Broadcasting Act - ban on religious advertising.

ShotgunPaddy

What is the logic behind the ban on religious advertising in the Broadcasting Act? How many other democratic countries have similar bans? What about freedom of speech?

Run_to_da_hills

ShotgunPaddy wrote: »

What is the logic behind the ban on religious advertising in the Broadcasting Act? How many other democratic countries have similar bans? What about freedom of speech?

Sign of the end times, it wont be long before Internet censorship and blog banning. Religious organizations can be quite outspoken on moral issues I can understand why. It could also possibly have something to do with the Alive Magazine. http://www.independent.ie/national-news/brady-urged-to-ban-priests-antieu-paper-from-church-1524181.html

questioner

Good question, I've wondered that myself from time to time.
Relevant legislation would be the broadcasting act of 1960 which would have been drafted at a time when the separation of church and state was non-existent. It does seem anomalous when you consider the special recogniton the catholic church has in the constitution and also of the cosy relationship the church had with our dearly departed Taoiseach Ahern - if the church had been unhappy with it doubtless they would've had a word in berties ear ( see state indemnifying catholic church against claims in excess of 130 mil for res. redress)

the ony reason i can think of is that its possible the church took a pre emptive step in banning all religious advertising because it felt it wouldnt ever need it, given its overwhelming influence in society at the time. Not the best explanation but its the only one i can come up with.

http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Press+Releases/Archive/Dermot+Ahern+Retains+Ban+on+Religious+Advertising.htm

lostexpectation

its the churches fault, they made the law

jdivision

I think it's a good idea to be honest. I don't think the Angeleus should be on either.

SirHenryGrattan

jdivision wrote: »

I think it's a good idea to be honest.

I think the ban is ridiculous. How many other countries do this? What ever happened to Freedom of Speech?

jhegarty

lostexpectation wrote: »

its the churches fault, they made the law

I don't even know which bit of that to correct first.

kjt

jdivision wrote: »

I think it's a good idea to be honest. I don't think the Angeleus should be on either.

Couldn't agree more!

SirHenryGrattan

lostexpectation wrote: »

its the churches fault, they made the law

If 90% of people in the UK were Buddhist then I am quite certain that the legislature of the UK would reflect the values of the Buddhism. So the fact that the laws and regulations of the Republic reflected the values of the Catholic Church to which 90% of the population had varying degrees of allegiance is entirely normal.

On the other hand if only 10% of the population in the Republic were Catholics and the laws of the state reflected the values of the Catholic Church then that would be undemocratic.

Religious belief like language is part of the cultural landscape. The fact that debates in the House of Commons are conducted in English is very unfair to French speakers but French has not been widely spoken in England since Norman times so the lack of debate in French is entirely normal.

DarkJager

Long overdue IMO. Why should religious advertising be allowed on TV? In logical terms, it is a service or product which cannot be backed up by any sort of proof, so why should it be allowed to mislead viewers?

SirHenryGrattan

DarkJager wrote: »

it is a service or product which cannot be backed up by any sort of proof, so why should it be allowed to mislead viewers?

Just like most advertising then:)

This is simply a freedom of speech issue.

The ban also applies to Political parties but it is not enforced because political parties are allowed access to television and radio to advertise their message at election time.

DarkJager

SirHenryGrattan wrote: »

Just like most advertising then:)

This is simply a freedom of speech issue.

The ban also applies to Political parties but it is not enforced because political parties are allowed access to television and radio to advertise their message at election time.

Not exactly. Any product being advertised needs to have verifiable proof that it does what it says, otherwise the likes of Ofcom (UK) or the ASAI (Ireland) are very quick to jump on it. Most products can back up what they say with scientific proof or medical backing, religion just throws a load of passages from an ancient novel at people to try and convince them of it.

The difference with politcial broadcasts is the fact they are generally based in reality. They are not promising a sudden relief of all your spiritual burdens, or scaremongering about fictional places (e.g hell) - they are adressing the public as regards what their political policies will be. I have never seen an advert for religion do any more than attempt subtle indoctrination or promises of a "better life" (again a very big claim to make with no logical or realistic proof behind it) - so what exactly is the purpose of them?

jhegarty

DarkJager wrote: »

Not exactly. Any product being advertised needs to have verifiable proof that it does what it says, otherwise the likes of Ofcom (UK) or the ASAI (Ireland) are very quick to jump on it. Most products can back up what they say with scientific proof or medical backing, religion just throws a load of passages from an ancient novel at people to try and convince them of it.

The difference with politcial broadcasts is the fact they are generally based in reality. They are not promising a sudden relief of all your spiritual burdens, or scaremongering about fictional places (e.g hell) - they are adressing the public as regards what their political policies will be. I have never seen an advert for religion do any more than attempt subtle indoctrination or promises of a "better life" (again a very big claim to make with no logical or realistic proof behind it) - so what exactly is the purpose of them?

So Irish Physics Live have given proof that they can predict the future.

Lynx Body Spray have given proof that women will run after you with just one squirt.

Will I go on ?

SirHenryGrattan

DarkJager wrote: »

The difference with political broadcasts is the fact they are generally based in reality.

This has to be the quote of the week. Virtually no one I know believes political broadcasts. No even the politicians themselves. The argument against religious advertising is based on the idea that we should not have to listen to opinions we don't like. It might be a politicians dream but it's not democratic.

jdivision

SirHenryGrattan wrote: »

If 90% of people in the UK were Buddhist then I am quite certain that the legislature of the UK would reflect the values of the Buddhism. So the fact that the laws and regulations of the Republic reflected the values of the Catholic Church to which 90% of the population had varying degrees of allegiance is entirely normal.
.

The UK doesn't have a constitution.
There is a separation between Church and State in this country. So nothing the church said should influence political life. Does it? Yes. Should it? No

DarkJager

jhegarty wrote: »

So Irish Physics Live have given proof that they can predict the future.

Lynx Body Spray have given proof that women will run after you with just one squirt.

Will I go on ?

Political Broadcasts. I said nothing about the promises of commercial products, please read my posts before you start rabbling.

SirHenryGrattan wrote: »

This has to be the quote of the week. Virtually no one I know believes political broadcasts. No even the politicians themselves. The argument against religious advertising is based on the idea that we should not have to listen to opinions we don't like. It might be a politicians dream but it's not democratic.

Yet again, where did I say I believe them? I said the promises made in politcal broadcasts are at least somewhat based in reality (e.g we will increase funding by x amount) where as the religious ads are speculating about things which cannot be justified under logic based in reality

by8auj6csd3ioq

jhegarty wrote: »

So Irish Physics Live have given proof that they can predict the future.

who are Irish Physics Live

Lynx Body Spray have given proof that women will run after you with just one squirt.

There would be rules around advertising lynx and they could not claim to prove it does as you say

Actually I heard an ad for gregorian chant on lyric fm where it claimed to heal

jhegarty

DarkJager wrote: »

Not exactly. Any product being advertised needs to have verifiable proof that it does what it says, otherwise the likes of Ofcom (UK) or the ASAI (Ireland) are very quick to jump on it. Most products can back up what they say with scientific proof or medical backing, religion just throws a load of passages from an ancient novel at people to try and convince them of it.

DarkJager wrote: »

Political Broadcasts. I said nothing about the promises of commercial products, please read my posts before you start rabbling.

Ok then.

questioner

jhegarty wrote: »

Ok then.

burn :cool: