Two ads that have drawn public complaints because of their religious messages will continue to run on the TTC.

One ad for the Walk-in Islamic Info-centre has offended some because it states, “There is no god but Allah.”

The other is a bus stop ad that counsels prayer as the answer to a child’s abusive domestic circumstance.

The ad from Bus Stop Bible Studies shows the distressed face of a little girl.

“Dear Jesus, My mom and dad do drugs at home and it scares me. Will you help them stop? Thank you for hearing my prayer,” reads the ad.

It goes on to quote scripture that recommends not to worry, but to pray for what you need, thank God and as a result experience peace.

It has drawn complaints that the message isn’t a positive one for children.

But a review that is automatically triggered whenever the TTC gets at least five complaints about an ad found there were no grounds to pull either advertisement.

That review was by TTC chair Karen Stintz and TTC commissioner Maria Augimeri.

“Although I would not personally condone the comportment outlined in the advertisement, I feel that I do not have the jurisdiction nor the authority to promote its cancellation; particularly because the TTC would not fare well in a court challenge should the promoter of the advertisement choose to make this issue one of rights and freedoms,” Augimeri said of the Bus Stop Bible Studies ad.

“There is nothing that violates any of our policies, and we do have policies around our advertising (based on) the Ontario Human Rights Code, not promoting hate or violence,” said TTC spokesman Brad Ross.

“You don’t have to agree with the message, you don’t have to like the message of the advertiser. Our suggestion would be that if somebody takes issue with the ad they take it up with the advertiser,” he said.

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