Second UCC ad rejected as ‘too controversial’

CLEVELAND — A new television ad by the United Church of Christ (UCC) that stresses the church’s diversity has already been rejected by major networks as “too controversial,” the second time a UCC ad has been banned from the airwaves. The 30-second “Ejector seat” ad features several people — a black woman, a gay couple, a Middle Eastern man, an elderly man in a walker — who are ejected from their church pews.

“God doesn’t reject people,” the ad says. “Neither do we.” The new ad, which cost about $1.5 million to make, will debut April 3 but not on ABC, NBC, CBS or Fox. The three networks rejected the commercial as an inappropriate “advocacy” ad because of its references to homosexuality, race and ethnicity.

Last year, the networks rejected a similar ad featuring bouncers behind a velvet rope keeping various people out of a church.  (TAB)