Republicans in Cleveland Will See Freedom From Religion Sign, But Not God is Not Dead 2 Sign

By The Stream Published on July 14, 2016

A giant outdoor billboard declaring that “Church and state are, and must remain, separate” with a picture of Ronald Reagan will greet Republicans attending the party’s convention next week as they drive in from the airport. What they won’t see is a similar poster advertising the movie God’s Not Dead 2, with a picture of actress Melissa Joan Hart saying “I’d rather stand with God and be judged by the world than stand with the world and be judged by God.”

The Hollywood Reporter explains that the billboard company Orange Barrel had accepted the job, but then, when the deadlines for permission had passed, told the movie’s distributor Pure Flix that “it didn’t like the ‘judged by God’ message, calling it ‘too political’ and ‘way too incendiary,’ according to emails obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. On another occasion, insiders said the billboard company complained that even the title of the film was considered problematic.” Pure Flix’s ceo Steve Fedyski said his company had paid Orange Barrel $64,100 for the space two months ago.

Orange Barrel also reportedly suggested that the poster would violate Republican party rules against “scandalous” messages. Ironically, notes the newspaper, former candidate Mike Huckabee is in the movie and the party and the distributor are hosting a worship service with a screening of the movie at the beginning of the convention.

In contrast, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, which the newspaper describes as an “atheist” organization, had no trouble getting a company to put up its poster with the Reagan quote on the separation of church and state. The group will have 30 more ads for the Democratic party convention.

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