Religious advertising on state television should be prohibited

Religion should not be reported as true in secular newspapers. Fore example, there should be no columns devoted to teaching religion or spirituality. Also, statements such as, "Ann who was miraculously cured of cancer by St Whoever", is inappropriate. The news should not promote Catholic doctrine. For example, when a new pope is elected it is often said that he is the whatever number successor of St Peter and Peter is described as the first pope. This doctrine is not backed up by historical evidence. Protestants reject it. Peter as first Pope or bishop of Rome and the Pope as his successor is religious doctrine - not historical fact. The fact of history is that the papacy is a later creation of the Church as it started changing its doctrines. A lawsuit needs to shut up the newscasters.

The state should not allow religious advertising or promotion of religion on  state television or radio or websites. If religious advertising takes place what happens is wealthy religious groups could monopolise the airwaves. Religion has no right to use RTE or ITV to advertise its beliefs. If it wants to advertise it should use its own station. Why? Advertising is only right when it is something that can be proven to work or proven to be true which is not the case with religion. Advertising religion is not like advertising the latest cinema release or the latest pain-killer. The public generally can’t want religion to advertise where there could be an advertisement for the newest washing powder instead. Advertising should be non-religious. If religion starts advertising then what happens when the Moonies or the Scientologists start looking to advertise? Are we to discriminate against these harmful cults and let the Roman Catholic Church which has destroyed many a marriage and promoted HIV by banning condoms advertise?

Slots allocated to prayer on national television need to be prohibited.

The secular state and the media

Religious advertising will be banned from state television and state radio. Occult advertising such as for fortune-tellers and mediums and for horoscopes must also be banned. Religious programmes should be neutral in content. They should be programmes about religion not programmes that promote religion.

Religious hymns should be banned.