OUTRAGEOUS: Find out why The Lord's Prayer was BANNED from Just Pray movie theater ad

Christmas ad banned from UK movie theaters ahead of holiday

An advertisement featuring the Lord's Prayer has been banned from movie theaters in England. According to the Church of England, the policy that prevents the prayer advertisement did not exist when they began production on the commercial.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Although the advertisement received clearance from both the British Board of Film Classification and the Cinema Advertising Authority, the Digital Cinema Media (DCM) agency refuses to show it.

"The Lord's Prayer is prayed by billions of people across the globe every day and in this country has been part of everyday life for centuries," stated The Rev Arun Arora, director of communications for the Church of England. "In one way the decision of the cinemas is just plain silly but the fact that they have insisted upon it makes it rather chilling in terms of limiting free speech."

The advertisement created by JustPray.uk features the Lord's Prayer recited by a wide array of people, including bodybuilders, children and even the Most Rev Justin Welby.

According to a Church of England spokesman, they believed their video was approved, and that it would be shown before showings of the new Star Wars film starting on December 18. However, the church was later told their minute-long video could potentially cause offense, so it would not be shown.

"Billions of people across the world pray this prayer on a daily basis. I think they would be astonished and deeply saddened by this decision, especially in the light of the terrorist attack in Paris where many people have found comfort and solace in prayer," expressed the Archbishop of Canterbury to The Mail. "This advert is about as 'offensive' as a carol service on Christmas Day."

It wasn't until after the Church asked for an official document of DCM's policy that banned their advertisement that the agency produced a formal policy on their website stating, "To be approved, an advertisement must ... not in the reasonable opinion of DCM constitute political or religious advertising... Religious advertising means: advertising which wholly or partially advertises any religion, faith or equivalent systems of belief (including any absence of belief) or any part of any religion, faith or such equivalent systems of belief."

"I find it extraordinary that cinemas rule that it is inappropriate for an advert on prayer to be shown in the week before Christmas when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ," the Archbishop of Canterbury said.

The Church plans to fight the ban with legal action, as they believe they are the victims of religious discrimination. According to Stephen Slack, the Church's chief legal adviser, under the Equality Act, commercial organizations can not refuse services on religious grounds.

The attack against Christianity can be seen all over the world. Christians are dying every day for their faith, and many others are ridiculed and prohibited from expressing themselves. If such a ban has made it's way to England, who knows where we will see it next.

During these times of persecution, it is important to stand together with God and pray for a better future, one where our children are free to pray in public and live by their faith.

Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Amen.

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