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    Phone Firm Rapped For 'Jesus Thumbs-Up' Ad

    A phone company's advertisement featuring a cartoon picture of Jesus winking and giving a thumbs-up sign has been banned for being "disrespectful".

    The ruling against Phones 4u was made by the advertising watchdog, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

    The company, which brought out the advert just before Easter, showed Jesus with the Sacred Heart on his chest and the slogan "Miraculous deals on Samsung Galaxy Android phones".

    The ASA said, while it realised the publicity was intended to be funny, its depiction of Jesus during the religious holiday "gave the impression that they were mocking and belittling core Christian beliefs".

    "We therefore concluded that the ads were disrespectful to the Christian faith and were likely to cause serious offence, particularly to Christians," the watchdog said.

    A total of 98 people complained and Phones 4u admitted, with the benefit of hindsight, they "understood and regretted" that offence had been caused.

    The adverts were withdrawn and the company sent individual apologies to those complained.

     

    423 comments

    • dorcas adeyemi  •  5 months ago
      Only a bastard Christian will see nothing wrong with this, christians are just too tolerant even to the extrem negetive things against our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. As a matter of truth i and my family as band samsung product in our home. Anyone against Jesus Christ, i am also against such a one.
    • porcelain  •  5 months ago
      Disrespectful for using a fictional (show me the PROOF or stfu) character to promote an item?!

      I don't see Jesus's name mentioned anywhere.

      Lets ban all men with long hair for being 'disrespectful'. Religious types get away with bloody murder because no-one is allowed to challenge their unprovable beliefs in anything. Ridiculous iin this day & age. Equally I don't get why the white-European steroe type is held up as the definitive image of the character named Jesus, bearing in mind his birth place.

      We should change the date back to 0011 AD since that's where the majoriyty of religious mentality lies....

      Or maybe it's the PC brigade I should be reprimanding on this ...?
    • Firestarter  •  5 months ago
      If god existed and was all powerfull and mighty he'd come down from wherever it is his sitting and do something about it, But he doesnt exist otherwise he'd do something. So pull your heads out from up your a$$es people and live in the real world
    • eric johnd  •  5 months ago
      more p.c. mad dictatorship from the goody goody brigade,take em all out and get them a proper life!
    • anonymous  •  5 months ago
      jesus was black they just like to show him as being white - it gives whites a superiority complex then they sit in their fake tan beds and realize their pale skins are just not good enough.
    • James K  •  5 months ago
      Great job, just great PR for the "Jesus guy" improved his image, love it. Lets get him now driving a red mustang. Great job. I love the "Jesus guy"
    • mike  •  5 months ago
      phones 4u are a crap company at the best of times, theye wouldnt dare make a picture of alah so whats the difference, poor marketing idea to say the least.
    • charith  •  5 months ago
      What is this when you compare disrespect done all over the world for Lord Buddha!!!. Every high street from small shops to large dept. stores they keep Budda statues in disrespect manner on the shelves. but nobody bothers. Only buddhists themselves feel sad about it.
    • Lazythug  •  5 months ago
      if jesus could choose between iphone4 or samsung galaxy S2 i wonder wich 1 he would choose ?
    • RumourControl  •  5 months ago
      hail jesus.The one true prophet..
    • dz  •  5 months ago
      "Phones 4u" why am I no surprised? Phones 4u has most idiotic ads on tv!
    • dave  •  5 months ago
      Hi people

      The people who posted the complaint should look at their own lives..let them without sin etc...

      I bet they have told racist jokes or have sworn. get a life for life is too short
    • Charlie  •  5 months ago
      Oh PLEASE! I am Christian and in no way offended by this stupid advertisement. Get a life people - we are not muslims and do not get violent over such trivial things.
    • NEIL  •  5 months ago
      God doesn't exist anyway, and Jesus was just a hippy who heard voices in his head- offending people who worship cosmic jewish zombies is a sport where I come from ( the internet )...
    • maria  •  5 months ago
      What about wiccans you dont hear them complaining when witches are used to advertise or budhists when budhas are used and the list goes on there are a lot more beliefs in the world not just christians.
    • Jim The Thing  •  5 months ago
      This country is just full of people running around desperately looking for something to be offended by so it's not surprising that this ad got banned.
      ...ASA, take a high-5 from Mary Whitehouse.
    • Tonto  •  5 months ago
      The point here which a lot of people are missing that its ok to point and make fun of a section of society, until that is, it's "you" being made fun of. And we wonder why parts of society riot and sit after and can not understand why. Its called "CONSIDERATION" for others if you do not understand why. For those who say live and let live that i am ok by that if it's you being made fun of. But i stand by the RIGHT for you to be left in peace and to be left alone for what YOU want to believe in as long as YOU leave me alone. JUST LEAVE PEOPLE ALONE and if THOSE that have done WRONG thery DESERVE TO BE PUNISHED AND ROT IN HELL. That is why we as a society we have rules of law!
    • WP  •  5 months ago
      Who gives a f--- about some half naked Jew, people concerned about these things have too much free time.....
    • Order!  •  5 months ago
      Blessed be the name of the Lord my G-d, Adoni is His name, the Father of my Lord Yashua, He is the G-d of Abram, Isaac and Jacob, he who has accepted Yashua as Lord and Saviour will be saved, confess your sins and ask Yashua into your heart and be saved. Adoni does not wish for anyone to die in their sins, He wants you to be with Him when He comes to collect those who believe in Him, do not be left behind, because Satan is going to make your life a living hell on earth, before those left behind transfer to Hell after Judgement. You dont have to burn in Hell for ever, believe and be saved, time is short, look at the signs around you.
    • SJ  •  5 months ago
      First: I got shocked once again to see such an ad (now about Jesus) as we believe in and respect all prophets sent by Allah equally.

      Second: I got surprised on seeing the action of banning the ad so quickly by WEST – WHAT A DOUBLE STANDARD.

      Third: No one on earth took any action on the abhorring cartoons of The Holy Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) when those GOD DAMN atheists made in Denmark and other European countries. Whole God Damn world kept quite and did not even say a word at least to pacify the sentiments of Muslims.

      Fourth: This is our belief and words of Allah that all prophets have been sent by Allah starting from Adam to Mohammad (peace & blessings of Allah be on him) and they all are equally respectful and still Prophet Mohammad having highest rank in respect and in many other ways.All those who do not believe in this and that Allah is ONE and He holds no partner nor a son or daughter or spouse they all will be fuel of hell fire which Allah has kept ready for those KAFIRS AND MUSHRIKS (ATHEISTS).

      Fifth: They think they got mighty power on earth and can invade the whole world (particularly those who are weak). They don’t know that they will regret on judgment day and will not be forgiven and shall be thrown in the hell fire without any excuses or explanation or given second chance, at that time Jesus will not be able to do anything for them. Only prophet Mohammad will have this delegation of authority on the Judgment day but those who die as non-believer in this world will not be considered for any favor then.

      Sixth: Their faith/beliefs and blindness due to wealth and might have made them not accepting the truth that Allah is the ultimate Almighty, every thing that He has created (the whole universe) has to go back to Him as he is the only Lord and no one (man made gods) has any power before Him.

      Seventh: There is still time for human being to repent and turn to Islam, believe in Allah, His Prophets, His Angels, the judgment day and to be revived to life to be present for accountability and to be sent to paradise or hell.