Paul Skelton of Healing On The Streets Bath, has updated me with welcome news of a substantial flaw in the ASA dictat against statements and testimonies of healing on his website. The ruling has been officially reviewed and over-ruled and thus vindicates HOTS’ stance and their claims about ulterior motives to this issue, which many others could discern too – see previous update, and ASA tags in this blog for more.
The official statement has yet to be appear but it seems to confirm HOTS’ concerns, which the original complainant described as, ‘bizarre’. This young lady claims to be a ‘paranormal investigator’ and yet admits to not having spoken to anyone or to making enquires other than visiting the website, or having done any open-minded research. Her reasons arise from personal medical experiences, which is understandable, and so wishes to protect vulnerable people – but they’re mixed motives. Consequently, a very strong ‘crusading’ bias contributed to a hasty, incomplete assessment and conclusion. When I presented her with undeniable evidence of my wife’s healing the ‘lady’ didn’t want to accept its validity. Her claims to being an objective investigator are thereby shown as being, at best, delusion or, at worst, downright fraudulent.
[I was once on her side of the ‘fence’ – even having contempt for contemporary Christian belief – but how utterly shocked I was to discover I was ‘gravely’ wrong (deliberate pun) and that the Gospel really IS wholly true – see Death of Destiny?. I was devasted but what could I do but acknowledge the Truth Himself as my personal Lord and Saviour?]
Now, after my aside, here’s Paul’s published announcement.:
Advertising Standards Authority admit there was
a substantial flaw in their judgement
However, the official review process has now been completed and has identified a substantial flaw in the ASA’s Adjudication.
The ASA has subsequently accepted the official reviewers recommendation that the HOTS Bath website is actually outside of their remit and therefore beyond their jurisdiction.
We are grateful to the ASA’s Independent Reviewer and the ASA Council for reviewing and amending this decision, and confirming that there was a fundamental flaw in the original assessment of the complaint about our website.
The ASA has now confirmed that our website is not within its remit because the statements made on it reflects our beliefs and relate to a cause or idea – the website explains our belief that God can heal and provides information about prayer offered by our volunteers and therefore the ASA has confirmed that nothing on the website is in breach of the advertising regulations.
The ASA still considered that leaflets handed out could be in breach of the advertising regulations, however we changed the leaflets several months ago to reflect the concerns which the ASA had previously expressed.
The ASA is due to re-publish the adjudication confirming its views on the leaflets, but the revised adjudication does not apply to what is on our website, meaning we can continue to express our beliefs that God can and does heal, as well as providing information and testimonies explaining all about Healing on the Streets.
HOTS Bath will continue to fulfill its commitment to demonstrate the love of God through healing of body, mind and spirit on the streets of Bath and elsewhere.
Visit our website at www.hotsbath.org
See update for recent news about ASA Chairman’s unwarranted political interference.
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