# I'm getting a LOT of religious ads

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-lot-of-religious-ads/392334>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [February 15, 2007, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-lot-of-religious-ads/392334 "2007-02-15T13:53:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 18\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-lot-of-religious-ads/392334/1 "2007-02-15T13:53:56Z")

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Lately, the Google ads at the bottom of the threads have been heavily weighted towards religious sites, especially in non-religious threads. I just checked a couple of Pit threads, and sure enough the ads sounded like Christian missionary sites. (I don’t know if “Click here to learn about the Kingdom of G-d” really leads to a Christian missionary site or to the First Baptist Church of Mars, Reformed.)

How much control do the Board mods and admins have over the ad weightings, and how much influence?

And am I the only one seeing a lot of these ads, or are other people seeing them also?

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**Author:** ![milquetoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@milquetoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milquetoast)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-lot-of-religious-ads/392334/2 "2007-02-15T14:01:43Z")

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The Mods and Admins (nor the Chicago Reader) have any control over the ad content.

You are not the only one seeing them. If you see a single banner ad at the bottom of the page, it’s most likely a default ad that is unrelated to the content of the thread.

So the Kingdom of God ad shows up because the adbots haven’t scanned the thread yet, or more likely, there are no keyword hits in the thread yet. The Democrats Suck ad and the Soul Mate Calculator ad were similar default ads that appeared in the past. With time, the Kingdom of God ad will go away to be replaced by another annoying default banner ad.

After posting, I saw three ads for security companies at the bottom of this thread. I suspect it’s based on the word STEAL in your sig line.

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**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-lot-of-religious-ads/392334/3 "2007-02-15T14:33:33Z")

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What he said. That’s the situation.

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**Author:** ![milquetoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@milquetoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milquetoast)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-lot-of-religious-ads/392334/4 "2007-02-15T15:38:13Z")

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[QUOTE=TubaDiva]  
What he said. That’s the situation.  
[/QUOTE]

Which reminds me… I forgot the obligatory “A Mod or Admin will be along to confirm or clarify.” in my earlier post.

Now that it’s happened, it goes with out saying. But I like to think of myself as Master of the Obvious, so I said it anyway.

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**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-lot-of-religious-ads/392334/5 "2007-02-15T15:46:57Z")

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[QUOTE=milquetoast]  
Which reminds me… I forgot the obligatory “A Mod or Admin will be along to confirm or clarify.” in my earlier post.

Now that it’s happened, it goes with out saying. But I like to think of myself as Master of the Obvious, so I said it anyway.  
[/QUOTE]

People think it’s easy, being the Master of the Obvious. _Au contraire, mes amis!_ It requires constant vigilance, as our friend here has just demonstrated.

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**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-lot-of-religious-ads/392334/6 "2007-02-15T16:08:37Z")

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[QUOTE=twickster]  
People think it’s easy  
[/quote]  
What, being the master of the obvious?

> [@](#):
>
> _being the Master of the Obvious._

Obviously.

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**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-lot-of-religious-ads/392334/7 "2007-02-15T16:26:43Z")

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See? _ **Constant** _ vigilance.

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**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-lot-of-religious-ads/392334/8 "2007-02-15T17:01:41Z")

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Be sure to click on these ads. That way you cost the advertisers money for no return. Make them pay! 😃

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**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-lot-of-religious-ads/392334/9 "2007-02-15T17:04:57Z")

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Yanno, you say “vigilance” enough times and you start getting law-enforcement ads.

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**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-lot-of-religious-ads/392334/10 "2007-02-15T21:18:34Z")

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And you say “ads” enough times, you get meta-ads: Ads for Google Adsense!

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**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-lot-of-religious-ads/392334/11 "2007-02-15T21:29:22Z")

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Firefox + Adblock.

I haven’t seen a Google ad on here in months.

Goat and monkey sex  
Just to see where that takes all of you

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**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-lot-of-religious-ads/392334/12 "2007-02-15T21:55:40Z")

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I think it’s because we’re a bunch of heathen bastards. No, seriously. As I understand the Google Ads model, a given ad stays up there until it gets a given number of hits. So, since we are less likely to click on this sort of ad, it stays up longer…way to go, Google! :smack:

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**Author:** ![milquetoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@milquetoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milquetoast)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2007, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-lot-of-religious-ads/392334/13 "2007-02-16T02:08:53Z")

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[QUOTE=Mr Bus Guy]  
Goat and monkey sex  
Just to see where that takes all of you  
[/QUOTE]

Thanks, **Mr Bus Guy**! The number of hits on my site have doubled since you posted.

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**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-lot-of-religious-ads/392334/14 "2007-02-17T02:00:59Z")

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I now see 2 ads. One says “Don’t sign up for AdWords” and the other is “Religious Classes Online”.

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**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2007, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-lot-of-religious-ads/392334/15 "2007-02-20T02:43:39Z")

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I am rather disappointed that, as being anti-religious is a very common theme amongst Dopers, that there should be so many pro-religious ads these past few weeks. It seems strange to me, and I wish something could actually be done, like uncheck some options in your Google Ads account or something.

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**Author:** ![Strinka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/strinka/32/512_2.png) [@Strinka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strinka)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2007, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-lot-of-religious-ads/392334/16 "2007-02-20T04:46:13Z")

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[QUOTE=Mr Bus Guy]  
Firefox + Adblock.

I haven’t seen a Google ad on here in months.

Goat and monkey sex  
Just to see where that takes all of you  
[/QUOTE]

But they’re so fun! Why would you not want to see them?

And I left the goat and monkey sex in, because I think that kind of thing should be encouraged.

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**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2007, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-lot-of-religious-ads/392334/17 "2007-02-20T05:34:37Z")

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I am a Master of the Oblivious.

Hah! I banished the Adblock and the religious ad!

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**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2007, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-a-lot-of-religious-ads/392334/18 "2007-02-20T06:42:46Z")

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**Getting too many religious ads?**  
Maybe the Baby Jesus is trying to tell you something?  
Take heed, and repent, lest ye be damned to the  
eternal pit of Hellfire, where your flesh will roast off  
your bones, and then grow back, and roast off again,  
for all of eternity! God hates sinners like you!  
[TenderLoveAndKindnessMinistries.org](http://TenderLoveAndKindnessMinistries.org)
