Carl Remick wrote:
> Here's an interesting bit of marketing dialectics, from today's UK
> Telegraph:
>
> Church poster shows Jesus as Che Guevara
> By Victoria Combe, Churches Correspondent
> THE [UK] Churches are to advertise Jesus Christ using an image of the
> Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara.
> The national poster campaign, launched yesterday, uses the red and black
> image of Guevara that adorned Left-wing students' bed-sits in the
> Sixties and Seventies. But instead of a beret, the figure wears a crown
> of thorns.
> The Churches Advertising Network, which represents the mainstream
> Christian Churches, said it was deliberately using the image in the hope
> of challenging a "sentimental Sunday school" view of Jesus Christ.
> But both Anglicans and Catholics said yesterday that they were startled
> by the use of an enemy of religion to promote churchgoing, describing it
> as inappropriate, confusing and dated.
> Some 50,000 churches will this week be asked to buy packs of posters and
> invitation cards asking people to come to church at Easter. The 5ft
> posters, which will be displayed in bus shelters, rail stations and
> churches, bear the slogan: "Meek. Mild. As If. Discover the real Jesus.
> Church. April 4."
> The Rev Tom Ambrose, director of communications for the Anglican Ely
> Diocese and secretary of the advertising network, said the campaign
> demonstrated an "enormous confidence" and revolutionary spirit within
> the Christian Church.
> He said: "We want to get away from the wimpy Nordic figure in a white
> nightie. Jesus was more revolutionary than anyone in the 20th century.
> He was crucified exactly because he was revolutionary." Mr Ambrose said
> he hoped the posters would be pinned to the walls of teenage girls'
> rooms.
> Another member of the network, the Rev Peter Owen-Jones, said: "We are
> not saying that Jesus was a communist. We are exploiting the image of
> revolution, not the image of Guevara."
> The Churches Advertising Network is run largely by Anglicans although
> the Baptist, Methodist and Catholic Churches send a representative to
> meetings. The creative work is donated by Christians.
> The Catholic Church said it had had little to do with the posters. Msgr
> Kieran Conry, of the Catholic Media Office, said the use of Guevara, who
> fought with Fidel Castro's guerrillas in the Cuban revolution, was
> confusing. He said: "The poster fails to mention Easter, so people might
> think April 4 is Guevara's birthday."
> The Anglican Bishop of St Albans, the Rt Rev Christopher Herbert, said
> young people might think "As If" was a pop group. He said: "The image is
> very Sixties. I cannot see how it will appeal to younger generations."
> The Bishop of Wakefield, the Rt Rev Nigel McCulloch, feared the adverts
> would "trivialise the mystery of the Godhead". He said: "I am not sure
> it is the proper way of presenting the message of love and peace."
> The Socialist Party was equally disturbed by the poster. Judy Beishon,
> of the executive committee, said: "It all seems a bit strange. If
> anything, it is probably a bit unfair to Che Guevara."
> [end]
> Carl Remick