Marco Palmezzano: Crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth (ca. 1490). Image courtesy of Wikipedia. The cross is still a stumbling block and foolishness for those who do not believe.
Joel Kontinen
Mentioning the name Jesus is too controversial – at least for movie theatres in California.
Compass Bible Church in Aliso Viejo, California, paid over 5,000 dollars for the right to play a 30- second advertisement of its Easter sermon in 45 movie theatres in Orange County for three weeks, beginning on April 1.
The advertisement discusses the resurrection of Jesus. It mentions some of the most common excuses skeptics use for not believing that Jesus rose from the dead, for instance, that the disciples stole the body or that Jesus merely feinted and did not die.
The film clip then states that the church believes in Jesus’ literal resurrection.
This was too much for the National CineMedia that supervises advertisements shown in movie theatres. The organisation was afraid that some in the audience would be offended because the advertisement mentions the words Jesus Christ.
NCM returned the money to the church and denied it the right to present the film.
It seems that nothing has changed in 2,000 years. As the apostle Paul said: ”The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Cor. 1:18, NIV).
You can see the banned advertisement here.
Source:
Sun, Eryn. 2011. Church Easter Service Ad Pulled for Mention of Jesus. The Christian Post. (30 March).
Posts
