'God can heal' Advertisment banned

[Atheissimo]

Bath Christian group's 'God can heal' adverts banned


Church drops 'God heals' advert

A Christian group has been banned from claiming that God can heal illnesses on its website and in leaflets.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said it had concluded that the adverts by Healing on the Streets (HOTS) - Bath, were misleading.

It said a leaflet available to download from the group's website said: "Need Healing? God can heal today!"

The group, based in Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, said it was disappointed with the decision and would appeal.

HOTS Bath said its vision was to promote Christian healing "as a daily lifestyle for every believer".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-16871116


What say you to this? The ASA is the British advertiser's regulatory body, so it has nothing to do with the government and cannot legally enforce its decisions. However, it can strongly encourage offending advertisers to pull their promotions under threat of legal action if they do not.

The crucial part of their code of practise that is invoked in this case is: "before distributing or submitting a marketing communication for publication, marketers must hold documentary evidence to prove all claims, whether direct or implied, that are capable of objective substantiation"

Is this a freedom of speech issue as the church has made it out to be?

[Distind]

I'm really not sure what it is other than funny as hell.

My general line between faith and business is when you start charging for a specific service(other than you know, tithe at church service), and it doesn't quite sound like that was crossed, but it does squeel of the potential to do so.

[Eniliad]

"Need Healing? God can heal today!" doesn't sound so much like a medical claim to me. It sounds like spiritual healing is what they mean, and I don't see the problem with letting them have their billboards and leaflets, unless they actually do claim to be able to cure physical ailment.

[GLaDOS]

I'm really not sure what it is other than funny as hell.

Ditto

[kefkaownsall]

"Need Healing? God can heal today!" doesn't sound so much like a medical claim to me. It sounds like spiritual healing is what they mean, and I don't see the problem with letting them have their billboards and leaflets, unless they actually do claim to be able to cure physical ailment.

It sounds like faith healing though

[N. De Plume]

Right. It only sounds like they are talking about spiritual healing if you have experience with a tradition that talks that way.

[Her3tiK]

'bout time someone took 'em to task for their harmful claims.

[Eniliad]

Right. It only sounds like they are talking about spiritual healing if you have experience with a tradition that talks that way.

Very true. My church growing up did occasionally mention "healing" but they never advocated skipping the doctor's office for physical ailments.

[Tolpuddle Martyr]

I'm surprised they haven't started squealing "persecution" yet.

[MaybeNever]

Right. It only sounds like they are talking about spiritual healing if you have experience with a tradition that talks that way.

That's silly. It only sounds like spiritual healing if you speak the English language.

[Yaezakura]

They weren't advertising "spiritual healing". If you read the article, it clearly says the advertisements include things such as:

"Need Healing? God can heal today! Do you suffer from Back Pain, Arthritis, MS, Addiction ... Ulcers, Depression, Allergies, Fibromyalgia, Asthma, Paralysis, Crippling Disease, Phobias, Sleeping disorders or any other sickness?

"We'd love to pray for your healing right now!

"We're Christian from churches in Bath and we pray in the name of Jesus. We believe that God loves you and can heal you from any sickness."

These are quite obviously medical claims that they cannot back up with evidence, and thus is false advertising and not a religious freedom or freedom of speech issue at all.

[Eniliad]

They weren't advertising "spiritual healing". If you read the article, it clearly says the advertisements include things such as:

"Need Healing? God can heal today! Do you suffer from Back Pain, Arthritis, MS, Addiction ... Ulcers, Depression, Allergies, Fibromyalgia, Asthma, Paralysis, Crippling Disease, Phobias, Sleeping disorders or any other sickness?

"We'd love to pray for your healing right now!

"We're Christian from churches in Bath and we pray in the name of Jesus. We believe that God loves you and can heal you from any sickness."

These are quite obviously medical claims that they cannot back up with evidence, and thus is false advertising and not a religious freedom or freedom of speech issue at all.

I believe I have been thoroughly called out on my laziness.

+1 for you.

[Old Viking]

Let them proceed.  It will contribute to cleansing of the gene pool.

[N. De Plume]

I believe I have been thoroughly called out on my laziness.

+1 for you.

Same here. Wouldn’t have had to bother with the experience argument if I could point to the article itself.

[Osama bin Bambi]

They weren't advertising "spiritual healing". If you read the article, it clearly says the advertisements include things such as:

"Need Healing? God can heal today! Do you suffer from Back Pain, Arthritis, MS, Addiction ... Ulcers, Depression, Allergies, Fibromyalgia, Asthma, Paralysis, Crippling Disease, Phobias, Sleeping disorders or any other sickness?

"We'd love to pray for your healing right now!

"We're Christian from churches in Bath and we pray in the name of Jesus. We believe that God loves you and can heal you from any sickness."

These are quite obviously medical claims that they cannot back up with evidence, and thus is false advertising and not a religious freedom or freedom of speech issue at all.

In the US, the law is different. Companies are allowed to make unsubstantiated medical or scientific claims, but they have to keep a disclaimer saying that it was not approved by the FDA. Nobody reads that shit though.