Should Cinema Chains Rethink Their Refusal To Show A Christian Advert?

[sp1814]

The CofE are worried that their freedom of speech is being denied, because three of the country's biggest cinema chains have refused to broadcast an advert which features the Lord's Prayer:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/22/cinema-chains-ban-advert-featuring-lords-prayer

Is this a freedom of speech issue?

The cinemas claimed that they won't show the ad because they fear it "carries the risk of upsetting, or offending, audiences."

Laying my cards on the table, I wouldn't be upset or offended, but I think I would be irritated. In our house, Sunday evenings are always 'cinema night. We go to the cinema specifically to be entertained.

If I want to hear about religion, there's another place I can go to on a Sunday.

It has bells and a spire.

Your thoughts?

[Mamyalynne]

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Society-and-Culture/Religion-and-Spirituality/Question1458000.html

[jim360]

Freedom of speech doesn't give you a freedom of speech everywhere. I can see why some Christians are bothered by this decision, to be sure -- but it's ultimately up to the cinemas what adverts they play and they have no obligation to play this advert, so they'll just have to lump it.

[Mamyalynne]

In your own home you can if you wish , mute,change channel or switch off - different in a cinema.

It wouldn't bother me one jot but I don't see the need for it and similar ads in that situation.

[naomi24]

Apparently cinemas won't show political adverts either. That's just the way it is. The church will have to get over it.

[Zacs-Master]

The potential for such an advert to cause issues within a cinema or even outside it means it cannot be. The cinema has to put the safety and wellbeing of its customers first.

[sp1814]

Mamyalynne

Oh nuts!

I scanned the News section, didn't see it as a topic, and thought I'd post. Never occurred to me to actually do a proper search!

[Gromit]

I assume there is a ban on ALL religious advertising and rightly so.

I do not want the Lords Prayer before I watch the new Star Wars anymore than you want to hear verses from the Koran before you watch Mr Bond.

I would go further. Religion should be banned from ALL state schools.

[retrocop]

My thoughts are that this is the same as another long running post :-)

[anotheoldgit]

Yes much better when we only had ourselves to be offended.

[anotheoldgit]

Some years since I attended the cinema, do they still play the National Anthem at the end of the screenings?

[retrocop]

NO

[Zacs-Master]

Of course AOG. And they stand and salute too.

[jim360]

No. Apparently the playing of the anthem at movie end stopped as early as the 1960s and 1970s.

[anotheoldgit]

Oh dear, standards have slipped more than I thought.

[Prudie]

This isn't freedom of speech this is enforced listening. The cinemas are absolutely correct. Either they show adverts from all available religions or none at all. I too don't go to the cinema to be preached to.

[jim360]

I'm not sure that's really a sign of declining standards. Part of it is also to do with a change in the way film credits are shown. I've seen enough old movies to notice that most of the time, the film ended simply with a "the end" screen, fade to black -- and then bang, the National Anthem can come in no problem. Nowadays credits for most films are of order ten minutes long. Good luck forcing people to sit through that so that they can then stand for the National Anthem.

Of course, it is also true that there is less deference to the monarchy etc. But it's also no longer practical to play God Save the Queen at cinemas. Sorry.

[Mosaic]

That's a good point Prudie. I think because I dislike going to cinemas, that this has evaded me. I perceived the 'advert' as a video clip that you can take or leave, but I get it now - if you're paying cinema prices no you ruddy well do not want anything political or preachy. I too would want it to be straight to the point - where the hotdogs are sold, a cheery message from the local curry house, and the good old Pearl n Dean theme tune.

[Zacs-Master]

Ah, so you prefer subtle brainwashing to the obvious Mosaic.

It's not about preaching, it's about health and safety. Can you imagine the reaction from certain ethnic groups to such an advert being screened in Birmingham or Bradford?

[sp1814]

AOG

jim360 makes a good point there...if you look at older movies, you'll notice that the credits will appear at the beginning of a film, with the end being a fade to black.

Now, the majority of films have much shorter titles (the credits at the beginning), and much longer end credits.

The only time you will see audiences remaining at the end of a movie, will be when there's an easter egg, which they would have seen word of on the Internet.

I myself have never heard the National Anthem played in a cinema, and I've been going since the 70s.

[Mosaic]

Yes Zacs I'm easily brainwashed with a Tikka Masala.....