The United Church of Christ in Cleveland prepared some television ads welcoming members of the gay community as part of the Advent season. All three major networks refused to air them. NBC and CBS found them too controversial or amounted to advocacy.

For the season of Advent, the United Church of Christ had planned a nationwide television ad campaign extending an open welcome to all people, especially gays and lesbians. The message was simple: "Jesus didn't turn people away; neither do we, the United Church of Christ." The visuals dramatized people, including two men holding hands, being turned away by bouncers at the door of a church.

CBS said the ads promoted gay marriage. The ad made no mention of gay marriage. Does Christianity have to be evangelical and conservative to be aired mainstream?

Right-wing/fundamentalist Christianity has so dominated the media that many Americans don't believe liberal/progressive Christianity even exists. The fundamentalist message is the de facto Christian message because such groups have the money to not only buy airtime but to have their own shows. And every time Jerry Falwell blames gays or feminists for society's ills, he shows up on the news.

Think about this "no advocacy" policy. Where was it when the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy put anti-drug ads on the Superbowl? Military recruitment ads during wartime--is that not an endorsement of war? A federal court in Massachussets last week said the transit authority could not refuse to carry ads advocating reform of the drug laws.

Some independent stations are airing the ads anyway. Good for them.