A retailer in South Africa has had to remove the Muslim food certification symbol of a crescent from the packaging on some of its hot cross buns after conservative Christians complained.Is it worse that the retailer removed the symbol or that those Christians complained? The latter seems a bit 'precious'. Personally I'd be delighted to know 'my' hot cross buns would be halal and even kosher (unlikely, I suspect) it seems to me it'd represent a step forward in interfaith relations. I'd have been more expectant of seeing something about Muslims objecting that a halal council had approved something with a cross on it and strong associations with the crucifixion which most Muslims have traditionally denied (based on what I believe to be a misreading of the Qur'an). In other circumstances I could see these Christians celebrating that the 'gospel' was being sybolically proclaimed to Muslims. Looks like the 'fan' /'tribally-religious' instinct won out in this case; it's funny how some people seem to look for excuses to be offended. And to interpret it as 'turning their backs on Christians', well, words fail me. Part of me wants to say 'grow up'. And to Woolies, who gave in: if you give in to this now you'll be at it for ever...
Hot Crescent Buns Upset Christians in South Africa | The Jakarta Globe:
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