UK Descending – Cinemas Ban Church of England Advert Because It Might Be Offensive
22nd November 2015
An advert featuring the Lord’s Prayer has been banned from cinemas in case it offends people.
The Church of England said it had been left “bewildered” over the decision not to show the advert promoting Christian prayer in cinemas across the UK the week before Christmas.
The ad shows a number of people from different walks of life reciting or singing lines from the Lord’s Prayer, starting with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, walking through a park. His words are followed by those of a police officer, a weightlifter, a farmer, a congregation at a wedding and class of school children, among others in the minute-long piece of work.
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The company stated it has a policy of not showing political or religious advertising in its cinemas as ads reflecting these personal beliefs risked upsetting, or offending, audiences, despite the ad having been approved by the Cinema Advertising Association and being given a “U” certificate by the British Board of Film Classification.
DCM said that “some advertisements – unintentional or otherwise – could cause offence to those of differing political persuasions, as well as those of differing faiths and indeed of no faith,” adding that in this regard DCM treats all political or religious beliefs equally.