Accessible Airwaves

Once again, the United Church of Christ's inclusion-themed, 30-second TV commercial has been rejected by the broadcast networks and now cable network, Viacom.

The United Church of Christ's all-inclusive message has been deemed "too controversial."

It’s time for equal access.

1. Let Your Voice Be Heard - Send a Message to Viacom Viacom accepts ads laced with sexual innuendo, greed, violence, and the politics of personal destruction, while our message of openness and welcome is not allowed. Tell Viacom to make the airwaves accessible. 2. Tell Your Friends Broadcasters who use the public airwaves have a responsibility to operate in the public interest. Spread the word about our campaign!

The New York Times, The United Church Of Christ, & The Institute on Religion and Democracy

This morning The New York Times published an article about the United Church of Christ and a conservative critic of all mainline denominations: the Institute on Religion and Democracy (IRD).

What is IRD? Well, the group has very little to do with religion and a lot to do with politics.

It was set-up in the early 1980s by conservative political groups upset with mainline church critics who charged that US foreign policy was supporting violent dictatorships in places like El Salvador and South Africa. Mark Tooley, one of IRD’s top leaders, is a former CIA employee.

The aim of IRD was then and is now to sow division in mainline churches and church bodies such as the National Council of Churches by defaming church leaders and institutions.

IRD receives funding today from conservative politics activists such as Richard Mellon Scaife. Scaife provided nearly all the funding needed to wage an eight-year campaign against Bill and Hillary Clinton during their tenure in the White House.

IRD and their backers consider many Republicans too liberal and have even fought against conservative evangelical Christians concerned about the environment.

During the 2004 elections the IRD accused mainline churches of partisan political activity in support of democratic candidates. John Lomperis, one of IRD’s staffers, wrote several pieces on IRD’s web site making that charge. The charge, however, was totally false. Mainline churches only engaged in proper and legal voter registration drives and get out the vote efforts. Lomperis never disclosed that he was actively working on the Bush 2004 re-election campaign while make these false allegations.

Members of all mainline churches - such as the UCC - represent many different political beliefs.

IRD also coordinates a group called the Association for Church Renewal. Part of this association is a small IRD-aligned organization called the Biblical Witness Fellowship. BFW is assigned to target the UCC by attacking the denomination's leadership and members. IRD distributes their press material.

Is there a “vast right wing conspiracy” aimed at mainline churches and organized by IRD?

I’d call it more of a “vast right wing coordination.”

IRD and their allies hope to silence the prophetic voice of mainline churches that argue against economic policies that benefit the wealthy at the expense of the “least of these,” work to promote peace over war, seek to make sure everyone feels welcomed at God’s table, and maintain that the environment is a gift from God we must protect.

IRD is a political organization concerned with political activities. The United Church of Christ is a church concerned with preaching the Gospel.

Our denomination is fortunate to have leaders speaking out against such partisan groups misusing the Christian faith for nationalistic political goals.

But when the networks ban the UCC from airing television spots proclaiming the Gospel message of extravagant welcome then groups like IRD win and the Gospel message loses.

Send a message to the network executive telling them not to let that happen.

Chuck Currie

Posted by Chuck Currie
4/07/2006 10:31:00 PM
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About OC Inc.

The Office of Communication of the United Church of Christ, Inc. is the media advocacy arm of the United Church of Christ, a mainline Protestant denomination of over 1.3 million members. The United Church of Christ was the first voice to demand that broadcasters who use the public airwaves have a responsibility to operate in the public interest. In the 1960s, the United Church of Christ earned its place in U.S. broadcasting history by successfully challenging the license of WLBT-TV in Jackson, Miss, for refusing to broadcast news and information about African Americans.