Jesus ultrasound picture used in Christmas campaign
UPDATE, 6/11, 12:50p: Not really a surprise, at least one pro-abort group is attacking the ChurchAds.net ad campaign as subliminally pro-life, claiming it will backfire.
Interestingly, the group is the “U.K. atheist-rights group National Secular Society,” according to the National Post.
So what do they care?
[HT: Cliff and Nicole]
6/10, 1p: Love it. From UKs’ The Telegraph, today:
The ChurchAds.net image, with the words ”He’s on his way” is the latest in a series of Christian Christmas advertising campaigns and follows an image last year of the nativity as a bus stop….
Francis Goodwin, chairman of ChurchAds, said: ”This is the kind of thing proud ‘parents-to-be’ show their friends and family – passing round the scan of the baby, or even pinning it up in the office.
”Our poster reflects this new way of announcing the news of a new arrival and places the birth of Christ in an ultra-contemporary context.”
The Rt Rev Stephen Cottrell, the Bishop of Reading, said: ”For many parents pregnancy gets real when you see the image from the ultrasound scan. It tells you something is actually kicking off.
”We’ve got so used to the tinsel wrapped cosiness of the carefully packaged 21st century consumer-fest Christmas, that its astonishing reality – an actual pregnancy, a God come down to Earth – is easily missed.”
The Church Ads site adds:
Research has revealed that 85% of people agree with the statement that “Christmas should be called Christmas because we are still a Christian country”. But it also shows that only 12% of adults know the facts of the Christmas story in any detail.
So if we Christians really want to keep Christmas focused on Christ, we must constantly re-tell the story of his birth in ways which engage positively with the public’s interest….
Our vision is to reach 40 million people by seeing the poster displayed on 2010 bus shelter sites and the radio commercials aired on 200 stations.
It’s sad to see European Christianity has spiraled downward so much they are to the point of asking whether “Christmas should be called Christmas.”
Still, the ad makes a good point about Jesus and collaterally gives food for thought on the abortion question. Pregnant mothers in crisis today may not be contemplating aborting Him, but they’re contemplating killing another someone.
[HT: Cliff and Nicole]
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
Love it! I want Christmas cards with this image! Brilliant campaign.
So what exactly do most people think Christmas is about?
I mean, do they go, “Christmas is about Jesus” and leave it at that? Or maybe they know it’s about the birth of Jesus, but have limited details on the story of Christ’s birth? What exactly defines, “the facts of the Christmas story in any detail”?
Ok. I found it.
“A survey found 27 per cent of Britons aged 18 and over were unable to identify Bethlehem as Jesus’s birth place, while the figure rose to 36 per cent of people aged between 18 and 24.
“One in ten of those questioned thought the answer was Nazareth and a similar number said Jerusalem.
“The poll also found that more than one in four people – 27 per cent – were unaware that an angel told Mary that she would give birth to a son, with some saying she was informed by the shepherds.
“Most people surveyed believed that Joseph, Mary and Jesus fled to Nazareth rather than Egypt when they escaped from King Herod, and a few even said the holy family’s destination was Rome.
“The survey also revealed that just over half did not know that John the Baptist was Jesus’s cousin.
“Only 12 per cent of adults could answer all four questions about the Christmas story correctly.”
And to be fair, a 2000 Gallup poll found that 90% of those polled knew that Christmas was about Christ’s birth.
Honestly, it’s a lot less shocking read this way. Still sad, but not as big of a surprise.
Oh, also, I forgot to mention it was a British poll that found those responses. I don’t know what we would find here, and I’m not saying it would be better, but I think it’s important to take into account that the numbers are from the UK.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1571915/Britons-who-dont-know-where-Jesus-was-born.html
In case anyone else wanted to follow up on that.
“Christmas should be called Christmas because we are still a Christian country”
That means nothing. Hanukkah should be called Hanukkah too. We’re a Christian country, a Jewish country, a Muslim country, a Hindu country, and a nonbeliever country with an ostensibly secular government.
I don’t think ultrasounds were invented yet back then.
I have 3 children and 18 Grandchildren! I want to buy a card for each grandchild plus 3 framed cards for their parents. Whoever thought of this was Graced by God…with a wonderful PRO LIFE Message which cannot be denied! And needs no explanation!
I love, love love it too.
gloriak
To NULONO:
you said “That’s Nothing” regarding Christmas and being a Christian Nation? A correction; to you. That is nothing that Christ came for you? and for the Muslims and the Jews and the Atheist?
It is such a Big Deal that time began when Jesus Christ was born.
He, our Lord, came to save the entire world. BUT you can’t take him lightly. He happens to be our God…you know..3 persons in one?….Father Son and Holy SPIRIT.
NULONO…IT IS A BIG BIG DEAL AND IT IS SOMETHING SO SPECIAL FOR THE WORLD
GLORIAK.
What is it about an ultrasound of an unborn baby/person that sends abortion advocates into a twitching frenzy? Do they still want us all to believe it’s just a blob of nothing? Hey! The earth is round not flat get over it.
The pro-abortion crowd definitely has not moved out of the 60’s with their outdated mantras. Science and technology give them a rough time be rationale, but religion they can bad mouth often.
But, we know we are winning the war for life.
Nulono: While the UK may have people of a lot of different religions, it’s still an officially Christian country, with a link between church and state.
Anyway, I think this ad (“advert”, I guess, seeing as it’s British) is a good idea and also really cute. :)
Joy to the world, the “blob” has come
Folks,
I contacted the design owner re a Christmas card version of the poster. Here’s the reply:
——————–
“The full range of materials has not yet been decided but may well include a Christmas card
Check our website nearer the time.
Any interest oin running the campaig in your own area? (illinois?)
Best wishes
Francis Goodwin
Chairman
ChurchAds.net
—————————————-
Any takers on getting a campaign started for this Christmas Season in IL or any other area?
RSD sound like a great campaign for Christmas cards to me. Let me know if you get the campaign going and where we could get them. I think a lot of CPCs could be a part of this campaign for a fundraiser. I would talk to them about it if you get this off the ground.