AN ABERYSTWYTH-BORN bishop has said he has “some sympathy” with those who banned a cinema advert featuring the Lord’s Prayer.

Bangor Bishop Andrew John was reacting after the ban on a Church of England promotion of the Lord’s Prayer in some cinemas over fears it could cause offence as cinema-goers flocked to the big screen to watch the new Star Wars film ‘The Force Awakens’.

Had it not been banned by DCM, the advert would have been seen on screens at Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

But it would not in any case have been seen at the town centre Commodore Cinema because they do not have a deal with DCM.

“The genie is out of the bottle it would appear: The Lord’s Prayer is considered likely to offend and get in the way of good popcorn and The Force Awakens,” said Rev John, a former Pengais school pupil who served as curate, vicar and reverend in Aberystwyth, Cardigan and Aberaeron.

“The decision to ban the Church of England’s advert for the prayer in some cinemas has raised all sorts of eyebrows and temperatures too.

“We may wonder if this is another piece of political correctness gone mad or whether the cinemas had a point. Strangely I have some sympathy with them.

“Not because I think this is Christianity under the radar or a subtle attempt to convert us all without our knowing it but because when you read the Lord’s Prayer – ‘Thy Kingdom Come’, you may surprise yourself.

“Asking God to overthrow tyranny, not just Daesh or Isis, sounds subversive and dangerous. But this is what it actually means to pray that prayer.”

Digital Cinema Media (DCM) has come under fire from the prime minister and the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) for refusing to screen the ad on the grounds that it could cause offence.

The row erupted after DCM rejected the ad, citing a policy of not running material that was political or religious in nature as it carried “the risk of upsetting, or offending, audiences”.

DCM said: “Digital Cinema Media has a policy not to run advertising connected to personal beliefs.”

See next week’s south editions for the full story