By Nicholas Bender
NBC and CBS have refused to run a liberal church''s ad encouraging worshipers of all backgrounds and lifestyles to attend its worship services, sparking controversy over the networks'' advertising standards.
The ad depicts two bouncers outside a church selecting those who may enter, rejecting some, including two males who appear to be a couple. The subtext reads, 'Jesus didn''t turn people away, neither do we.'
The United Church of Christ, a protestant Christian organization based in Cleveland, Ohio produced the ad and views it as a chance to invite everyone to learn about Jesus Christ, said Barb Powell, a UCC spokesperson.
'We are part of the established religion that has at times excluded people,' she said. 'We are striving to get that message out that we are a welcoming and hospitable church.'
Powell said the ad targets those who may have felt alienated by their past church experiences. She said she didn''t expect the networks'' negative response.
'We were very surprised when the word came down that the ads were not going to air because they were deemed controversial,' she said. 'I have 2,000 e-mails and I haven''t seen a negative one yet - not one.'
While CBS has not confirmed it, the church claims it received a statement from the network after refusing to run the advertisement.
'Because this commercial touches on the exclusion of gay couples and other minority groups by other individuals and organizations,' reads the alleged CBS explanation, '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.'
NBC also considered the ad a breach of its advertising policies.
'It violated our longstanding policy against accepting ads dealing with issues of public controversy,' said Shannon Jacobs, an NBC spokesperson. ' is saying ''our church takes all kinds of people, but other churches don''t.'''
But Powell said the networks missed the point.
'That is just not what that commercial is about,' Powell said. 'The commercial is about trying to be like Jesus; striving to be a welcoming and hospitable church.'
Powell said she wonders if the current political climate might have influenced the networks'' decision.
'We''ve just come off a very bitter political battle on the airwaves,' she said. 'There''s a particular religious voice that''s different from our voice that has been predominate in media lately. Perhaps the networks feel nervous or anxious about airing anything that might create waves.'
Jacobs said NBC offered to run the ad if changes were made, but the church declined.
Meanwhile, the ad has been accepted and is airing on a number of other networks and cable stations.