Should Christians stick to “angels and cribs” at Christmas as the National Secular Society wants, or does the proposed “Ultrasound Jesus” bring a new awareness to the event?
A major Christmas campaign supported by most of the major protestant denominations including the Church of England, the Baptist Union, the URC and the Methodist Church will feature an ultrasound picture of a baby in the womb with a halo round its head. This has drawn attacks from secularists and statements of support from the anti-abortion lobby.
Director of the National Secular Society, Terry Sanderson , accused the advertising company, ecumenical charity, Churchads.net, of ‘an incredible piece of naivety’ in using an image ‘too specifically associated with pro-lifers.’ ‘It gives the impression that it was politically motivated … They should go back to angels and cribs.’
John Smeaton, of the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child, welcomed the campaign as a ‘wonderful help in changing people's minds in the abortion issue. … The advert is saying that Jesus was alive as a person before he was born.’
Mike Elms, vice-chair of ChurchAds.net, denied the ad was in any way political, explaining that its sole purpose was to convey the Christian message of Christmas in a modern, secular context. ‘This is the kind of thing proud parents-to-be show their friends and family — passing round the scan of the baby,” added Francis Goodwin, a founder member of ChurchAds.net.
‘The amazing truth is that Jesus was fully human and fully divine,’ said Andrea Williams, Director of CCFON. ‘This excellent campaign highlights both the humanity of Jesus and his divinity, and if it also makes people think and talk more broadly about the value of human life, that is a wonderful bonus.’
Clearly this thought is in other people’s minds. The Times webpage announcing this story (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article7146436.ece) has a live link to their recent contrasting story about Mary Stopes International managing to get round the rules and advertise their abortion service on television.