Are Religions allowed to screen TV adverts?

Not sure if this is the right forum, Mods please move if needed, apologies.

I was watching TV last night here in the UK and the adverts rolled on ITV (one of our TV channels here in the UK), I watched one of the averts and it seemed weird, was talking about people being themselves and it didn't seem to have a product, as it ended the words Scientology.org was displayed.

I did a double take, an advert for a cult on TV?

As its a 'church' I thought that they were one of the items that could not advertise themselves on TV or in magazines or papers. You can have programmes about religion but not adverts inviting you to it, and this is what this advert was.

Am I wrong regarding this?

EDIT: See update at the bottom or carry on reading

But even if I am is it morally right for a religion or faith system to force themselves on you, surely religion should be a choice a person goes looking for and not the other way around. For me religion is already far too pushed in your face, children in school being given RE lessons, people cold calling at your door etc etc.

I simply cannot believe ITV taking their money considering what other governments in different countries showing a disapproval of the workings of Scientology in their countries. If the reports of boot camps where followers are mentally and physically abused for daring to think on their own are true then the bloody thing should be closed down let alone allowed to advertise.

I also have to wonder just how it managed to get so many big names who pay top dollar to get higher up in the Church with such a stunningly mind blowing creation story, at least Islam Christian and Jewish religion follow human related stories that have some semblance of normality but Scientology with its Aliens in Volcano's etc is just too weird, its exactly what you might expect from the creator being a science fiction writer but to the average person surely its just nuts?

Seems not as they have a rather unhealthy number of followers, mind you these people are made to give up their deepest darkest secrets as part of the Church, stuff that I'm sure is used as a simple blackmail to make them stay.

I'm sure Tom Cruises file is very interesting indeed.

But to return more to my topic, its just mind blowing that ITV took their money and agreed to screen this advert at prime time knowing the background behind this cult. I'm also sure there are regulations against this sort of advert which is why I'm asking you knowledgeable people.

UPDATE:

Seems they legally could do the advert according to a nice story in the Independent newspaper, worth a read for the background on a previous attempt to screen an advert.

I still say its morally wrong!

www.independent.co.uk...

reply to post by Mclaneinc
Jeez, that's not good is it?

Money, cash, money rules everything and it's not like the advertising slot wouldn't be filled by some other company is it?!

Ethically, whoever took their cash shook hands with some seriously bad cult BS. They should have smiled politely and declined....or waved the middle finger.

I don't much care if religions (Methodists, Catholics, Muslims, CofE etc) want to advertise their shtick on UK TV. Church-going is a dying trade in the UK anyway. What is clearly wrong is allowing cult organisations the chance to recruit more victims for a few £££.

reply to post by Kandinsky


No not good at all, I just sat there open mouthed...it was just so wrong but you might want a read of the link I've added now to the original post, seems they tried this before and failed, this new one being a pilot for a series of adverts..shocking..

See ya back in the UFO groups

Sorry, I'm sure you're of noble intent, but really what is particularly appalling you with this?

Advertising consists of someone convincing you that you need something and then offer the solution if you pay them for it. I don't see how this is all that different.

99% of advertising is corporate propaganda anyway, which I feel is equally repulsive if not the same thing.

To answer OP's question that's the title of this thread,the answer is yes,churches are legally allowed to advertise their church.There are several churches locally that have TV adverts,like the "New Hope Church" near me that was built not long ago and I know that nationally,"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints" have been running TV adverts for years.

The British government does not recognise Scientology as a religious institution

] However, in 2000, the Church of Scientology was exempted from UK value added tax on the basis that it is a not-for-profit body

So they are not recognised as a religion, just a cult looking for new members.

Originally posted by BombDefined
Sorry, I'm sure you're of noble intent, but really what is particularly appalling you with this?

Advertising consists of someone convincing you that you need something and then offer the solution if you pay them for it. I don't see how this is all that different.

99% of advertising is corporate propaganda anyway, which I feel is equally repulsive if not the same thing.

Essentially the same thing with one rather large exception, said companies are not looking to enslave me in a cult, whilst they may want me to purchase their product and carry on using it they are not going to invade my life, pry out my most precious secrets, take control of my money and daily routine and otherwise control my life.

As I've said, personally I can't understand the allowance of an advert from a body that seeks to control your life, adverts for gambling, drinking, smoking etc should all be banned and the notion of doing them left to the person rather than it being made seem an item needed in their life.

Religion / cults are all controlling no matter what people may feel, they both contain strong programming of procedures that must be done as part of the belonging to this belief, both contain long lists of do's and don'ts that need to be followed.

Basically control..

While there are certain procedures we all try to do like work these are choices we make rather than controls forced upon us, once you join a faith / cult the control is removed from you.

And that's why I say its morally wrong to allow the 'promotion' of such items..

Originally posted by woodwardjnr
The British government does not recognise Scientology as a religious institution

] However, in 2000, the Church of Scientology was exempted from UK value added tax on the basis that it is a not-for-profit body

So they are not recognised as a religion, just a cult looking for new members.

Which is exactly why they should not be allowed to advertise on TV...

In my opinion it shouldnt be allowed, people must be able to pick a religion not based on what they see on advertisments but rather the beliefs they have in common with that religion

Originally posted by Mclaneinc

I also have to wonder just how it managed to get so many big names who pay top dollar to get higher up in the Church with such a stunningly mind blowing creation story

Now you're being just as naive as the people you claim to be are. You're equating money and prestige with intelligence and you really shouldn't be doing that sort of thing. Sometimes they go hand in hand, sometimes they don't. Money has nothing to do with it.

It actually makes more sense to me to have an institution like Scientology advertise on T.V. because it's more of a business enterprise then a religion anyway. I don't think it's wrong for religions to advertise though because the bottom line is that they provide a legal service. It may be weird because of the type of service they provide, but that doesn't make it wrong. Why anyone would be swayed to pick one church over another because of something they see on T.V. though is beyond me, but that's people for ya.

reply to post by BombDefined


I agree. Let them run their ad's. Just make them pay taxes like any other business*. That goes for all religions.

*Of course, we already know that big business doesn't actually pay much tax, but you get the idea.

reply to post by Mclaneinc


I think my perception still hold up pretty well.

Collectively, ads create a consumer CULTure (same root word).

Maybe the main difference, as I see it, is that regular ads are trying to keep us in a widely accepted cult rather than recruit us for a less popular one?