UU aplogizes for running FFRF ad

The FFRF ran a full page advertisement in the Fall UU World (Unitarian Universalist magazine), which resulted in an apology from the business manager of UU in the Winter 2009 issue

See full ad, as well as the apology from the UU business manager attached.

See, also, below from the web site is the full text of the letters to the editor, as well as the apology

Mailbox, Winter 2009
One in three letters responds to a controversial ad.
By Jane Greer
Winter 2009 11.1.09
Over the last two years, we received 59 letters per issue on average, with letters reacting to articles, ads, current events, and covers. But this is the first time that an ad has drawn more response than any other part of the magazine. Out of a total of 76 letters, 27 addressed the Freedom From Religion Foundation ad on the inside front cover of the Fall 2009 issue. The ad also provoked a flurry of blog posts (see page 12, Blog Roundup, for a summary).

Joel Monka of Indianapolis, Indiana, wrote, “I have nothing against the Freedom From Religion Foundation buying ad space in concept, but that specific ad had no educational value at all. It consisted purely of quotes insulting any person of faith.” UU World Business Manager Scott Ullrich issued an apology September 4, writing, “While the stated mission of the Freedom From Religion Foundation is entirely consistent with UU values, this ad seems hostile to all religion” (see an updated version of Ullrich’s letter, page 10).

Then reactions to the apology started to arrive. Keleigh Hardie of Glenwood Springs, Colorado, wrote, “I thought UUs weren’t afraid to have their beliefs questioned or challenged. I’m a member of both the UUA and the FFRF. I don’t see any contradiction.” Of the 27 letters, 14 criticized the magazine’s running the ad; 13 defended the ad’s presence in the magazine.

Controversial ad

The content of the Freedom From Religion Foundation ad on the inside front cover of the Fall 2009 edition implies stupidity and gullibility on the part of people of faith—the many in this world who derive comfort, guidance, and joy from their religious beliefs. In my opinion the contempt conveyed in this ad is in depressing conflict with UU World’s mission and with our denomination’s goal of loving, open-minded inclusion.

R.S. Villanueva
Sarasota, Florida
UU Church of Sarasota

I was delighted to see the FFRF ad. Welcoming these kindred spirits is in keeping with UU World editor Christopher L. Walton’s “From the Editor” column: “If Unitarian Universalism is to offer a religious home as broad as our message, we will have to learn to stretch.” In fact, it’s not even much of a stretch. Thoughtful atheists, agnostics, and humanists have values and support goals nearly identical to ours: separation of church and state, women’s rights, marriage equality, human responsibility for saving our planet, and so forth.

Chuck Berry
State College, Pennsylvania
UU Fellowship of Centre County

The FFRF stand is beyond atheism or agnosticism. The organization advocates an anti-religious stance, which seems to be in direct contrast to the very purpose of UU World as a magazine for a religious movement. I stand in the pulpit week after week and look out at the faces of good people who are striving to live their lives in accord with the teachings of our great and historic faith. Shall I tell them that this free faith is not worthy of their devotion? Including this ad in the pages of UU World would seem to send such a message.

The Rev. Cecilia Kingman
Seattle, Washington
Cascade UU Fellowship

I find a disquieting values discrepancy between the FFRF ad and the article “The Gospel of Inclusion.” I fully agree with the sentiments of the quotes in the ad and strongly support separation of church and state. However, I find the ad divisive: It divides the world into us and them, we the enlightened atheists versus those who believe in something we don’t. On the other hand, the Gospel of Inclusion is just that, inclusive. Even though I cringe at the words “God” and “Lord,” I feel included and that I would be welcomed.

Herb Foster
Princeton, New Jersey
UU Congregation of Princeton

As UU World’s business manager, I am responsible for all aspects of advertising in the magazine. We’ve received letters from people representing the entire range of opinion about whether the Freedom From Religion Foundation ad should have been published, and whether we should have communicated (as we did) that it was a mistake to publish it.

UU World’s role is to promote the UUA’s mission and principles. Our advertising policy states that we seek advertisers “whose missions and goals are consistent with the principles, goals, and practices of the UUA and its member congregations.” Consequently, it says we “reserve the right to reject advertisements that are inconsistent with the UUA mission, the nature of the magazine, or the editorial and visual integrity of the magazine.”

The problem with the ad was not the advertiser, and it certainly was not the ad’s support for the rights of atheists. The problem was that this ad negatively and very broadly characterized “religion” and “faith” in ways that were guaranteed to sound to many of our readers like an attack on Unitarian Universalism. For UU World to publish an ad from an outside organization condemning religion is inconsistent with the UUA’s mission to serve its member congregations.

UU World does not have a policy of excluding non-theistic points of view in the advertisements it accepts or in the articles it publishes. As many people pointed out, atheists and agnostics are well represented in our congregations. But tone matters, and the tone of this particular ad conflicts with the UUA’s commitment to the “acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations.” This is why, in hindsight, I concluded that this particular advertisement fell within the range of ads that, according to our policy, should be rejected.

In retrospect, this controversy would have been avoided had I worked with the advertiser to craft an advertisement that invited people of like mind to support them without using polarizing language about religion in a religious publication.

Scott Ullrich
Business Manager, UU World
http://www.uuworld.org/issues/151699.shtml

Back to Niles:
On Tuesday night, I went to UU church in Iowa City. There was a meeting of a sub-group/social group of UU Secular Humanists, which meets once a month - the topic of conversation this month was about the advertisement and the UU response in the magazine. About 25 people were in the room, and the overwhelming consensus was that they were not offended by the FFRF advertisement, and they disagreed with the UU stance in the magazine. This group is, again, a sub-group within the main church.