2012
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argona
Shipmate
# 14037
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Posted
I can't get exercised about this. I think I'm actually glad that, from whatever motives, the CofE has been prevented from making what would probably have been a counterproductive mistake. While noting that this ad would have been shown in cinemas cashing in on yet another movie drivelling about the 'force'.
But... citing offence as a reason? Bloody hell, I'm offended by half the ads I see at the cinema. No, more than half. No, almost all of them. Alcohol pushed at an audience that must include people struggling with addiction. Gender-typing and objectification, celebration of greed, style over substance, I could kick off over any of it. Laugh at Giles Fraser if you like, and I do, on this he's dead right. You don't like it? Put your snout in your popcorn and ignore. I do that all the time.
Posts: 327 | From: Oriental dill patch? (4,7) | Registered: Aug 2008
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Net Spinster
Shipmate
# 16058
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Posted
I suspect the cinemas were more concerned about what other religions might produce and whether if someone made a rude comment about a particular religious (or political) ad someone else might take violent offense. On a more humorous note, I would love to see what the Satanists or the Jedis might come up with (I find you lack of faith disturbing).
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spinner of webs
Posts: 1093 | From: San Francisco Bay area | Registered: Dec 2010
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Alan Cresswell
Mad Scientist 先生
# 31
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Posted
It looks a bit half-arsed. If you're going to run a cinema-ad for prayer, issue a good old altar call, have the audience out of their seats and coming forward to join in the sinners prayer.
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Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.
Posts: 32413 | From: East Kilbride (Scotland) or 福島 | Registered: May 2001
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orfeo
Ship's Musical Counterpoint
# 13878
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Posted
If one is to talk of "banning", one needs to understand what a "ban" is and who is capable of making a "ban".
I suppose you could argue that I have "banned" fish sauce from my house on account of not liking it, but only if you play pretty fast and loose with the English language.
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Technology has brought us all closer together. Turns out a lot of the people you meet as a result are complete idiots.
Posts: 18173 | From: Under | Registered: Jul 2008
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Kaplan Corday
Shipmate
# 16119
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by mousethief:
quote:
Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
The word God is not a shibboleth,
No, but "Merry Christmas" is, in this country.
I overheard an interesting conversation at the (secular) asylum-seeker centre this morning.
The woman on the desk was inviting a Muslim mother with a little boy to the centre's Christmas party, and asking the mum what he would like as a present from under the tree eg car, football (yes, I know, gender stereotype...).
When the mother replied that he would like a toy gun, she was gently "corrected"!
What I found rally interesting, however, was the blithely unashamed reference to Christmas.
I asked the reception woman about it after the mother left, and she told me that no-one had any problem with it, despite the centre's clientele's being at least 90% Muslim.
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