Rolling Stone refuses to run ad for Bible

Last summer Zondervan publishing contracted for an ad in Rolling Stone to promote the new TNIV (Today's New International Version) translation of the Bible. But now Rolling Stone has rejected the ad just a few weeks before printing because "it doesn't quite feel right in the magazine."

So says Kent Brownridge, the general manager of Wenner Media, which is parent company of Rolling Stone.

"The copy is a little more than an ad for the Bible. It's a religious message that I personally don't disagree with," Brownridge said, citing "a spiritual message in the text." But, he said, "we are not in the business of publishing advertising for religious messages."

Er . . . so Rolling Stone is surprised that ad space they sold last July to promote a Bible is actually "an ad for the Bible"? What did they think they were getting?

I can't imagine why the publication would refuse to accept money to run an inoffensive ad. All I can think of is that they must be worried their image will suffer and they might lose readership by having an ad for a Bible in their pages. It's the only possible explanation I have.

Sal at Stand up and Walk has more here.