Cinema ban on the Lord's Prayer

[Leafitout]

Surely if anyone finds this advert offensive they can choose not to watch it. I can't see the problem with showing it.

It's a 24/7 thing and pervades every aspect of life.

The point being that it can invade every second of your life for all I care, but when it starts invading my life, it can fuck off.

M1nnieDriver I agree with ALL your posts. well done speaking out.

no doubt theyre offending everyone else. FFS.

any other faiths are fine. mention Christianity and theres a big fuss.

(amd BTW Im not a believer either, but I respect the faith).

I fully agree with the ban. I don't want religion rammed down my throat. Seeing it before a film would irritate the hell out of me. I don't agree with religion and don't see why i should have to listen to someone try and persuade me non belive is wrong. I also don't see adverts for products in the same way. One is trying to get me me to buy a product. The other (religion) is trying to get my change my whole way of life.

I agree with a collection of views below taking from today's papers.

"The cinema is a secular space that I don't go to, to be converted."

"This has nothing to do with free speech. The cinemas aren't saying that the advert can't be made, or shown, they just don't want to show it in their businesses. I don't want to have other people's beliefs foisted on me. "

"The cinemas judged that their customers wouldn't want to hear this speech when they have paid for a bit of escapism at the cinema; I wager that for the majority they are right."

I agree with hackmum when she said this;

"Isn't it entirely obvious that the only reason they're refusing to show it is because they don't want to alienate any of the cinema audience and therefore make them less receptive to buying things? It's just a hardheaded business decision, not one made on any kind of principle."

I'm sorry, but any religion that facilitates the rape of children by it's employees is a big reg flag in my book. But it's okay though cos it makes the pope sad.

I don't have any particular issues with some religions where people pretty much keep themselves to themselves. Christianity isn't one of those.

Although I agree the cinemas not the place to show it, (unless as aposter said its a religious film) any more than any other religious thing, before or after Songs of Praise, maybe .

I don't want to buy most of the shit that's peddled in adverts. It doesn't mean I am offended by being shown them. Religion is no different.

Of course the cinemas are just making a business decision, so is the Church of England.... Not sure why that is relevant at all?

If I went to see a film and that claptrap was playing, yes,I'd walk out and I'd be asking the duty manager for a refund of my ticket price. I find unwanted religious preaching unacceptable and offensive, and an insult to my intelligence.

It does seem a bit ironic to me that a state religion (CofE) is so concerned about chilling freedom of speech. Aren't these cinemas private concerns with their own rights to display what they choose? This chilling argument is more applicable when the state is denying or mandating speech, you know, like requiring Christian worship in schools.

M1nnieDriver - it would not offend me it would irritate me.

Why would it irritate me? because it is designed to teach people about praying. Praying to a higher form for which there is no evidence at all that the higher form exists. I simply think all religion is wrong, a form of brainwashing and the quicker it dies out the better.

As Skullyton said

"Adverts for cars and phones and other shit are commercial, they're partly what funds the cinemas.

My leisure time is not there for someone to use me as a captive audience to evangelise. Not fucking interested.

i dont watch songs of praise, i don't go to church, i dont listen to twats proselytizing on the street corner. I dont want it in my fucking cinema either."

The thing is ads for cars etc are mildly annoying if you don't want to buy the product. An ad for a religion is deeply offensive if you are consciously not of that religious persuasion by choice. I especially think it is diabolical showing it before Star Wars when children will be present... It's deeply wrong..

"any other faiths are fine. mention Christianity and theres a big fuss"

Utter, utter, utter bollocks.

The right to protection under the law should absolutely end the minute any religion begins this kind of missionary behaviour.

Evangelism is a classic example of false piety.

I think they could have done something better? Not as powerful as it could have been. Not right for the cinema IMO and I'm Christian. Don't think it's beautiful either.

I think that if you roll up at the cinema and pay your seven quid each to watch a film that has no purpose beyond mass entertainment and cost millions of dollars to produce, you have already committed to mass consumerism. It is hair splitting to say you'll sit through the consumer juggernaut that is the Disney Star Wars franchise and then claim your sensibilities are offended by an advert for fizzy drinks or shampoo.

But it is a secular environment. Nobody has committed to hearing people drone on about religion.

And it would become a freedom of speech and equality law nightmare if cinemas had to start picking and choosing between which religious and political adverts could and could not be shown in the cinema. It is better just to say no to the whole lot.

Hi Offred - Because the director of comms for COE said " fact that they have insisted upon it makes it rather chilling in terms of limiting free speech." It has nothing to do with free speech just a decision not to alienate customers.

any other faiths are fine. mention Christianity and theres a big fuss

I don't see any other faiths having a cinema advert or knocking on my door asking me to convert.

He's claiming that their decision has implications for free speech. He isn't saying the cinemas are deliberately deciding to restrict free speech.

There's no issue to do with free speech anyway.

The church made a business decision to do something controversial in order to advertise a website. The cinema made a business decision not to show the advert.

The claim that there are any freedom of speech issues is just more of the church's plan to promote their website through creating division and scandal IMO.

Or expecting to have a collective act of Worship in schools and a key role in the State. Or asking to be the State religion.

Exactly. Or claiming that this country is a 'their faith' country.

Or expecting equality laws not to apply to them.

Or expecting equality laws not to apply to them.

Ah I think we could level that a quite a few faiths really.