Remember the billboard in New Zealand that stated “Jesus Heals Cancer” and contained tally marks indicating how many people had been “cured” by Jesus?
Turns out the ad by the Equippers church generated all sorts of outrage, prompting the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) to investigate.
Maybe they’re just trying to avoid any sort of punishment, but the church has removed the ad… and replaced it with one that reads:
“Jesus heals every sickness and every disease — Matthew 4:23”
*Sigh* They don’t get it.
We never had a problem with the word “Cancer.”
Our issue was with the word “Heals.”
Jesus isn’t a doctor. He doesn’t hand you medicine. He doesn’t create the medicine. And he doesn’t heal you. At best, he’s a placebo whose side effects include homophobia and gullibility.
Jody Condin, whose three-year-old son suffers from leukemia, doesn’t see much of a difference between the ads, either:
“I’m pleased they’ve taken it down but I don’t think the new sign is much of an improvement.
“I still think that that could bring harm to those who haven’t been cured from every sickness and every illness. I still think that’s giving false hope. I believe that [the church] can heal the soul, but I don’t think they can heal every disease and every illness.”
It’d be great if the ASA found the courage to take down this new billboard on account of misinformation since there’s no credible evidence to support the church’s claim. If nothing else, they’re trying to capitalize on peoples’ suffering. Even if it’s not illegal, it’s unethical and the church should recognize that.
(Thanks to Matthew for the link!)
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