-Caveat Lector-
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bin/generic.cgi?template=articleprint.tmplh&ArticleId=45267
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Copyright © 2001 The International Herald Tribune | www.iht.com
Germans See a Plot in Mysterious Ads on Religion
Steven Erlanger New York Times Service
Friday, January 18, 2002
'Power for Living' Campaign Backed by U.S. Group Is Banned
BERLIN A mysterious U.S.-funded advertising campaign promoting
Christian values and "power for living" has caused an uproar here,
prompting a ban on its television and radio spots and some self-
searching on the part of Germany's established churches.
Celebrities like the German golfer Bernhard Langer, the Bayern Munich
soccer star Paulo Sergio and the ageless British pop singer Cliff
Richard are promoting the campaign on billboards. Germans are urged
to call a number (not toll-free) to get a free copy of a book that,
the celebrities say, changed their lives. But the ads provide no clue
to the sponsor of the campaign or the book.
The book, "Power for Living," is an evangelical Christian text that
opposes smoking, homosexuality and abortion. Written nearly 20 years
ago, it provides a primer for individual conversion, based on such
principles as "God loves you," "Mankind is sinful," and "Everyone
must accept Christ personally." Bible- reading is encouraged. The
campaign is sponsored by the Arthur S. DeMoss Foundation of West Palm
Beach, Florida. Mr. DeMoss, who died in 1979, made his money from the
mail-order life insurance business. His wife, Nancy, has carried on
the work of the foundation. Last year, the foundation had assets of
about $563 million. It has helped to finance the Campus Crusades for
Christ and Jerry Falwell's Liberty University and helped support
projects of Pat Robertson, another American evangelist.
The DeMoss Foundation is reportedly spending some $4.5 million on the
campaign, which began after Christmas. It turned down a request for
an interview about the campaign.
In Germany, broadcast advertising for religious, political or
ideological causes is prohibited, and the authorities banned the
campaign's spots on both radio and television last week.
There have been accusations in the press that the ads are pushing a
cult, which is illegal under German law, and suspicions that they
have some connection with Scientology, which is considered here to be
a fund-raising conspiracy, not a religion.
The campaign makes no request for contributions or affiliation with a
particular church, not even Germany's own evangelical churches.
Reinhard Hempelmann, director at the Protestant Center for Religious
and Ideological Issues in Berlin, said: "Even the athletes who
advertise for the campaign do not know any details on the background
of the DeMoss Foundation. Those who want to spread the Gospel among
people and advertise for the Christian faith in public should have
the courage to let themselves be seen."
Michael Utsch, also of the Protestant Center, called the campaign the
work of "very conservative powers" that he said were carrying out an
extensive missionary campaign in Europe, including France and Spain.
For Mr. Utsch, the campaign focuses too much on the individual. "A
central element of Christian belief is missing, namely community," he
said.
Mr. Utsch said he was also put off by the campaign's message, which
he characterized as "If I really believe, then I will be successful,
happy, satisfied." He considered it to be based on an "an inherently
American lifestyle that does not apply to the realities of our lives,
to European culture."
Phil Dusenberry, a New York ad executive who created the ads on a
free-lance basis, said Germany's broadcast ban was disappointing. But
he said there would be no appeal.
"Our complaint is that the law is faulty and violates free speech as
we understand it in America," he said by telephone.
"Maybe because of Germany's past it's understandable that there
should be certain limitations."
But he said the decisions should be case by case.
"This is a benign book whose only intention is to get the word out on
the scriptures," Mr. Dusenberry said. "We have no hidden intentions."
Copyright © 2001 The International Herald Tribune
End<{{{
From
http://www.demossgroup.com/index.htm
}}}>Begin
The DeMoss Group is the nation’s premier public relations firm
focused on faith-based organizations and enterprises. For the past
decade, The DeMoss Group has been in the center of religion news,
providing communications counsel and public relations support to many
of the prominent ministries and religious figures of our time.
The DeMoss Group's expertise:
Media Relations
Marketing, Advertising, & Advocacy
Communications Planning
Identity & Positioning
Persuasive & Creative Writing
Assessment, Counsel, & Crisis Communications
Digital Media Relations - DeMossNewsPond.com
The DeMoss Group, Inc. 3235 Satellite Boulevard, Suite 555 Duluth,
GA 30096
Phone: (770) 813-0000 Fax: (770) 813-8887
The DeMoss Group, Inc. © 2001
End<{{{
From
http://www.powerforliving.com/dis.htm
>>>Sales Site -- provided to show degree of faith<<<
}}}>Begin
Legal Information
Arthur S.DeMoss Foundation, has undertaken reasonable efforts to
include accurate and up-to- date information on its site. However,
THIS PUBLICATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND Arthur S. DeMoss Foundation
MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED,
INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR NON-
INFRINGEMENT. All users agree that all access and use of this site
and the content thereof is at their own risk.
>>>Clip<<<
COPYRIGHTª 1983, Arthur S. DeMoss Foundation
End<{{{
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Believe only after careful observation and analysis, when you find that it
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A merely fallen enemy may rise again, but the reconciled
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