Should a place of business be allowed to advertise clearly Christian phrases on their advertising sign?

Every day I go past this bank that has one of those outdoor electronic advertising signs that flashes different messages. Every day, it has at least one or even two phrases that are clearly preaching the Christian philosophy... things like "Jesus is the way" and stuff of that sort.





I could understand and accept this if it was a church or even a nonprofit faith-based organization... but a BANK??? This is a place that is supposed to do business with the general public, and the general public is not all Christian. How would someone who is Jewish or Muslim or Pagan or Buddhist or Hindu feel about reading this sort of thing on a bank sign? I certainly would not feel comfortable doing business with this place!





What are your thoughts? Should a place of business such as a bank be allowed to use their advertising sign to preach their own faith and religious principles, or do you think this is inappropriate and should not be allowed - stick only to business and keep religion out of it?

Should a place of business be allowed to advertise clearly Christian phrases on their advertising sign?
Geez people - some of you really need to lighten up. This asker simply asked for "your thoughts" on this thing she had noticed - you have a right to your opinion as much as she does - but really - it was obviously just a curious question and many of you are jumping down her throat as if she has personally attacked you somehow. What's up with that? She never said any such thing as she "hates freedom", and the fact that she lists several varying faiths as examples being just as valid doesn't make her look "narrow-minded" or "biggoted" to me. The question as presented certainly doesn't appear to me to be from an uneducated person so stupid as to not be aware of freedom of religion and freedom of speech - to me it just says this was on her mind so she thought she'd ask and see what others thought.





Seriously, all the hostility over honest thoughts/questions I see here regularly has prompted a question I will be asking shortly - thanks for the idea.





Now that I've said my piece on that - I agree that a privately owned business may have the right to advertise like this - whether I agree with what it is they have to say or not - but my personal opinion is it isn't good business for a bank. Yes, there are tons of other banks so personally, I probably wouldn't loose any sleep over it and I would just not bank there.





But in taking the situation and the question and chewing on it for a few minutes - food for thought never hurts - and considering issues it raised by the answers, I am thinking about a few things here. The bank may be privately owned and operated, but it is most likely insured by the FDIC, which is a part of our Federal government...is that enough of a link to the government that a bank should remain neutral as far as promoting religion as our government is supposed to be?





If I were to walk into the bank wearing my pentacle necklace - would I be turned away for a loan even though I would qualify at any other bank? (Perhaps that bank is the closest to me and the only other option is all the way across town and is very inconvenient for me to get to?) Would I be treated with disrespect by the management for not being Christian doing business in a bank that promotes Christian doctorine?





Businesses, whether privately owned and operated or not, do all still have follow certain laws - a bank would have to be handicapped accessible in following ADA regulations, as one example. If this bank's practices are based on religious discrimination - then there is a legal issue there. Not saying they are - it's just that this sign being on this type of business does bring up a lot of curious questions and food for thought -and this bank could be teetering on a very fine line between freedom of speech and unlawful discrimination - don't know.





I don't know about anyone else, but I've never seen any type of religion advertised or promoted at any other bank...so I would have found this curious and odd too.
Reply:Businesses which are privately owned it's alright, but larger concerns which dish out shares to investors (shareholders), no.
Reply:This bank obviously doesn't care if it alienates everyone but Christians. Christians are the most numerous religious group in the USA, so it's doubtful the bank is too worried about losing a minority number of customers.





If it were a government office advertising like that then yes I would have a problem with it.





A bank, no. I will just go elsewhere to do my banking, is all. Their loss. Not that they care.
Reply:Of course they can. The freedom of (or from) religion is an admonishment to the GOVERNMENT to avoid showing favoritism to any one particular religion. Businesses can show whatever support they consider appropriate.





The only restriction would come from their customer base. If a business show a bias towards Christianity, non-Christians may be put off and stop doing business with them. Christian, on the other hand, may support them more. If the business is willing to lose the business of non-Christians then they would have no problems. If they wish to appeal to a broader audience, then they would want to tone it down (ie "Happy Holidays")
Reply:I love those messages and look forward to reading them.





If you don't like it...go to another business....as for me, I will support them.
Reply:Sure...they can do whatever they want.





And I can take my business someplace a bit more rooted in reality.
Reply:It's a privately owned business and the owner has a right to do whatever they want on their signs. If you don't like it, don't bank there.
Reply:i agree with you. it's unprofessional of them and they are alienating a majority of the people out there.
Reply:Ahhhh....Sweet Freedom of Speech!





Christianity is not a religion, it is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Therefore, a Christian should NOT leave it at the door when they leave church. This relationship is with them no matter where they go, where they work and Jesus is with us wherever we are. It is the very heart of a Christians behavior, at least is should be. A True Christian is led by Jesus. They would strive to be honest, hard working and trustworthy. Sounds like a good bunch to run a bank or any business where trust is an issue.


May God Bless You!
Reply:I think you've misunderstood who placed the advert there. I doubt it was the bank who wanted it there, I think they just sold the advertising space to a Christian organisation.





If a Christian organisation wants to pay money to advertise the Bible at a bank, I don't see why the bank shouldn't be allowed to accept the contract, just because it's a religious message.
Reply:The advantage to the bank putting this stuff up on their signs is that you know who you are doing business with, and you can make a choice to take your business elsewhere if Christianity offends you.





Wouldn't it be worse if you didn't know the bank was Christian and didn't know they were using their profits to support Christian organizations?





Banks, btw, are not public businesses, they are private businesses. Yes, the general public uses their services -- same as a restaurant or a dry cleaners or a medical clinic or whatever -- but each of these businesses is privately held and managed, and the profits do NOT go to the general public but to the private parties who own and operate the business.





As there is still freedom of religion in the United States, a bank or any other business is free to operate under Christian principles...or Jewish principles or Muslim principles or pagan principles or whatever. And as there is freedom of expression in the United States, every private business is allowed to express its true philosophy as openly as they wish to, barring hate speech. "Jesus is the way" is not hate speech.





I think you should be grateful that this bank was open and honest, so that you can make an informed choice about where you want to do your financial business.
Reply:Sure, if it is privately owned. If it is owned by the government in any way, they legally can't put things like that up. Otherwise, they're exempted because business entities, just like regular citizens, are afforded freedom of speech by the Constitution.
Reply:It depends which country you live in. In the USA we have freedom of religious expression and speech, so technically they are at liberty to display whatever they like, within the confines of the law.





Other countries will hang you offending their particular religion. Its all relative.





You are not obliged to do business with them, and if you don't like it go somewhere else. As an atheist, its the last place I would shop. But I respect their right to display it.
Reply:Should you be allowed not to do business with them? I think so.





I also think they should be allowed to advertise who they would like to do business with.





I prefer to know who I am doing business with. I really like people who are out in the open with me. I don't like to guess who I am doing business with.





I have nothing to hide.
Reply:We have freedom of speech and religion in our great country so yes they have the right to advertise Christianity.
Reply:They should be able to put anything they want on their advertising.





If they think that advertising an overt Christian message will get them more business, more power to them.





Some people may be turned off by such a message, and avoid the business, so it is a somewhat risky tactic, but obviously it's working for them, or they wouldn't do it.
Reply:I think that in America, the land of the free, the business owners should be able to advertise as they wish...Buddah worshippers, Atheists, whatever...not excluding Christians (which I am). Then on the other end, the consumers can choose which places they want to do their business with. We are all to easily offended by others. This is my opinion on the matter.
Reply:Have you ever heard of "freedom of speech", and "freedom of religion"?





I've seen billboards advertising beer and cigarettes, which can kill, so what's wrong if someone advertises God, who brings Life?





Or are you just too narrow minded and bigotted to accept that some people believe in God and aren't ashamed to advertise it?





You can put up a sign on your house, on your car, and where you work - if you OWN it telling everybody what YOU believe. It's the law, ya know, and even the ACLU will back you on it. But remember, it works for BOTH sides. It's a 2-edged sword. If you say "No" to Christians, you MUST say "No to ALL belief systems!"
Reply:It's a privately owned business so it can put anything it wants on its sign.








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Reply:A private business owner has every right in the world to have a sign saying that.
Reply:YES......... if you don't like it you can choose anouther bank........, Freedom of speech means just that......... but it doesn't mean you have to agree with it





just like this answer, you don't need to agree with it, it's just me showing my belief .........





But I do believe that in a place like a bank, if they are going to show religous orientated they should accomodate all religions...they are PUBLIC are they not..........








If the government owns the bank then NO...


The government and religion need to be separate............
Reply:A business owner can put that kind of message on the sign if they like. They know they risk turning customers off, but it's their choice. A dry cleaners in New York put pro-choice messages on their billboards, others put political messages, etc.
Reply:That's the power of the consumer, you have the power, not 'them'.
Reply:As long as they are not a governmental building, they can do that. It's called Freedom of Speech.
Reply:If it is a privately owned business then yes. If someone is offended they don't have to do business there.
Reply:Wny not? If a business advertises something you don't like or agree with, go somewhere else. That's the beauty of capitalism and the free market system.
Reply:Should they be allowed to? Yeah, why not. Is it a good idea to do this? Nope. Oh well.
Reply:Sure, they should be allowed to.





It makes it easier for me to know I don't want to do business there.
Reply:It's called freedom of speech.
Reply:Of course! And you can choose to do your business elsewhere.





My husband refused to go to a liquor store that had NRA signs and stickers. (I think it was just a ruse so that would-be robbers would think they had a gun under the counter.)
Reply:of course... free speech allows it... just as free speech allows you to hate religion.... why would it be ok for you to tell them no...but not ok for them to say yes?





I wish people who are American citizens would read their own constitution.... and get a firm grip on reality. We ARE free here. Other countries are not . If someone hates freedom..please, feel welcome to leave the USA and go to countries where laws are upheld which protect no one.