The United Church of Christ (UCC) can't run ad on CBS/UPN

[MSgt213]

The United Church of Christ (UCC) plans to run a major ad campaign in December to raise public awareness of the denomination. One of the ads is meant, in the words of a UCC press release, to convey the message "that -- like Jesus -- the United Church of Christ seeks to welcome all people, regardless of ability, age, race, economic circumstance or sexual orientation."

You can see the ad here -- it features to burly bouncers turning various people away from a church service. And if you watch it you'll see that the broad message of inclusion over intolerance places a prominent emphasis on acceptance of homosexuals in the life of the church.

Yet, according to press release out this evening from the UCC, both CBS and NBC have refused to air the ad because the subject matter is "too controversial."

Again, look at the ad because the spot raises the topic in about as innocuous and uncontroversial a way as is imaginable. Homosexuality is never even broached explicitly.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2004_11_28.php#004131

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. Holy Shit! That's my church! That's a great ad -

and we've been gearing up for quite a while getting this campaign started.

I love that ad!

I can't believe that CBS would refuse it.

Well, no, I can believe it. Woldn't be surprised if they got a command from on high (i.e., Shrimpy mcFuckwad, or Asscroft) not to show it. But then, if that was the case, it would be all the networks not showing it.

The ad doesn't mention anything at all about race, sexuality, or gender. Other than to say "whatever you are, you are welcome".

DAMN!

[wicket]

15. My church too!

Woo hoo!!! :)

[alphafemale]

2. What controversy?

Things are getting worse every day.

I teeter between grief and outrage witnessing what they are doing to this country, the world.

[Ravenseye]

3. Whats wrong with it?

I don't get it. They play ads from Mormons why not the UCC?

Heck how many of their affiliates have firebrand preachers spewing hate every Sunday morning?

[BiggJawn]

4. Which church advertises "Our Hearts, our doors, and our Minds are open"?

And the nets seem to have no trouble with that...

I'll have to wait until I get on my fast wire to see the ad. Such stuff doesn't play on a dial-up...

[alphafemale]

5. That's Methodists I think. We UU's are a welcoming congregation too...

...but we don't have the advertising $$.

[moondust]

20. United Methodists (which George claims to be).

[Why Syzygy]

6. well

it is an amazing ad. And it contrasts starkly with the people that are allowed into gwb's events. That is EXACTLY what happens when dissenters show up. Where are we?

[Ian David]

7. Where are we?

Somewhere around here...

[sam sarrha]

8. are you all sure about the Total Inclusion.. not strings attached.. i will

believe it when i see in all in 'readable print'... nothing insinuated..

I really cant believe this... I have relatives in that church and they will leave the church if a gay person walks

I want to see a "Big Sign" that says .. all welcome, gays, blacks, transgender dressers... and we perform weddings regardless of sexual orientation..then i will believe it !!

[noonwitch]

18. You have to look at individual churches within the UCC

Not all are as open as others, because of the nature of how it's set up. Individual churches vote to accept what they want. Most do follow the denominations national policies regarding gays, blacks, transgenders, whatever. My mom's UCC church certainly does, and they perform civil marriage ceremonies for gays. Yet other UCC churches can be more conservative, depending on the membership.

UU and Unity churches are also open and affirming of all people of all sexual orientation. I attend a Unity church-our singles group is for all single people of any sexual orientation, there have been many gay marriages celebrated in the church, and anyone who wants to be there on Sundays is welcomed.

[tom_paine]

9. The Sovietization of Imperial Amerika continues apace

You know, the Imperial Subjects of Amerika are so cowardly and disgraceful, we don't even require the threat of Gulagging or burly KGB Men standing over our shoulders to behave like craven Soviet Worms.

We do it ourselves, like the bootlicking whipped dogs we are.

I would MUCH rather gaze at the Ukrainians, who at least deserve some measure of freedom, than the Imperial Subjects of Amerika, we who deserve lies, enslavement, fraud, aand theft.

And we have only begun to get what we deserve from our Imperial Masters.

[Deja Q]

10. And CBS and UPN are both owned by Viacom.

Sad.

[LuCifer]

22. yeah, the network that is turning it's back on Howard Stern...

...who gets 27 EDITS yesterday, just from K-Rock NYC...one of which, I shit y'all NOT, was for something to the affect of "I like my girlfriend so much I don't even want to think of her pooing." Isn't that RETARDED?!?!? What the HELL??? United Soviets Of the Americas INDEED.
Folks, this makes the days of outrage over "Frankly My Dear I Don't Give A Damn" line from Gone With The Wind. Seriously, this is a POLICE STATE.
Like Stern or not, it's symptomatic of the bigger picture: WE ARE ALL GETTING F'ed...and even saying THAT will probably be outlawed at this rate, and I for once am not even saying ANY of this in a sarcastic manor.

STICK WITH OUTRAGE, SAVE THE GRIEF FOR WHEN WE OVERTHROW THESE ASSHOLES!

Lu Cifer

[harper]

11. So is the United Church of Christ tied into the DOC in any way?

I've always been a little confused about the various denominations. We don't have a UCC church in my town, but we do have a DOC church. Both are, I understand, liberal protestant denominations. I thought at one point that they have some sort of loose affiliation. After the election, I just can't stand the thought of going to any church with Fundy leanings. The local United Methodist church is trying to make itself over into a Fundy-type mega church so I must look elsewhere.

[janx]

13. The UCC is composed of several different denominations,

a chief one of these being the Congregational Church (think Pilgrims-- separatists--separation of church and state).

How ironic.

Welcome to censorship, friends. That's exactly what this is.

[Rabrrrrrr]

17. Not composed of, but a merger of

Bit of a difference.

It was a merger of the Christian Church and the Evengelical and Reformeed Church (which had been a previous merger of the Evangelical Church and the Reformed Church) along with most, but not all, Congregational churches. Due to Congregational Church polity, every local congregation had the right to vote to decide if they would join the merger or stay independent. A notable not joiner is Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims in Brooklyn Heights (Henry Ward Beecher's church).

Much of the UCC polity is informed by and structured similar to congregational polity. Those darn congregationalists hammered away at the agreement of merger for ten years before they were satisfied enough to bring it to a vote. :-)

(Myself, I'm out of the Congregational tradition - fierce independance of thought and faith, but within a community of fellow travellers, helping each other and guiding one another through mutual affirmation and mutual admonition, a wonderful phrase coined by Gabe Fackre).

[Rabrrrrrr]

16. The Disciples and the UCC have a long tradition of working together

They are separate denominations, but are quite close in the family tree of denominations, and work on many things together. We do a few things together (I think our world mission boards joined, but don't quote me on that one), and our ministers are free to move back and forth from each other's congregations.

[Liberal Christian]

23. The UCC and DOC are in partnership

The United Church of Christ and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) are Ordained Ministerial Partners. We recognize each other's ordinations and sacraments and allow clergy to circulate their profiles in both denominations to apply for openings. We are not, and probably will not, formally merged. However, we do take the partnership seriously.

[janx]

12. News release from UCC:

According to a written explanation from CBS, the United Church of Christ is being denied network access because its ad implies acceptance of gay and lesbian couples -- among other minority constituencies -- and is, therefore, too "controversial."

"Because this commercial touches on the exclusion of gay couples and other minority groups by other individuals and organizations," reads an explanation from CBS, "and the fact the Executive Branch has recently proposed a Constitutional Amendment to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman, this spot is unacceptable for broadcast on the networks."


http://www.ucc.org/news/u113004a.htm

[sam sarrha]

14. now that is a bit Nazi...

The citizens of this country OWN the Air Waves, NOT the corporations that use them to make BILLIONS of Dollars without paying anything for their use.

To Censor what we can hear, simply to support Who has now Become a DICTATOR, simply because he has a Mandate, of 4% more than half... that is seriously Delusional on his part i might add... is just historically what makes a Dictator.. he is dictating what we can say and hear because he disagrees with it and must maintain the illusion that he has a Mandate to dominate the 48% that Lost the election..

The Minions have already put Sadham like monalithic posters saying "Our Leader"..actually the leader of 54%.

the next step in a dictators evolution is the building of "Great Works" that will stand 'for evetr' to glorify or Diefy him.

and maybe Palaces... or $2,000,000 Yaughts..??

[chicagiana]

24. Not enough erection references ...

If they claimed that the UCC church would cure erectile disfunction, they could run their ads at ANY time!!!!

[keith the dem]

19. My UCC church has been around for 277 years

Our founders came here for religious freedom and now the Nazi news media has decided that we are too controversial??? We have spent money to tie into this promotion and were enthusiastic about getting the message out that the Falwell way does not represent all Christians. This campaign was planned far before the elections and has nothing to do with the "moral values" election myth. I am completely outraged!!!! The free press is dead and the freedoms that our founders came here for will die with it.
Our church has a "open and affirming" policy and in practice it is just plain silly to say that the gay and lesbian members of our church are not good Christians. I know that many of them are far more devout than me.

[BiggJawn]

21. Do you suppose it's the woman with her arm around another woman?

Or maybe the 2 little girls?

Networks gotta be careful these days, the RW Fundies have the EAR of Mikey Powell HIMSELF!

1/2 a megabuck for Janet's tit, 1/2 a megabuck for Howard, threat of fines for Nicolette, pretty soon the Nets get the message:

"Don't offend Jim Dobson and Jerry Foul-well"