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Bible ads reveal absurdity of policy
A Bible publisher wasn't trying to get his picture on the cover of "The Rolling Stone." He was just trying to get an ad in the magazine.
Zondervan, which is the nation's largest Bible publisher, is rolling out its biggest marketing campaign ever to promote a new translation aimed at "spiritually intrigued 18 to 34-year-olds." The company is running ads on MTV and VH1 and has purchased ads in magazines such as the Onion and Modern Bride.
But not in Rolling Stone. Magazine officials rejected the ad, saying the magazine did not accept religious advertising. The ad in question does make it clear that a Bible is being sold but doesn't mention God. The ad's tag line is "Timeless Truth: Today's Language."
The Rolling Stone decision comes just a little more than a month after the major TV networks refused to air ads from the United Church of Christ. The ads from the national denomination stated all are welcome to attend United Church of Christ services. The ads, which showed gay, minorities, young people and seniors as church members, were rejected by the networks because they were supporting "an agenda."
There's no doubt publishers and broadcasters have the right to reject any advertising they deem doesn't fit their product. It's their business, and they can reject the ads.
But we really wonder about the wisdom of some of those decisions. A typical Rolling Stone magazine will publish ads from record producers, with the album subjects ranging from adult-only oriented material to gospel and spiritual music. Included in the pages will be ads for beer and liquor, tobacco products and other items of - well, let's just say, a more personal nature.
But Bibles? Oh no, that's where the publishers of Rolling Stone draw the line.
The story is the same at the TV networks. The networks gladly receive billions of dollars in political advertising in an election year, never once stopping to consider whether any of the ads are truthful. The ads come not only from candidates, but from so-called "independent" groups that definitely have an agenda.
If you watch one night of prime time TV outside the election season, you might believe "erectile dysfunction" is the nation's most significant health problem.
But an ad that invites people to attend church? No way, that's pushing an agenda.
Both the Zondervan Bible and the United Church of Christ ads are not without controversy. The Zondervan translation of the Bible has raised eyebrows among some religious leaders and Biblical scholars. And the subject of gays and religion is a hot-button issue.
But cast against ads about sexual enhancements, alcohol and tobacco, it's hard to see the problem with ads selling Bibles and convincing people to attend church.
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