Last week Digital Cinema Media – the agency that handles adverts for Odeon, Vue and Cineworld cinemas, including Cineworld Jersey – announced that a short film featuring the prayer would not be shown in the run up to Christmas because of fears it might offend audiences.
Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth,
As it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
The power, and the glory,
For ever and ever.
Amen.
The one-minute clip (shown below), showing people reciting the Christian prayer, was due to be played in cinemas from December 18 before screenings of the new Star Wars film, The Force Awakens.
The decision to ban it has been criticised by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, who said the film was ‘about as offensive as a carol service on Christmas Day’.
And with reports in the national media that the Church of England is threatening to sue cinema chains for religious discrimination, Rev Gavin Ashenden, Vicar of Gouray Church, has also spoken out against the move, saying that it shows hypocrisy from Digital Cinema Media.
‘They are pretending to be open minded when they are really being close minded,’ he said. ‘The Christian culture gave us human rights and democracy but yet these businessmen aregoing against that.
‘Why would someone be offended? We have two groups that would have been offended – Muslims and atheists – and individuals from both groups have gone on record to say they are not offended. So really the owners are not telling the truth.’
Rev Ashenden, who writes a column for the JEP, added: ‘The problem that this represents is an increasing level of censorship by an intolerant secular society. It’s becoming a form of censorship built on ignorance and not telling the truth. It’s not about people being offended, it’s more that they do not want this type of advert.
‘Ultimately, I think our response should be ”do not be so narrow minded because as human beings collectively we need to do what we can to improve the human condition”.
