Just the Bare Facts

My sister and I were helping our mother by going through folders containing papers that she had saved over the years. There were some items that we agreed could be thrown away, and naturally there were many items that were keepers. Among the papers was the following article that appeared in The Christian Index, dated September 27, 2007.



Headline: Toilet company turns the other cheek after church complains

The toilet company that burned the backside of a New York City mega church with plans to post a billboard with naked buttocks on a building where the church rents space has replaced the ad with a less cheeky version.

The non-denominational Times Square Church in Manhattan had obtained a restraining order from a New York judge in July, preventing plumbing products maker Toto from displaying the offending ad at 1657 Broadway.

Times Square Church rents the first four floors of the building where the advertisement was to be placed on the firth and sixth floors, according to Lane Paulsen, the church's lawyer.

"I'm authorized to say that the advertiser voluntarily withdrew the original (ad) and that's all," Paulsen said.

In a court affidavit, Pastor Neil Rhodes said the original ad was "indecent for public display and "antithetical to the values of our congregation and church."
...
Paulsen said the church has no comment on the new ad, in which the buttocks are covered with a white band that says, "Our bottom line, Clean is happy. No ifs, ands or..."











Toto spokeswoman Lenora Campos said, "Our thought-provoking "Clean is Happy" billboard is not intended to offend."
[the ad was for their Washlet line of bidets]
............................................................................


Maybe another sign that could have been added to the billboard is: "Cleanliness is next to Godliness."

You can bet your bottom dollar that we saved the article and put it back in the folder.

Do you have any one liners to add?"

An article in the New York Times, discussing the pros and cons of the billboard, and a picture of the original billboard can be seen by clicking on the highlighted NY Times.

My mother, I am sure, had her own opinion about the advertisement, but I am equally certain that she saved the article for sheer humor.



p.s. soon I hope to have another post about the history of the church and building