Benetton pulls pope-imam kiss ad after Vatican protest

Italian clothes company Benetton backed down and pulled a photo montage showing the pope a leading imam from its new global ad campaign on Wednesday after the Vatican issued a stern condemnation.

The company, which is no stranger to controversy over its advertising campaigns, said it was "sorry that the use of the image had so hurt the sensibilities of the faithful."

The statement came shortly after the Vatican expressed "the firmest protest for this absolutely unacceptable use of the image of the Holy Father."

Benetton's poster showed Pope Benedict XVI kissing on the lips Egypt's Ahmed el Tayyeb, imam of the Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo and a leading voice in Sunni Islam.

It launched Wednesday a new global advertising campaign called UNHATE that contained a series of photo montages of political and religious leaders kissing.

The defended the campaign, saying its purpose "was solely to battle the culture of hate in all its forms".

There were other shock pictures showing US President Barack Obama kissing Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao in one picture and Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez in another.

Notes on All American Muslim on TLC from 13 NOV 2011

A Moslem male can marry a non-Moslem (Christian woman) and she does not have to convert
A Moslem woman cannot convert and must stay a Moslem
- Reason: Children born by a Moslem parent automatically are Moslems
- Either way – Islam gains population and members without losing any members

A woman on the show said, “Most Arab men do not treat their wife with a positive temperament like mine does.” Then the man – stated that he wanted 6 children

Scene at the Mosque – Showed only the men praying at the front – where are the women – A: In the back! They pray 5 times a day

Father of the daughter getting married: “To marry a Moslem – you have to convert!” Daughter’s response: “The number one thing my father wants is that Jeff converts.”

Opening a Business: not a typical job for a Moslem female – the Moslem woman has a male business partner (makes for convenience when doing business with other Moslem clients that don’t want to deal with a woman – but she can deal with non-Moslems and not be seen as a threatening presence) // The Moslem male business partner tells her that a club is risky for a Moslem female – her family won’t be happy – a club is not for you – a woman can’t handle a club – disagrees with other successful woman who own clubs – how will others (Moslems) look at her if she owns a club
(Where’s the freedom they talk about by being here in the US??? Islam apparently continues to confine it’s members even within a free society)

Marriage scene between Jeff (Irish Catholic and a Moslem woman) Moslem male brother: To Convert – must be perfect – must be done right

To Convert: The father states – “not denouncing anything – adding more.” Must speak in Arabic for the conversion – no other language

Girls wear a hijab at age 9 – (the age a girl can marry under Sharia Islamic countries to an adult Moslem male) Must be modest (a woman in Islam must look modest – age 9 apparently a Moslem girl is considered a woman and must remain modest out in public)

Quote from a Moslem male: “If you are following your faith – you are a better citizen.” (So those that don’t have a faith aren’t better citizens???)

Moslem Coach: Most important thing in my life – Islam – family – and coaching football for a high school of 95% Moslems students – must up old tradition during Ramadan – “we are expected to win!” – Practice moved from day time to 10PM until 5 AM because of a religion (I thought school and religion have to be separate??? Where’s the ACLU folks at???)

We believe in total submission to Allah – Father of the daughter getting married

During a sit down with Moslem family member – a daughter states to her mother that she wants to wear the hijab and be a nun – they all laugh and think that’s funny – and then the mother states that if that happened – she would feel like a failure and be depressed…(It’s okay for others to convert to Islam – but not the other way around)

Then another scene – they make fun of Jeff and states he converted to Judism – and then Hindu – and then paid him to be there – the Moslems laugh – and then the part of the conversion takes place while Jeff is standing and the Moslems are all sitting (Big red flag in culture right there)

Makes Jeff denounce his Catholic faith in the belief that Jesus is the Son of God and the first and last messenger of God – by saying that Mohammed is Allah’s messenger (a total slap in the face of Christians)

The Moslem women make the mother(Catholic) of Jeff cover her head during the wedding because an Imam is coming to the house to perform the marriage (Again – where’s the freedom not wear that –she’s a Catholic)

The couple sat down during the marriage ceremony and so did the Imam – what happened to standing in front of God to claim the blessing of marriage(Not a big deal – just noted it)

WE want you to be comfortable (Apparently the next show – Jeff is crying and embarrassed by something and wants to go???)

Father must still give permission for his daughter to marry – (not a big deal either – a respectful thing – very traditional)

THE BEST PART OF THE ENTIRE SHOW – is when Caitlyn comes out in full Irish dress and does the traditional step dance – compared to the harem belly dancer where a bunch of men (Jeff’s family members) surrounded her and then the Moslem male makes fun of them at the end

This show made fun of Catholics – Nuns – degraded Jesus Christ – made a mockery of freedoms in the US – the separation of Church and State – and the list goes on and on..

If you agree – repost this!

Babylon’s Covert War – educate yourself about the enemy – they are closing in.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.