Maybe I am naive, but I find nothing controversial about the United Church of Christ commercial. The message is quite clear- everyone is welcome. Period.
It is only the existence of some real intolerance within certain religious communities that makes them sensitive to the honesty and clarity of the message in this commercial.
NBC and CBS are cowards.
*** Update ***
This dovetails nicely with the above story:
jury made up of United Methodist Church clergy convicted a lesbian minister Thursday of violating church law by openly living with her partner in a committed relationship.
The Rev. Irene Elizabeth Stroud could be defrocked as a result of the ruling, which came on the second day of her church trial. The same 13-member jury was set to meet Thursday afternoon to decide her penalty.
Methodist law bars “self-avowed, practicing homosexuals” from ministry. Nine votes were necessary for a conviction and the jury voted 12-1 to find Stroud guilty.
The last time the 8.3 million-member denomination convicted an openly gay cleric was in 1987, when a New Hampshire church court defrocked the Rev. Rose Mary Denman.
Like The UCC commercial said- everyone is welcome. Mind you, although I oppose the ruling in the ‘case’ here. I believe the Methodist church has a right to come to that decision if the Reverend was aware of the rules. They have the right to make their own rules of practice- the UCC should have the right to air commercials showing how their values differ.
Justin O.
Even though the commercial was corny as hell, I believe it should have been promoted. It’s NBC and CBS just trying to control the times and the compassion of others. This one is a straight black eye for the media guy.
Dave
I think the controversy is that the UCC is promoting their church at the expense of other churches. The bouncers are a metaphor for intolerance and a lack-of-welcome someone might feel at a “conservative” church.
Looking at it that way, wouldn’t CBS and NBC be EAGER to show the commercial? It portrays some Christians as intolerant bigots, which fits well with their red-state-evangelicals-are-all-racists-and-homophobes meme.
The Lonewacko Blog
I see a problem. The last poster is correct: the commercial is right in line with “liberalism”.
Sandi
Talking Points Memo writer Josh Marshall spoke to a CBS a spokesman and got their explaination. You decide if it is lame.
TnTexas
NBC and CBS may have rejected that particular commercial but both have agreed to air another one put out by the UCC.
Here’s the story.
Kimmitt
I think it’s pretty much accurate — CBS knows better, at this point, than to take on the Administration. They got their asses handed to them last time.
syn
Looks like racist heterophobes got their asses handed to them.
paul a'barge
I have a challenge for you. Name one Christian church that has turned away a repentent gay person, a person of color or a handicapped person.
Here’s a time-saver for you. You can’t. Because NO Christian church turns anyone away.
Now, if the gay person(s) want the church to accept their lifestyle and do not want to repent of what that church finds a sin, then it is the sin and not the person being turned away. This is an important distinction.
Look, the ad is simply a bald-faced lie and the organizatio n knows this.
Oh, by the way, the organization peddling this ad is a Liberal organization. By definition, they lie.
So, I’m just going to sit back and wait for that citation of yours of a church actually turning someone away.
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
Gregory Litchfield
I saw this commercial while nursing a pint at a pub. I hadn’t heard the hooplah over it yet, so when it came on, and the bouncers starting turning away homosexuals and men of color, my jaw dropped. For some reason, I assumed that this had to be some kind of nasty swipe at churchgoers in general..until I saw the end. I actually thought it was funny, and the bartender and I both got a laugh out of it.
A couple of thoughts:
1. I still fail to see how this is offensive. What’s wrong with a little competition between churches? I believe in the free market, after all. Let ’em compete for the faithful, I say. Maybe the non-churchgoing-hellbound like myself can get free indulgences if we convert to Catholicism, or something.
2. If gay couples want to go to church, and good on them for it, there are plenty of liberal Episcopal churches that would probably welcome them with open arms. For cyring out loud, haven’t they heard that the larger Anglican community is in the midst of yet another schism, this time over the issue of gay clergy?
John cole
I have a challenge for you. Name one Christian church that has turned away a repentent gay person, a person of color or a handicapped person.
Wtf is a repentant gay person? A self-loathing closeted fag who pretends he is over being gay for the church elders? Your choice of the term ‘repentant gay’ speaks volumes.
Loren
Re: the lesbian minister. Can anyone attend the de-frocking?
Noel
NBC & CBS are playing politics again by NOT showing the ad, saying, in effect, “We don’t have a problem with it, but America is a country of bigots led by a bigot–they made us do this.”
It never stops with these people.
Alexander the Grate
Jesus, Noel, and if they ran the ad you’d be raising hell about how the media even use commercials to push their nefarious agenda. Damned if they do, and…, well, you know the rest, oh kings of the double bind. Holy fuck, wingnuts.
Oh, and Loren, I do like the way you think, my man, but for myself, I’d prefer the Anglicans keep it together long enough to find two lesbian ministers to defrock. They hold the ceremony at my place.