Posted on 02/13/2007 9:13:35 AM PST by Froufrou
A national communications company refused to display a conservative Christian group's potentially controversial advertisements promoting a conference on sexuality over the weekend.
Focus on the Family expressed disappointment at Clear Channel Outdoor's decision to block ads for its international Love Won Out conference in Phoenix, Ariz.
The billboard ad was drafted to read, "I questioned homosexuality: Change is Possible, Discover How."
Gender issues director at Focus on the Family, Melissa Fryrear, said Monday the advertising company had turned down the business, but as of Monday, its lawyers had not received an explanation for the decision.
A Clear Channel Outdoors representative told Cybercast News Service,"Our local managers review each advertisement on a case-by-case basis to ensure that it meets the tastes and standards of the local community.
"Local managers reserve the right to reject advertising copy if it does not meet their community's standards for appropriateness or the copy is deemed offensive towards any business, group or individual," the representative added.
Fryrear argued that "there is nothing objectionable about [the ad]."
"It gives a hopeful message for those who are dissatisfied living homosexually and [shows] that there is an alternative they could consider," she said
Despite the advertising controversy, the conference was successful, Fryrear said. At the same time, Focus on the Family would never know how many more could have been impacted had the billboard ad not been refused.
"We wanted to try to get the message out in a variety of mediums," she said. "Our concern certainly is that it would have affected potential attendees because we weren't able to promote it as intentionally as we had planned."
Even a group protesting the conference, Arizona Human Rights Foundation (AHRF), questioned the decision to censor the advertisement.
AHRF representative Amy Kobeta said although she was glad the communication company had tried to avoid offense, the move was "a little odd because it seems to be somewhat of an infringement on free speech."
"I would be upset if someone didn't advertise one of our conferences and I think the reverse is also true," Kobeta said.
The ad was eventually picked up by another advertising company in the area.
Focus on the Family said the goal of its annual Love Won Out conference is to answer questions on the divisive issue of sexuality and raise awareness about the continuing need to show love to the homosexual and lesbian community.
"We are trying to help Christians respond in a Christian way to someone who is struggling with homosexuality," Fryrear said. "We are also trying to offer resources and hope to [unhappy homosexuals] that would assist them as they continue to pursue heterosexuality."
She said many of the people attending the conference are Christian family members or friends of homosexuals.
"They don't want to forfeit what they believe about sexuality, and of course they love their loved one," Fryrear said. So Focus on the Family is "helping them continue to stand by what they believe biblically and [show them] how to respond to a gay identified loved one in a compassionate and understanding loving way."
The ARHD and other homosexual advocacy groups, however, expressed concern about the motives of the group.
"I don't understand how it can be compassionate if you are telling someone that they are inherently flawed and they are required to change," Kobeta said.
"The conference is based on two very flawed principles," she said. "One is that homosexuality is a choice and the other is that homosexuality can and should be cured.
"Both of those, we feel, perpetuates stereotypes, bias, and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transsexual people," Kobeta added.
Kobeta argued "this kind of [movement] should not be perpetuated and there is an alternative in loving and accepting yourself for who you are."
Fryrear said she would have preferred that the critics participated in the event.
"The conference has oftentimes been misrepresented and I would much rather them hear the grace that we are exhorting to Christians to extend to them.
"Someone protesting on the sidewalk doesn't have an opportunity to hear that," she said.
gay agenda ping.
Gay agenda? This is a business decision...and a good one at that.
Maybe if it said "I questioned MY homosexuality." That might pass muster?
Business have the right to refuse the advertising if they want. What it shows more than anything is just how far this country has slipped in the past few years.
"The conference is based on two very flawed principles," she said. "One is that homosexuality is a choice"
Last I heard, it has not been proved that there is a 'gay gene.' It may be a good business decision but the #1 reason they're giving for it is flawed.
Yet if the wording of this entire article was switched and every heterosexual and homosexual was swapped, there wouldn't have been any problem at all.
" how far this country has slipped in the past few years."
I was fine with not 'outing' ANY talk of sexuality. We don't seem to have much etiquette left. Some things are better kept private, IMHO.
It is sad that political correctness demands that those suffering from Same Gender Attraction Disorder - a sexual addiction - can't even read about where they can go to get treatment or help. It can't even be discussed openly.
Exactly. We have to be p.c., you know.
Guiliani says that he believes marriage is between one man and one woman. And that's the issue that concerns me. If people want to enter into a civil union, I don't give a crap. In America, you can enter into any contract you want. If you don't want that in your America, then I don't want to live in your America.
Who the hell cares why they made the decision? Country stations refused to play the Dixie Chicks. That's a business decision, and Thank God we can still make them.
Who the hell cares why they made the decision? Country stations refused to play the Dixie Chicks. That's a business decision, and Thank God we can still make them.
http://www.healingforthesoul.org/Articles/My%20Story%20&%20Bio.pdf
Your post sent me looking. This is a pdf file that takes awhile to load, but it's worth it.
Thanks!
At this point, the cat is out of the bag (or the queer is out of the closet) and our society has to take a stand one way or another. There is no middle ground.
So what was wrong with Focus on the Family advertising for people who want to get out of that sinful lifestyle?
While I am disappointed that the company wouldn't take this billboard, it is the choice of each individual advertising business what they will and will not do. That's part of living in a free nation.
LOL Well, yes, but no one said that a business owner had to make decisions based on the truth.
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