‘Jesus Is Alive’ Paid Postmark Stirs Postal Furor in England

The Post Office today began postmarking nearly all letters mailed in Britain with the words “Jesus Is Alive!” as part of a private arrangement financed by an evangelist.

Jewish leaders criticized the Christian cancellation as potentially offensive.

The special postmark, which also contains a small cross, will be used for six weeks. It was paid for by Paul Slennet, who sells religious literature at two bookstores in Southend-on-Sea, east of London. He said God told him to buy the postmark.

The state-owned Post Office said Slennet paid the equivalent of $88,500 for the privilege of having every letter mailed through 68 of Britain’s 69 sorting offices stamped “Jesus Is Alive!”

The Post Office has adopted various methods of boosting revenue under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government, which believes that state-owned services should pay for themselves.

Receiving the postmark will be all mail--including that sent abroad--excluding parcels, periodicals and those letters stamped by businesses that have their own franking facilities. Nearly 52 million letters are mailed daily in Britain.

“The printing of this slogan in no way confirms Post Office approval of its contents,” Post Office spokesman Duncan Marshall said. “The slogan is not considered to be contentious.”

But Shimon Cohen, spokesman for Lord Jakobovits, the chief rabbi of Britain, said his office was “flooded with phone calls” after news of the slogan appeared in newspapers today.

“It could well cause offense and resentment,” Cohen said. “We’ve made our feelings known to the Post Office.