If you have been following the events surrounding Healing on The Streets – Bath and the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) over the ruling that Christians cannot advertise the belief that God physically heals, then you will be interested to know that three MPs from the All-Party Parliamentary Group, Christians in Parliament, have written an official letter of complaint to the ASA over their conduct.
The background to this case can be read in my earlier posts Advertising Standards Authority rules that God cannot heal the sick and Advertising Standards Authority tells Evangelical Alliance that Christians cannot claim that God physically heals.
Here is the letter from Christians in Parliament in full:
Rt Hon Lord Smith of Finsbury
Chairman, Advertising Standards Agency
21st March 2012
We are writing on behalf of the all-party Christians in Parliament group in Westminster and your ruling that the Healing On The Streets ministry in Bath are no longer able to claim, in their advertising, that God can heal people from medical conditions.
We write to express our concern at this decision and to enquire about the basis on which it has been made. It appears to cut across two thousand years of Christian tradition and the very clear teaching in the Bible. Many of us have seen and experienced physical healing ourselves in our own families and churches and wonder why you have decided that this is not possible.
On what scientific research or empirical evidence have you based this decision?
You might be interested to know that I (Gary Streeter) received divine healing myself at a church meeting in 1983 on my right hand, which was in pain for many years. After prayer at that meeting, my hand was immediately free from pain and has been ever since. What does the ASA say about that? I would be the first to accept that prayed for people do not always get healed, but sometimes they do. That is all this sincere group of Christians in Bath are claiming.
It is interesting to note that since the traumatic collapse of the footballer Fabrice Muamba the whole nation appears to be praying for a physical healing for him. I enclose some media extracts. Are they wrong also and will you seek to intervene?
We invite your detailed response to this letter and unless you can persuade us that you have reached your ruling on the basis of indisputable scientific evidence, we intend to raise this matter in Parliament.
Yours sincerely,
Gary Streeter MP (Con)
Chair, Christians in Parliament
Gavin Shuker MP (Labour)
Vice Chair, Christians in Parliament
Tim Farron (Lib-Dem)
Vice Chair, Christians in Parliament
The original ruling by the ASA shows no evidence of research undertaken that brought them to the conclusion that God is unable to physically heal and that Christians should not be allowed to express a belief in this. It is therefore good news that someone is challenging their judgement.
If you agree with the stance of Christians in Parliament, then why not drop them and email showing your support for their action. You can email them at christiansinparliament @ gmail . com (you’ll need to remove the spaces).
I’m looking forward to seeing the response from the ASA. It could make for interesting reading.
Categories: Advertising, Healing, Parliament
God and Politics in the UK 
Have done that very thing. Its great to have a group of parliamentarians addressing issues of interest to Christians.
Many thanks for this timely news about developments that were rumbling in CIP. Will circulate via email readership with your recommendation.
Thanks Richard. I’m happy for you to do this.