The suppression of Christian voices continues unabated.
A congregation in Fort Worth, Texas faced the consequences of this reality. Hulen Street Church had sought to run an ad on Hulu – a brief video with Pastor Wes Hamilton extending an invitation to join their services.
The church, which counts many First Responders among its members, aimed to highlight a special weeknight service for those unable to attend on Sundays:
“Does your work schedule or busy family calendar not allow you to attend church on a Sunday morning? If so, I want to invite you to Thursday nights at Hulen Street Church beginning on February 1st. We created Thursday nights at Hulen Street because we know that even though Sunday may not be an option for you, that doesn’t mean your faith isn’t important to you. For more information, hulenstreet.com.”
However, the video was rejected by Hulu on two separate occasions. They alleged that the church had violated a policy pertaining to religious indoctrination.
“Your ad was rejected for failing to adhere to our advertising policies as it violates our current policies regarding religious advertising, specifically citing Religious Indoctrination due to asking viewers to attend Thursday services,” a Hulu adv manager told the church.
Pastor Wes chose not to surrender; instead, he sought assistance from First Liberty Institute. Consequently, Hulu altered its policy within a span of 48 hours.
“We are grateful to Hulu for its quick response to our demand letter and for accepting Hulen Street Church’s ad,” said Jeremy Dys, the senior counsel at First Liberty Institute. “In the future, Hulu—and others in Big Tech—could avoid these kinds of conflicts by adopting advertising policies that do not discriminate against religious organizations, being transparent about its advertising policy, and applying it fairly.”
It has been discovered that it is illegal to engage in discrimination against Christians. It is commendable that Hulu has rectified this injustice. The First Liberty Institute deserves praise for advocating for this case. Additionally, Pastor Wes should be commended for his courage in speaking out.
