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Religion/spirituality

Lords Prayer advert banned

(189 Posts)
Anniebach Sun 22-Nov-15 23:20:19

Cinemas have banned an advert for Christianity, seems The Lords Prayer could offend those of different faiths and of no faith, the secular society supports the ban.

rosesarered Sun 22-Nov-15 23:27:12

Yes, I think that I do too. it is a lovely prayer, but the cinema isn't a place for any religious adverts. if you have chosen to go and see a film which is about or features religion, that is one thing, but the ads should all be secular.

rosesarered Sun 22-Nov-15 23:27:50

Otherwise, where would it end?

Eloethan Mon 23-Nov-15 01:16:09

Prayers relating to any religion should be confined to the home and places of worship and definitely not to public places such as cinemas where audiences are "captive". It worries me that people, presumably at a senior level, in the Church of England even entertained the idea.

Cher53 Mon 23-Nov-15 01:24:56

roses are red, my sentiments exactly. I think prayer is mainly a private thing or for places of worship. I think there is enough trouble being caused through religion right now as it is, or should I perhaps say religious intolerance. I don't think the cinemas need to add to it and also would not want cinemas to become a target for certain organisations who would protest using aggressive means.

thatbags Mon 23-Nov-15 05:50:48

It has not been banned. A company decided not to show the prayer advert in line with its policy of not showing religious or political adverts. That seems like a fine upstanding unprejudiced policy to me.

If you want to recite the Lord's Prayer, then do so. No-one can stop you unless they administer mind-altering drugs or something.

Iam64 Mon 23-Nov-15 07:28:34

Yes, I've no problem with the decision by the cinema chain. It isn't banning the Lord's Prayer, simply saying cinema's don't do politics or religion.
As has already been said, the world and our country has enough difficulty working out what should be secular - i.e. schools for example, without creating a problem in cinema's

loopylou Mon 23-Nov-15 08:04:00

I presume then that advertising Christmas will be banned too?

petallus Mon 23-Nov-15 08:04:05

I see Richard Dawkins is against the ad being banned.

It's on the basis of supporting free speech and also he says if anyone is offended by something as simple as a prayer, they deserve to be offended.

It's not often I agree with Dawkins. He's gone up in my estimation.

vampirequeen Mon 23-Nov-15 09:04:40

The cinema is not the place for religion or politics. I go to the cinema to be entertained not preached to or politicised (is that a word lol).

Charleygirl Mon 23-Nov-15 09:05:56

I do not go to church to listen to the Lord's prayer so why should I pay to listen as a member of a captive audience in a cinema? Religion is private and I do not like it pushed down my throat.

whitewave Mon 23-Nov-15 09:11:20

I think we ought to follow the French example. Public life should be secular. However I take Dawkins point about free speech, but if we were in France this would not have occurred.

janeainsworth Mon 23-Nov-15 09:19:20

Well I think it is going to be one for m'learned friends.
According to the Times, Digital Media Cinema the company that handles adverts for Odeon, Cineworld and Vue Cinemas, has a policy that states 'an advertisement must not in the reasonable opinion of DCM constitute political or religious advertising'.
Perfectly fair and reasonable IMHO. Advertising the commercial aspects of Christmas is one thing, the Archbishop reciting the Lord's Prayer quite another.
The C of E is claiming religious discrimination.
Good luck with that.
Policy culture is now so engrained in this country that the importance of adhering to a Policy must surely outweigh the hurt feelings of anyone who feels they have been discriminated against.
<slight irony emoticon>

thatbags Mon 23-Nov-15 09:20:00

loopy, Christmas isn't just a christian festival. It's a midwinter festival that is much older than christianity. Early christians adopted and adapted it to their needs as they did other festivals like the spring one, which we now call Easter. People celebrated Easter long before Christ.

thatbags Mon 23-Nov-15 09:21:59

THE AD HAS NOT BEEN BANNED!!!!!!!!!

The ad exists. Other places can use it. One cinema chain says it won't. That is the entire story.

For goodness' sake, people, stop repeating media garbage as if it were true!

TerriBull Mon 23-Nov-15 09:23:12

I go to the cinema quite often and I wouldn't appreciate listening to the Lord's Prayer, not that I object to it myself, I don't, if anything it makes me feel nostalgic because reciting it was very much part of my childhood.

I take the view that a wide range of people go to the cinema, some will be religious, some will be atheists, some will be agnostic. Having the most renowned Christian prayer recited at random audiences would open the floodgates for other religions to want a similar opportunity and I think that will open a can of worms. Out of deference to those that are not Christian, atheist or whatever I think a place such as the cinema should remain secular.

janeainsworth Mon 23-Nov-15 09:25:01

Um.... It has been banned in the cinema chains I mentioned above, Bags because it contravenes their advert policy.
Just as a food shop might ban all dogs except Guide dogs or whatever term they are known as now.
Not all bans are bad!

Lona Mon 23-Nov-15 09:25:59

I go to the cinema to be entertained (like VQ) and I certainly dont want to have to sit through any kind of religious event! If I did, I would go to church.

thatbags Mon 23-Nov-15 09:27:40

Accepted, janea. But people's ability to say the Lord's Prayer has not been restricted and the prayer itself has not been banned so people are as free to pray it as they were before this episode was blown out of proportion.

janeainsworth Mon 23-Nov-15 09:32:34

Agree bags smile

Anniebach Mon 23-Nov-15 09:34:22

Interesting . So what about Carol concerts in town centres ? Do those who believe a prayer should be kept for the church and the home think the same of 'Away In A Manger ' Oh Come All Ye Faithful ' etc, be kept for the church or the home ?

Anniebach Mon 23-Nov-15 09:36:44

I did not say it had been banned, I said banned in cinemas , calm discussion thatbags , sorry not a disagreement

rosesarered Mon 23-Nov-15 09:37:22

You can choose to attend a carol concert, indoors or out, or simply walk past, it is not presented as an advert.

jinglbellsfrocks Mon 23-Nov-15 09:40:16

They planned to first show the ad before The Force Awakens - the new Star Wars film. And it would have been especially potent then. But I think I want my grandsons to just enjoy the film, without any nods to the dark things happening in the world today, which is what it would have been.

Yes. I think it was right to not show it.

Huge mis-judgement on the part of the church authorities to have spent so much money on the making of it.

Anniebach Mon 23-Nov-15 09:40:29

True rosesarered, obviously you don't have the town band playing carols in your town , you would need to walk very quickly and quite a distance to get out of earshot