The UCKG Church is breaking the law

The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG) is an evangelical church with branches all over the UK and a predominantly immigrant membership.

In 2009 they received a stern rebuke from the ASA after falsely claiming that their bottles of holy oil could cure a life-threatening heart condition.

Can you see where I'm going with this...?

(Image credit - actual UCKG publicity)

On the 8th August the church held a special event at which visitors were given a free " bottle of oil blessed on Mount Sinai".

The publicity for the event, a twelve page booklet called "IT'S TIME TO SAY ENOUGH!", contained a series of testimonials from grateful church members.

One of them, "Antonia Duarte", claimed that she had recovered from a terminal illness.

"When doctors told me I only had a few days to live - they diagnosed me with cancer - I was devastated. I was so weak that I had to be carried to church but I believed that God could turn things around for me. Every Tuesday I was anointed during the meeting for health and would receive the prayer. Little by little, I felt my strength coming back. This encouraged me to keep fighting until I was discharged and given the all clear. I believe the anointing helped me get my health back."

The tiny, trifling problem with this story is that advertising a cure for cancer is illegal.

Once again, I'd like to ask everyone to help me put a stop to this dangerous church before someone dies.

Please submit a short complaint to Advertising Standards and another to Trading Standards. It's easy and it'll only take two minutes of your time.

Your complaints only need to mention the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG), their 8th August booklet entitled "IT'S TIME TO SAY ENOUGH", and the fact that the church misleadingly claims to cure cancer with the power of prayer, contrary to the Cancer Act 1939. A scan of the advert appears here.

Below you can find my own complaint the ASA. You are free to copy it, but the blue text above contains all the details which are actually important.

"I write to complain about a booklet published by the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG) shortly before August 8th, 2010.

The advert promotes a bottle of oil which, used in combination with prayer, is claimed to cure terminal cancer.

I suspect that the advert may be in breach of nine sections of the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing (CAP) code.

I enclose scans of pages 6-7, in which the claim appears. For context, I also enclose scans of pages 2-3 and 4-5. I can provide an original copy of the booklet by post, if required.

1. The UCKG is an evangelical church which operates over twenty "HelpCentres" (churches) around the UK.

2. On August 8th 2010, the UCKG held a special event across all of its centres at which visitors were offered "a 10ml bottle of oil blessed on Mount Sinai" (p5). The booklet which is the subject of this complaint was part of the publicity material for the event.

3. (i) This complaint concerns a claim that the bottle of oil, combined with prayer, can cure terminal cancer.

(ii) In September 2009, the ASA Council adjudicated on a rather similar complaint against the UCKG. The complaint (ref 97225) was upheld in full.

4. The centre pages of the booklet (p6-7) contain the following testimonial:

"When doctors told me I only had a few days to live - they diagnosed me with cancer - I was devastated. I was so weak that I had to be carried to church but I believed that God could turn things around for me. Every Tuesday I was anointed during the meeting for health and would receive the prayer. Little by little, I felt my strength coming back. This encouraged me to keep fighting until I was discharged and given the all clear. I believe the anointing helped me get my health back."

5. The centre pages also contain the following disclaimer:

"The UCKG HelpCentre's spiritual advice is to be seen as a complement to the scientifically proven treatment you may be receiving. The UCKG does not claim to heal people but believes that God can through the power of faith. Always follow your doctor's instructions."

6. Under Sections Under Sections 3.1, 14.3 and 50.1 of the CAP Code, I challenge whether the advertiser can substantiate the claim that Antonia Duarte's terminal cancer - which was so advanced that "doctors told me I only had a few days to live" - was cured by a combination of prayer and anointing oil.

7. Under Section 7.1, I challenge whether the claim is misleading.

8. Under Section 50.27, I challenge whether the advertisers "falsely claim that a product is able to cure illness, dysfunction or malformations".

9. Under Section 50.3, I challenge whether the advert:

(i) Discourages essential treatment

(ii) Offers "specific advice on, diagnosis of or treatment for [a] serious or prolonged condition" which has not been "conducted under the supervision of a doctor or other suitably qualified health professional"

10. Under Section 4.1, and with respect to the Cancer Act 1939, I challenge whether the advertisers have complied with their "primary responsibility for ensuring that their marketing communications are legal".

11. Under Section 6.1, I challenge whether the advert "exploit[s] the credulity, lack of knowledge or inexperience of consumers".

12. Under Section 2.2, I challenge whether the advert has been "prepared with a sense of responsibility to consumers and to society".

13. Given that the ASA Council has already adjudicated on a very similar advert, and upheld the complaint in full, under Section 2.4 I challenge whether the advert which is the subject of this complaint "bring[s] advertising into disrepute".

14. I confirm that I have no connections with the advertiser. I confirm that I am not involved in legal proceedings with the advertiser."