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December 7, 2004

Ads rejected by networks fueling interest in UCC, church says

by Kevin Eckstrom
Religion News Service

WASHINGTON — Materials for a United Church of Christ ad campaign that was rejected by CBS and NBC as “too controversial” have been “flying off the shelves,” church officials said.

      A 30-second spot featuring beefy bouncers outside a church denying entry to various people, including a gay couple, has received wide support after the networks rejected the ad.

“Jesus didn’t turn people away. Neither do we,” the ad said. NBC rejected the ad as “too controversial” while CBS officials said it was too political in the context of the current national debate over a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.

      “We’ve got everything, and everything is just flying off the shelves,” Said Marie Tyson, the distribution manager at the church’s warehouse in Berea, Ohio. Tyson said churches are ordering record numbers of shirts, mugs, decals, stickers, postcards, letterhead and banners that were produced as part of the church’s $1.7 million “Still Speaking” ad campaign.

“We’re just coming in every day, saying, ‘How is God going to speak today?’ But we’re enjoying it, because we’ve never seen anything like it. Our churches are so excited, so proud.”

       The networks’ refusal to broadcast the ad has been criticized by gay rights groups, the Interfaith Alliance, other churches, the Washington office of Reform Judaism and a coalition of church communications executives.

“Church doors are open to all who would come, but broadcast channels are increasingly closed to all but the wealthy and well-connected,” said a statement from the Communication Commission of the National Council of Churches.

      The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, which shares the UCC’s support of gay rights, said, “People of good will must not allow the rhetoric of bigotry to drown out the voices who bring a message of faith, hope and inclusiveness.”

      At least one church group, the conservative Association for Church Renewal, has urged the UCC to withdraw the ads. Diane Knippers, vice chair of the evangelical alliance, said the ads are demeaning to other churches.

      The ad “tries to boost the UCC by maligning all the other churches,” she said. “It insinuates that the typical American church turns away ethnic minorities, the disabled and homosexuals, whereas the UCC is uniquely welcoming of all persons. The facts do not bear out this false picture.”