Religious Proselytizing Film Rapped for Not Indicating Purpose, Content

Area movie houses are showing a film. “A Time To Run,” which “makes an overt attempt at religious proselytization” without giving any advance indication of the movie’s content or purpose, according to the American Jewish Congress. Sidney Margulies. president of AJ Congress Greater Philadelphia Council, declared that “newspaper advertisements and theater display” for the film “fail to indicate in any way that the viewer will be proselytized.”

He said that “members of the AJ Congress and others called our office to complain that they or their children felt deeply offended not only because they were not made aware, in advance, of the film’s purpose, but also because they were the “targets of a live appeal at the film’s conclusion for members of the audience to ‘come for ward and bear witness to Christ.

While pointing out that “it’s quite legitimate for any religious group to see new adherents, promotional campaigns should be open-and honest,” the AJ Congress leader declared. In a letter sent to owners and managers of over one hundred movie houses in the Greater Philadelphia area, Margulies stated “we trust that you will take steps to meet that responsibility.”

The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Philadelphia “concurs with the AJ Congress on this matter,” according to Benjamin Loewenstein, JCRC president. The JCRC also contacted advertising representatives from the major Philadelphia area newspapers, urging that they see to it that the film’s advertisements clearly indicate the content and purpose of “A Time To Run.”

The film, leased by World Wide Productions, played at two Philadelphia theaters from Feb. 21-27 and now is being shown at six movie houses in the area.