Source of the controversial "Mormon/ Gay Marriage" ads revealed

[AmericanErrorist]

A few weeks back, a fellow DUer spotted ads that seemed to come out of the "Church of Jesus Christ of Later-Day Saints" supporing gay marriage. A search of the internet has revealed the truth: This was part of a campaign by the United Church of Christ, an organization whone name could be confused with "LDS" if one was not paying attention. The UCC is a non-doctrinal Christian church which is a member of the National Council of Churches. To quote the website UCC set up for this campaign:
Beginning March 1 and continuing through Easter Sunday, April 11, the UCC's "Still Speaking Initiative" will be unveiled in six U.S. initial markets, where the church has purchased a high saturation level of television advertising: Harrisburg-Lancaster-Lebanon-York, Pa.; Raleigh-Durham-Fayetteville, N.C.; Oklahoma City; Springfield-Holyoke, Mass.; Tampa-St. Petersburg-Sarasota, Fla.; and Cleveland-Akron-Canton, Ohio. Pending positive outcomes from this test and financial support of its members and friends, the campaign's rollout on national television is scheduled for later this year.

"This is an opportunity for the United Church of Christ to renew its distinctive voice as a people of welcome, justice and passion for the Gospel," says Thomas. "The Still Speaking Initiative will help us fall in love again with the United Church of Christ, be generous in financial support, and turn our hearts toward a world that needs to experience the presence, embrace, and encouragement of Jesus."

The UCC's current name-recognition is "negligible at best," says Ted Pulton, a managing partner with Gotham, Inc., a major New York advertising firm that has offered its services to the UCC at cost. Focus group testing revealed that only a small handful of participants said they knew something about the denomination and as its turns out, he says, respondents really were mistakenly referring to the Church of Christ, not the UCC. Random testing also uncovered strong negative feelings about churches in general, regardless of denomination. A large percentage of respondents said they held churches to be responsible for past hurts in their lives, and many traced their feelings of inadequacy to negative church experiences. Too many congregations, they said, left them feeling unwelcome, financially inadequate, and inappropriately dressed.

The debut 30-second commercial features two muscle-bound "bouncers" who stand guard outside a fabled, picturesque church where they discriminately choose which persons will be permitted to attend Sunday services. Written text interrupts the scene, announcing, "Jesus didn't turn people away. Neither do we." A narrator then touts the UCC's commitment to Jesus' radical embrace: "No matter who you are, no matter where you are on life's journey, you are welcome at a United Church of Christ congregation."
http://www.stillspeaking.org/press/press_030304.htm

You can see web fount of this campaign at http://www.stillspeaking.org.

[htuttle]

1. The UCC is about 180 degrees away from the LDS

The UCC has been one of the bulwarks of the peace movements in the US for many years as well. Generally very nice people, in my experience.

[daveskilt]

2. LDS ads supporting gay marriage? never goning to happen

Im actually really really surprised they havent said anything about it at all yet. the fact that not one of the big boys has opened his mouth and let whatever is in his 1890's brain pour out tells me that someone is telling them not to comment. that is a little hopeful at least, could they be ready to move into the 20th century? shame. They were so progressive 100 years ago.