back to article Christ appears in phone advert, secular authorities act

Phones4u has managed to offend Christians with a cartoon Jesus offering a thumbs up, apparently endorsing its range of Samsung handsets rather than the more-traditionally messianic iPhone. The advert drew 98 complaints, more than enough to trigger an investigation into the ad which appeared in the national press just before …

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  1. Jamie Edwards
    Thumb Down

    What's wrong with that?

    "gave the impression that [Phones4u] were mocking and belittling core Christian beliefs"

    1. John G Imrie
      Trollface

      They are mocking Athiests too

      buy claiming the Jesus could perform Miracles.

      1. AndrueC Silver badge
        Trollface

        They could do an atheist version.

        A cartoon of Richard Dawkins saying "These phone offers are obviously the best you can get and if you disagree you must be some kind of retard or primitive barbarian"

        If you want to be rude and offensive then Prof. Dawkins is usually the man for the job.

        NB:I'm an atheist but I don't like his attitude.

        1. This post has been deleted by its author

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Trollface

          I'm an atheist...

          ...and I don't like *your* attitude.

          1. chr0m4t1c

            No, I'm and atheist

            </SPARTACUS>

  2. Alastair Dodd 1
    WTF?

    I'd more complain that it's ripping off

    Kevin Smith and the film Dogma. That is blatantly the Buddy Christ!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Pirate

      no, no, no,

      there's no such thing as intellectual property, remember? we must all "stick it to the man", otherwise we're a bunch of capitalist squares, no? or is it just starving composers whose record companies' revenues we have to kibosh?

  3. jm83

    Dogma

    Kevin Smith ought to have a word in their shell like.

  4. minnsey
    Holmes

    pffffttt not even original

    Worse than that they've just nicked Buddy Christ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddy_Christ

  5. Natural7
    FAIL

    So basically...

    They just ripped off buddy christ from dogma?

  6. Dangermouse 1
    Thumb Up

    Buddy Christ

    It's clearly the 'Buddy Christ' from Kev Smith's Dogma. Snootchie bootchies!

  7. sellorm

    Buddy Christ

    Not bothered about annoying Christians but surely there's a copyright infringement case here as well. The character depicted in the ad is called Buddy Christ and is from the Kevin Smith film Dogma. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddy_Christ

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Angel

    Discrimination

    I missed the recent advert portraying Mohammed sporting the new HTC ChaCha just before Ramadan..... What? There wasn't one?

    Who'd have thunk it.

    Not even an advert with Moses showing off his latest shatter-proof tablet!

    Anyway, Phones4U strike me as being the most dodgy-car-dealer-esque of all the mobile phone peddlers out there; I speak from experience.

    1. Fogcat

      Shonky

      Not used em since I went in and said "any network except Vodafone" and the first package they tried to sell me was Vodafone.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Trollface

        @Shonky

        That's because you said 'Vodaphone'. They are only programmed to respond to single words.

    2. Ross 7

      Tablets

      "Not even an advert with Moses showing off his latest shatter-proof tablet!"

      Deserves a thumbs up just for that :)

  9. CareTaker
    Trollface

    Copyright

    This looks suspiciously like The Buddy Christ from the Kevin Smith film Dogma.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    The winking thumbs-up jesus stamp of approval

    I'd just like to give "mocking and belittling core Christian beliefs" and "causing serious offence, particularly to Christians" the winking thumbs-up jesus stamp of approval. In fact can we make this a standard approval logo, and get a new forum icon featuring it?

    1. Mark 65

      @Chris 19

      I'd like to make them a national pastime.

  11. Chewy

    Buddy Christ

    Could have made Kevin Smith some more cash

  12. semprance
    Trollface

    Really?

    Wow, I didn't know the church of Little Mindedton had 98 members

  13. hitmouse
    Angel

    Core christian beliefs

    They should have had Jesus stoning adulterers with portable phones. That's pretty core.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Paris Hilton

      well actualy

      Well actualy the mobile phone network I use is able to get capacity for 100 people and do some magic changing it into capacity that they can sell to 10000 people. Now I've checked the water wine thing and as volume goes this mobile phone company does more. Also changing water into wine is easy, it's getting an export liscence for said wine afterwards that the real magic.

    2. Paul_Murphy

      I see what you almost did there...

      (hard)core .... good one, very subtle.

      ttfn

    3. John G Imrie

      As mutch as I like lambasting Christians

      The documentary evidence suggests that Jesus would be stopping the stoning of adulterers.

      1. NomNomNom

        actually

        Jesus being without sin was meant he was the first one to throw a stone. What he was saying was let me go first.

        1. David Dawson

          Frustratingly

          The central tenet of Christianity is a belief in grace/ mercy.

          That story was a good illustration; after shaming the mob into sparing the woman, he then refused to judge her and showed mercy/ compassion instead. I wish I could be that strong willed.

          In any case, judging/ moralising should be a totally alien concept to a christian.

          Alas, humans are judgemental, and a thin veneer of religion doesn't seem to improve your mark 1 human, it merely gives them another thing to judge with.

          The whole 'God is on my side' is a terrible thing to argue against.

          Time for a drink.

      2. cyborg
        Joke

        No

        He just wanted the first crack at it.

      3. Montreal Sean

        What do you baste them with?

        I find that a nice garlic barbecue sauce works best...

        I supposed the traditionalists wouldn't baste, just serve with mint jelly...

  14. JakeyC

    98 people...

    In other news, 98 people seriously need to find something significant to get upset about.

    If your life is so easy that you have no problems to sort out besides complaining about a stylized cartoon of a famous dead guy - then I'm very jealous of you all.

    If I'd spent my life uttering profundities and my image was still used 2000 years after my death, I'd be very chuffed indeed.

    I expect Jesus feels the same and is now cursing those who got him removed from the Phones4U ad campaign.

  15. Anonymous Coward
    Trollface

    Umm - re depictions of Allah.

    Just out of curiosity how would I recognise a depiction of Allah if I saw one? Does he look like Jesus?

    Come to that why does everyone expect Jesus to be white and with long hair (and more so for the big G as well!)?

    Also why is it that any form of discussion regarding religion also has to tread carefully to avoid offending anyone?

    If religious people actually believed what they said they believed then anyone saying anything against their religion would be laughed at and mocked rather than attacked.

    Ok - enough trolling for now

    1. Stuart Castle Silver badge

      Because

      "Also why is it that any form of discussion regarding religion also has to tread carefully to avoid offending anyone?"

      The problem is that some people consider religion to be the most important aspect of their life. As such, they do take it very personally when you question them about their religion, even if it is a genuine question and not an attempt to criticise the religion dressed up as question (and I know several people who will happily do that).

      Personally, I don't believe in any religion, and if anyone disagrees with me, that's their business, I don't get offended, even if they tell me I am wrong.

      1. AndrueC Silver badge
        Alert

        Not just religion

        Some atheists can be very touchy about it as well. I used to work with such bloke. Now me, I'm atheist but by and large I just ignore the issue. I pretty much regard it as just another club that some people happen to be members of. But this chap could get really worked up over religion and nearly foam at the mouth attacking it.

      2. Shakje

        @Stuart

        "even if it is a genuine question and not an attempt to criticise the religion dressed up as question"

        Even if it *is* a criticism dressed up as a question, what's wrong with that? Why shouldn't we be allowed to criticize religious beliefs as we would with anything else? I get incredibly annoyed when people come out with the "you can't criticize that, it's what I believe" argument, which seems to be getting more popular. Just because you believe something and that belief is important to you, doesn't make you right, and doesn't make you above being criticized. In the interests of civility there are ways of doing things, but the act of criticizing something shouldn't be dismissed just because it's criticism.

        1. John G Imrie

          "you can't criticize that, it's what I believe"

          But I believe that I can criticize yore[sic] beliefs. So who wins now :-)

    2. Paul Naylor
      Thumb Up

      Agreed

      "If religious people actually believed what they said they believed then anyone saying anything against their religion would be laughed at and mocked rather than attacked."

      Very good point. Religion is the only thing that automatically assumes immunity from any kind of criticism or analysis, obviously because their 'arguments' are so easy to refute. I'm sick and tired of a secular society having to tippy-toe around these godbotherers, for fear of saying or doing something that they deem "offensive".

      Kudos to Phones4U for running this though. However, I think that using religion to sell anything would, as an atheist, put me off. Shouldn't we Free Thinkers be more offended?

    3. David Dawson
      Thumb Up

      Umm - re depictions of Allah.

      Ok - enough trolling for now

      --------------------

      I think you need to practise your trolling a bit more.

      More CAPS and less of the good reason please ;-)

  16. Kevin Lomax

    Buddy Christ?

    Isn't that just a pic of "Buddy Christ" from Kevin Smith's "Dogma"?

    httx://tinyurl.com/42sq3ft

  17. Anonymous Coward
    Devil

    That's not Jebus thats Neil from the Young One's

    Failing that could be some chap called Mo, but dont look invisible enough to be anything religious. So as a aithiest I find this officencive towards my non-religion that this has happened.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Headmaster

      One Hundred Hail Marys for you!

      For that misplaced apostrophe!

      1. John G Imrie
        Coat

        As he's an Athiest

        Shouldn't that be One Hundred Hail Dorkins?

  18. garhol
    Angel

    namechange

    Surely they can avoid this mess with a name change to "Phones4Jew"

  19. Loyal Commenter Silver badge
    Mushroom

    Core Christian Beliefs?

    I think maybe they forgot the bit about forgiveness. In my mind, by complaining, they have shown themselves to not be proper Christians and therefore fair game for mockery.

    Bring it on, small minded middle-England zealot-folk!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Seriously?

      You think that forgivness means never mentioning the thing that has caused offence?

      1. Loyal Commenter Silver badge
        Holmes

        Yes, seriously.

        When it is supposedly a core tenet of the religion in questions, I think it should probably cover not making an official complaint over something so petty.

        Or maybe it should be, "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, except for when we feel like a good bitch and moan"?

        As a footnote, I find it sad that so many people are still ready and willing to believe things that they are told to be true, despite there being no evidence for them*, by those with questionable motives. It's almost as if the Enlightenment never happened.

        *Books written several centuries after the 'fact' by people who by definition couldn't have been there, and which were compiled, translated, and heavily edited by authoritarian religious organisations over a period of centuries in order to suit the political motives of dictators in the middle ages don't count.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Err...

          Just because someone has been forgiven something, doesn't mean that there shouldn't be an element of punishment or penitence involved.

          Complaining about something (as opposed to banging on constantly) is fine. Bringing up something again and again after the fact is not.

          However from the tone of your comment, I don't expect you to agree, as you've obviously fairly little understanding of religion and what you have seems to only exist to help you oppose and mock it.

        2. easyk

          just to be clear

          I don't believe the bible is divinely inspired but you should check your dates. There are in existence gospels dating back to within 30 years or jebus's end and those are likely transcriptions or versions of oral history. The other books in the New Testey are things like correspondence between early churches and treatese on church doctrine and of course the mindf**k that is the book of revelations. A book I enjoyed that you might as well is "Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why" by Bart D. Ehrman.

  20. Jim 59

    Appropriate

    Things like this are better described as "innapropriate" rather then "offensive". The trouble is the ad sends mixed messages and could appear to be saying almost anything - maybe encouraging contempt for a UK minority, maybe just being funny as the wonk suggested, or maybe spitting on the faith of billions worldwide. Basically, it's all best avoided if we all want to live in harmony.

  21. Arctic fox
    Headmaster

    RE: "depictions of Jesus are generally OK "

    "Depictions of Allah aren't allowed, as any depiction can offend Muslims, depictions of Jesus are generally OK as long as he's not winking, holding a heart, or endorsing any mobile phone that didn't come from Apple."

    That actually depends on how "Low Church" the particular se(c)t of Godbotherers is. A number of the very fundamentalist protestant sects take a *very* dim view of *any* depiction on the grounds that it borders on worshipping idols or graven images and the like.

    1. TeeCee Gold badge

      Re: worshipping idols

      Most of the more sensible versions go for "false idols", stress on the false.

      That way they can ensure the faithful only worship what they're told to, while also making a bit of cash flogging gen-u-ine endorsed-by-some-bloke-in-a-dress idols, pictures, icons, relics, novelty statuettes, bobble-heads, bumper stickers, ashtrays and the like.

  22. Anton Channing
    Thumb Up

    Catholicism

    WOW!

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    title

    A contemporary look? It's from last century! ;P

    If they wanted a contemporary look surely they would have used an image of paedo-bear with the strap line "Come stalk these new arivals!" At least that would be from within the past 5 or 6 years ;)

  24. Steve Evans

    Where do I call?

    To register a complaint that these Christians are offending me by having no sense of humour?

    It's blatantly Buddy Christ.

  25. The Fuzzy Wotnot
    Mushroom

    Easy answer

    CW simply need to ask for forgiveness, problem sorted!

    I find it offensive that you religious types consider me so thick that I cannot decide right from wrong without your fairy stories from your precious book! My parents cared enough about me to instill a moral compass without dogma!

    I find it offensive that my precious Saturday and Sunday mornings get interupted by J's Witnesses banging on about why they consider I have no faith! I have faith, I have faith that the loony with the quad-bike up the road will come down the path and flatten you cretins!

    I find it offensive that my kids are being brainwashed by a 2,000 year old cult of cretins who believe that their God, who turns people into salt, kills all life on earth and saves his mates in a boat, is a worthy entity to be praised and admired!

    Now bugger off the lot of you!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Yes?

      Any I find such intolerant people as yourself offensive.

      I don't think anyone suggests that you can't tell right from wrong without religion, it's just that most religions provide a moral framework to help this.

      You say that religion (by which I presume you mean Christianity) is a 2000 year old cult, then pick out a couple of stories from the old testament to illustrate your point. Nice one.

      Your kids are not being brainwashed, unless you allow them to be.

      You don't get JWs coming round on a Sunday, in fact most JWs don't come round at all any more.

      Oh and asking for forgivness when you're not sorry, is hardly likely to obtain it.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        IT Angle

        Depends on which side of the ocean....

        I'm in the UK, and religion is not an issue, so whilst literally 'atheist' it's simply not a term I use.

        HOWEVER, I have many friends in the USA who have to drive past big billboards telling them that they must worship god or go to hell. They get persecuted, and have to hide their atheism from neighbours and employers.

        You can understand how in this environment of militant christianity, they get more worked up.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          If you're interested in how serious the problem is in the USA....

          wake up and read this:

          http://www.publiceye.org/christian_right/dominionism.htm

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        @Yes?

        "I don't think anyone suggests that you can't tell right from wrong without religion, it's just that most religions provide a moral framework to help this."

        I've been told differently by many various christian types of varying fervour from the fairly easy going ones to the gibbering rabid fundamentalists. YMMV is obviously the case.

  26. Anonymous Coward
    Facepalm

    Can I be the first to say....

    ... isn't that Buddy Christ from the film Dogma??!!!Eleventy

    1. NomNomNom

      its

      its funny how noone else spotted that

  27. Bassey

    Problem

    "mocking and belittling core Christian beliefs"

    Don't science, logic and common sense also belittle core Christian beliefs? Then again, we are talking about the advertising industry so we're probably never going to cross that particular bridge.

  28. Spanners Silver badge
    FAIL

    It doesn't Offend me

    I'm a Christian and am not offended by it. It is a joke people.

    Jesus had a sense of humour so why do some of His followers seem to have lost theirs?

  29. Jim 59

    Allah

    "Depictions of Allah aren't allowed..."

    I was not aware that Islam had any problem with depictions of Allah. Perhaps the author intended to say "Depictions of Mohammed" ? Is a correction by El Reg in order ?

    1. David Dawson

      As far as I'm aware

      Depictions of living creatures is forbidden, god included.

      Also, a bit of abug bear. Allah is a transliteration of an arabic word that means god. Can't we just translate that bit too? And say, god?

    2. cyborg
      Devil

      I don't think they'd go for that either

      The basic taboo is that creating images for prophets may lead to a tendency to worship that image rather than Allah (just look at Catholicism's many minor gods - sorry saints) which is why there's a lot of geometric patterns in Islamic art.

      Not sure how you'd depict the more abstract concept of Allah vis a vis the "beardy bloke" image that has been used for Yahweh in the Christian branch of Abrahamic cults but it's probably be just as offensive.

  30. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    As a christian....

    let me say I'm not offended...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Me neither

      Although It's in pretty poor taste to use religious figures for advertising, I'm not offended.

      At the Greenbelt festival (Christian based, arts festival) for the last few years, the beer tent has been called "The Jesus Arms" and has a similar pub sign outside it, noone seemed to be offended there.

  31. Jason Togneri

    Since there's a bandwagon...

    Subject: looks like Buddy Christ from Dogma

    Classification: blatant

    Obligatory Wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddy_Christ

    There, that ought to do it.

    As for "mocking and belittling core Christian beliefs", surely those are things like love thy neighbour, sleepeth not with another man's wife, do not worship false idols, and things like that. Perhaps I'm missing something, but I didn't realise that the physical figure of Jesus was an actual "core belief", rather than just a representation of their god.

  32. Steen Hive
    Mushroom

    Truth in advertising.

    Next time they should consider an illustration of Catholic clergy molesting a young boy, being as it is a factual depiction of an actual event.

    1. NomNomNom

      omg

      lies!

  33. Wyccant
    Facepalm

    belittle core Christian beliefs?

    "Don't science, logic and common sense also belittle core Christian beliefs"

    No. Some Christians believe science and logic belittle Christian belief. It's not the same thing.

    Despite rumours held dear by many trolls evolution and Christianity are not mutually exclusive.

    The belief scientific research was completed 2,000 years ago by a bunch fishermen in a desert and a Roman council seeking political power over tribes however, is at odds with evolution.

  34. NomNomNom

    Not suprised

    I didn't complain but if I had been aware of this at the time I would have.

    Using Jesus in advertisements around Easter is just about the most insenstitive thing imaginable. It's like using the holocaust to advertise Hanukkah, or drawing a picture of Mohammed.

    If you still don't get it then imagine if instead of Jesus there was a picture of Richard Dawkins giving a thumbs up. Then the complaints would no doubt come rolling in.

    If you've read the Bible you'd know the real Jesus wouldn't be seen dead selling phones or advertising products in general. Well one thing is for sure now - there'll be phone4u stores in Hell.

    In future I recommend phones4u and other so-called "businesses" use dead celebrities to advertise their products, not dead messiahs. That is if they don't want another stoning of complaints. Also bear in mind Jesus will be back one day and he'll sue your ass for defamation.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      @NomNomNom

      Although it appears like you are trolling, in the outside chance that someone reads your post and believes it to be a realistic view I feel the need to offer a rebuttal to your well thought out and intelligently phrased points:

      "Using Jesus in advertisements around Easter is just about the most insenstitive thing imaginable"

      Isn't Easter when Jesus gloriously rose from the dead to ascend to heaven after dying for our sins so that we can all have the chance at redemption?

      "It's like using the holocaust to advertise Hanukkah"

      Is it? Is it really? Either you are monumentally stupid or you don't know what either Hannukah or

      the holocaust mean.

      "In future I recommend phones4u and other so-called "businesses" use dead celebrities to advertise their products, not dead messiahs. "

      (1) Jesus was also a celebrity so Phones4U are doing what you want

      (2) He's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy.

      (3) Sorry about 2, I couldn't help myself.

    2. david wilson

      @Nomnomnom

      >>"Using Jesus in advertisements around Easter is just about the most insenstitive thing imaginable. It's like using the holocaust to advertise..."

      If that's what you think, I pity your imagination or education.

      >>"If you still don't get it then imagine if instead of Jesus there was a picture of Richard Dawkins giving a thumbs up. Then the complaints would no doubt come rolling in."

      One might come from Mr Dawkins.

      But then He actually exists, and has some legal/moral rights over what gets done with His image.

      That's rather different from a character in a religious tale whose real-world basis, to the extent there is one, is likely to be hugely different from what many people who believe stories written and edited long after the person died think it is.

      There are people who complain about all kinds of things, like characters in soap operas getting a raw deal, but that just demonstrates something about people.

      I'm reminded of Stewart Lee's comment on the protesters about the Jerry Springer opera - "Whether you think of the people behind me as hysterical bigots or well intentioned fools, they are, nonetheless, divs."

    3. whatsa

      silly

      Richard Dawkins?

      No he would think it was funny.. maybe with a slogan "the real deal nothing fake here!"

      You know atheists may be a bit insensitive to you.

      but at least they do not tell others they will burn in hell for not believing.

      You see this behaviour of your like-minded fellows is the most offensive and

      gives you no basis for complaint.

  35. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Predictable

    As an athiest secularist, I find the hypocrisy of modern attitudes to the question of religion depressing, and such hypocrisy is evident in some of these replies.

    During my miss-spent youth I was briefly a school teacher at a multicultural school in London. The school had a 'discover each others' beliefs' week; one day of the week was dedicated to one of the major religions, and a teacher of that religion delivered a talk at morning assembly... a fine scheme. Of course the PC teachers loved it, and applauded each talker warmly, except for when a perfectly inoffensive Christian teacher had his turn. Then several of them made a point of walking out before he'd even started. This alerted me to the total crapulance of the PC dogma of those who are delighted to display their trendy anti-Christian attitudes while treating other religious with reverence (either to enhance their PC credentials or to avoid repercussions from religions who definitely don't "turn the other cheek.")

    1. Jim 59

      Haringay

      AC's post brings to mind the teacher in Haringay who recently justified her school's lack of religious observance by saying that mentioning "Jesus" would exclude those of other faiths. On the contrarry, I would describe learning about other people and their faiths as "education".

      1. Test Man
        Thumb Up

        Not to mention ignorant about other faiths...

        ... seeing as muslims and jews (for example) acknowledge Jesus too (muslims believe him to be a prophet not the son of God and jews... well we all know the relationship between jews and Jesus...)

        1. TraceyC

          What relationship between Jews & Jesus? I mean actual Jews.....

          As someone with an education in the Jewish faith & culture in the US, we were taught in temple that Jesus might have existed but was not the messiah. We were taught that Christians are perpetuating a long held mistaken belief. We were taught to tolerate them anyway and not to judge because no one is perfect and it's God's job to judge.

          I can also say not all Jews believe Jesus was even a historical person. So, the relationship between Jews & Jesus is ... non-existent to actual Jews. The Bible alleges things that Jews might have done to a guy who might not have actually lived. Doesn't make it true. I've since left the Jewish faith, and I don't take the Torah or any other human written text as the Unalterable Holy Word of Truth.

    2. This post has been deleted by its author

      1. Oninoshiko
        Paris Hilton

        Why would they have an athist day?

        When assigning days for religions? Damnit, ARE you guys a religion or NOT? make up your MINDS.

        (personally, I'm perfectly happy classifying it as a religion, as you-all seem to be as evangelical as everyone else)

  36. Willington

    Where's my Buddy Christ icon?

    That is all.

  37. Anonymous Coward
    Devil

    if your beliefs are ridiculous...

    I don't see why I shouldn't be allowed to ridicule them...

  38. Spider
    Meh

    So they're offended?

    and? be offended. It's your right to be offended.

    that is not the same as a right to tell everyone else what to do....

    http://youtu.be/cycXuYzmzNg

  39. Gusty O'Windflap

    So you're christians huh?

    then forgive me.

    1. Uncle Slacky Silver badge
      Thumb Up

      Upvote for Bill Hicks reference!

      that is all.

    2. Lord Lien
      Thumb Up

      Upvote number 2....

      .... may the legend thats Bill Hicks live on :)

  40. Martin Maloney
    Coat

    Well, somebody had to say it

    Isn't it obvious?

    What prompted Phones4u to run that ad was, erm, the prophet motive.

  41. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Turning the other cheek

    I'll show them my "other" bloody cheek.

  42. Kubla Cant
    WTF?

    How do they know who it is?

    With the possible, highly dodgy, exception of the Turin shroud, there are no pictures of Jesus. So how do the offended Christians and the ASA know it's meant to be their imaginary Jewish friend?

    If you conclude that an offensive image looks just like Jesus, then you're the one who's insulting him by saying he looks like an offensive image, since you have no idea at all what he really looked like.

  43. Techs UK
    Megaphone

    Annoyed, but not offended as such

    Bit annoying this advert. I didn't notice it, or complain, there are far more sinful things to correct advertisers on.

    You think Christian's should just blend in and never voice God's guidance? You mean like Him and the disciples and early believers did? They turned the world upside down, and showed up "Religion". powerless, loveless rules that just highlight our predicament.

    Jesus loves you.

  44. Sly
    Mushroom

    Christians...

    are a work in progress and not Jesus. They can be utterly stupid and insanely hypocritical. Oh wait... so can everyone else on the planet.

    As usual... people need to get over themselves. I laughed good when I saw that advert just now. I would also consider myself a good Christian. If I had the opportunity to purchase a product/service from this company I would probably shy away due to reviews that are readily available on the net and not because of some goofball advert that made a small group of loudmouths pissy. If you try not to offend anyone, you'll never succeed because there's always someone out there who's too pissy to be happy about anything and would rather scream and yell about rights and offenses and their self centered pissy life than take a piss and enjoy the day.

    I do believe that these "high and mighty" Christians need a good taste of 3rd world countries so they can be grateful for what they have instead of bitching about random stuff that they take offense to just for the sake of farting their own horn.

    Bah... and I say Bah again.

  45. Anonymous Coward
    WTF?

    Rubbish

    "Using Jesus in advertisements around Easter is just about the most insenstitive thing imaginable. It's like using the holocaust to advertise Hanukkah"

    No it's not.

    The possibly fictitious story about the exectution of one man by the authorities in first century AD Palestine is in no way analogous to the very factual murder of 6.5 million people by the Nazis.

  46. Oliver 7
    Angel

    ASA

    ASA, Jesus loves you...

    everyone else thinks you're a cunt.

  47. Anonymous Coward
    Boffin

    Christian vs "Christian"

    I'm a Christian. I believe in the core tenets of the Nicene Creed. I attend a charismatic church and try to live a life that imitates Christ in principle. On a personal level I try to exemplify Christ, but often fail and need forgiveness daily.

    My Aunt would call herself a "Christian" because she was born in the UK. She believes in God, aliens and that certain living and deceased celebrities (such as Michael Jackson) are aliens. She probably hasn't heard of the Nicene Creed, if she has she wouldn't understand it and her blend of philosophy and theology is closer to Buddhism than Christianity. She only very recently started attending a CoE parish church (in order to bolster her social status). On a personal I find her an overbearing, nosey and arrogant woman.

    I rate the advert harmless, failed attempt at humour. Personally nonplussed.

    My Aunt would be the type to complain if she had/has seen it.

    One of us is Christian, the other is "Christian".

    1. Chimp

      Your aunt...

      ... sounds rather giddy.

      Give me buddhists to bible bashers any day.

  48. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Advertising

    There is also the slight issue of using the image of someone who tried to drive business out of places of worship to sell stuff at the time of year that his life is remembered...

  49. Mectron

    So what?

    Lots of stuff has been advertised by IMAGINARY CHARACTERS before, this is no execption. those who complained should be commited NOW they need professional help.

  50. Anonymous Coward
    Trollface

    Offending?

    Ok, but are most religions not offending "science" and it's "evidence"? Water into wine? A loaf of bread to feed so mayn thousand? Walking on water (and we're not talking non newtonian fluid here)? The earth being created 5000 years ago or something? Really?!

    Also, would it have helped if they'd depicted him in a colour more suitable to the region of his birth?

  51. stu 4
    Angel

    Christianity Defined

    The belief that a cosmic Jewish Zombie who was his own father can make you live forever if you eat his flesh and drink his blood and telepathically tell him you accept him as your master, so he can remove an evil force from your soul that is present in humanity because a woman (made from a man's rib) was convinced by a talking snake to eat from a magical tree.

    1. M Gale

      Seems legit.

      Type your comment here -- no HTML, and BBcode will be punished by death.

  52. lotus49
    Thumb Down

    Religion is not to blame for everything religious people do...

    ...any more than science is to blame for the deaths of those killed at Hiroshima.

    Perhaps those of you who are so ready to condemn religion without (as far as most of the posts suggest here) having spent more than 4 seconds thinking about it, might benefit from considering some of the positive messages contained in the New Testament.

    Many religious people are unduly sensitive and precious about their religion but to condemn all religious people because of the actions of a small minority is no better than being a racist because your brother's girlfriend's uncle was mugged by a black man 15 years ago.

  53. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    @Stu 4

    Pedant alert:

    Eve didn't eat from the "special" tree, she persuaded Adam to do so. Clearly that is why her punishment (and the period / childbirth punishment passed down to all women because of it) was much worse than the punishment handed to Adam and men (having to live with PMS afflicted / Pregnant women - although truly God is merciful for he gave women chocolate and men the pub in recompense).

    Or something like that.

    1. stu 4

      Aye she did !

      When the woman saw that the tree produced fruit that was good for food, was attractive to the eye, and was desirable for making one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate it. She also gave some of it to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. -Genesis 3:6

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        @stu4

        Yes you are right. My bad. Sorry and all that.

  54. Kevin Johnston

    Beliefs

    As the great prophets of Mythbustology say:-

    Just because you believe it doesn't mean it's true

    so there......

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Hmm...

      Very much like a lot of people here and the believe that Anthropomorphic Global Warming is all made up in a giant conspiracy - it's not science, but they believe it.

      As someone who I can't remember said: It's not the when people stop believing in God that they believe in nothing, it's that they will believe in anything.

  55. Peter Simpson 1
    Mushroom

    Loki boardroom killing spree?

    Wouldn't want to be a Phones4u executive...

  56. Jan Hargreaves
    Coat

    claim to throne

    so they want to be known as the jesus phone now?

    coat. get. etc

  57. Brewster's Angle Grinder Silver badge
    Pint

    Well that's 98 people...

    ...who won't be getting into heaven. Or if they do, I'll be asking to go to "the other place".

    Mind you, on the evidence of these forums, I'm probably headed straight there. So beer - it might be the last one I get.

  58. Alan 43

    ASA should keep its nose out

    A very Roman Catholic looking Jesus what with the `sacred heart` and all but really the ASA should Butt out, they already got their butts kicked in court when they tried to ban the Free Presbyterian Church from publishing passages of scripture in adverts for protests against Belfast Pride...deeming the passages of scripture deeply offensive.

  59. whatsa

    They should keep all of it sensored

    If you want to be in the public domain then fine... accepted the feedback.

    Otherwise crawl back into the hole you came from.

    Sorry but engaging the world only on your terms is just despotism.

  60. Anonymous Coward
    Megaphone

    if you aren't offended yet

    http://www.jesusoftheweek.com/

  61. alwarming
    Angel

    98 complaints vs 100 comments...

    Looks like El Reg story trumped the phones4u ad! :)

    My 101st.

  62. veti Silver badge
    WTF?

    OK, I don't like iPhones either, but...

    I seem to have missed the Apple ad featuring Jesus, or any other religious figure for that matter.

    (Unless the Jobs counts as a prophet, in which case they'd only be offending their own religion.)

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