Kiel's digitalisation ad sparks outrage by featuring church withdrawal
A digitalisation campaign by the city of Kiel has caused controversy after using church withdrawal as an example. The video, showing a young woman leaving the church online, drew sharp criticism from religious groups. Officials later removed it from Instagram following the backlash.
The advertisement was part of Kiel’s push to promote digital services. It featured a woman completing a church exit procedure at a registry office. Catholic and Protestant leaders quickly condemned the choice of example.
City authorities defended the campaign, stating it simply followed existing church exit laws. They also claimed there was no intention to encourage people to leave religious institutions. However, church representatives pointed out that leaving the church legally requires an in-person visit to a registry office. Pastor Wilko Teifke, the state church commissioner, urged greater sensitivity on the matter. Beate Bäumler, head of the Catholic Office, described the promotion as one-sided and troubling. Following the criticism, the video was taken down. The state government has now announced it will review the campaign in response to the public reaction.
The incident highlights tensions between digitalisation efforts and religious sensitivities. Kiel officials have withdrawn the video but face ongoing scrutiny over their choice of example. A formal review of the campaign is now underway.
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