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British Red Cross 'bans Christmas'
Saturday , 21 December, 2002
| staff writer
Posted on 12/21/2002 7:27:21 AM PST by yankeedame
Saturday, 21 December, 2002, 11:07 GMT
Red Cross 'bans Christmas'
The Red Cross doesn't want to offend Muslims
The Red Cross has sparked controversy by banning some Christmas decorations from its fundraising shops across the UK. The British branch of the Swiss-based charity has told its staff not to put up nativity scenes or any Christian symbols of Christmas in case they offend Muslims and other non-Christians
"The Red Cross is not a religious organisation," said Catherine Mahonney, Red Cross spokesman
Christine Banks, a volunteer at a Red Cross shop in Kent, said the manager of her store had got a Christmas tree for the shop.
She told the BBC: "He had to take it back out again because he was told we weren't allowed to have anything like that, or anything that was to do with Christmas or Christians.
"This was because we were told the Red Cross doesn't want to offend Muslims."
Respect faiths
Labour peer Lord Ahmed, one of the country's most prominent Muslim politicians, told the Daily Mail newspaper it was "stupid" to think Muslims would be offended.
He added: "The Muslim community has been talking to Christians for the past 1,400 years. The teachings from Islam are that you should respect other faiths."
Confirming the ban at the charity's 430 shops, chief press officer of the British Red Cross, Catherine Mahonney, said "The Red Cross is not a religious organisation and we have never promoted any religious festival, Christian or otherwise.
"We all, of course, love the season and allow people to have decorations and tinsel in the shop window, but Christmas scenes and nativity plays - no."
TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS:
The Red Cross doesn't want to offend Muslims Oh, I see. Still it's perfectly all right to offend Christians, but then that goes without saying.
To: yankeedame
When Christians claim something is offensive, they are told they are intolerant/narrow-minded.
When non-Christians claim something is offensive, they get their butts kissed.
The Red Cross: another member of the ABC Club (Anything But Christianity).
In that case, let them depend on Muslims for donations.
To: yankeedame
What do they think the cross symbolizes? Better change the name. How about the Red Dot? No, might offend dashes.
To: stop_fascism
Exactly. What about the Red Cresent? (sp) Isn't that for Muslims?
4
posted on
12/21/2002 7:40:11 AM PST
by
machman
To: yankeedame
US Red Cross also has problems.
I wouldn't give them any money.
I'd like to see an alternative blood bank emerge than these creeps at the Red Cross.
5
posted on
12/21/2002 7:40:54 AM PST
by
tallhappy
To: yankeedame
Still it's perfectly all right to offend Christians, but then that goes without saying. But then again, Yankeedame, weren't we told that we would be offended and worse??
To: tallhappy
To: tallhappy
8
posted on
12/21/2002 8:00:28 AM PST
by
ao98
To: tallhappy
Sometime around the year 2016, a Senator (probably a deep south conservative) will be picked up on a microphone saying that Christmas is an American holiday and he thinks we'd have been better off as a country if we'd stuck with it instead of dividing our society with Kwanza, Muslim holidays, Native American holidays, and so on.
He'll be declared a racist by the Democrats, and the establishment Republicans will agree. He'll apologize, promise to take down the Christmas tree and nativity scene in his office, and agree to attend seminars on Kwanza. He'll pledge to hire more Muslim staff and will concur that his region of the country has been a hotbed of pro-Christmas bigotry.
But it won't be enough to save him from losing his leadership post. Jonah Goldberg will then explain that what happened was good, because it allowed conservatism to shed its Christian fringe.
9
posted on
12/21/2002 8:00:32 AM PST
by
puroresu
To: yankeedame
When is the Red Cross going to drop the Evil Cross as its sign? Perhaps they can become the Red Whale or the Red Hybrid Car or some other suitably PC device.
To: puroresu
He'll apologize, promise to take down the Christmas tree and nativity scene in his office, and agree to attend seminars on Kwanza. He'll pledge to hire more Muslim staff and will concur that his region of the country has been a hotbed of pro-Christmas bigotry. Which would prove he didn't believe what he was saying in the first place and was just an empty blowhard.
Republicans will be better off.
To: pabianice
The Red Cross in the USA had better reform, and fast. Either that or it will follow the downward spiral of the United Way.
12
posted on
12/21/2002 8:16:20 AM PST
by
gaspar
To: tallhappy
Better off being rid of a weak individual....maybe.
Better off setting the Political Correctness precedent as we did with Lott.....No way!
13
posted on
12/21/2002 8:17:29 AM PST
by
puroresu
To: stop_fascism
I was thinking, with a nod to the memory of Monty Python, of a petition asking them to change it to "The Red Something Or Other That Certainly Would Not Be A Mogen David".
14
posted on
12/21/2002 8:27:12 AM PST
by
norton
To: yankeedame
"This was because we were told the Red Cross doesn't want to offend Muslims."
Hey "Lord" Ahmed.......Jesus is The Only LORD ....
Christians and Jews can be offended and killed...their property destroyed...they can be enslaved tortured their boy and girl children turned in sex toys for perverted muslims...
But lets not offend muslims...after all offending is their job
To: stop_fascism
"No, might offend dashes"
LOL - but you realize that dashes is dangerously close to the word "dasher" which would be dangeroulsy close to the words "Santa Claus" which would be dangerously close to Saint Nicholas ... I think you get my drift.
To: yankeedame
PS-government funded, broadcasted Muhammad, legacy of a "prophet": that is OFFENSIVE to all who by the grace of CHRIST are not muslims. Islamists came and masacred many Americans on 9-11-01 and that is more offensive than any holiday tradition anywhere. Let's erase every trace of Islam, since it is so thoroughly offensive to people of integrity.
17
posted on
12/21/2002 8:59:59 AM PST
by
Hila
To: yankeedame
Unless they've been removed since I was there last for PC reasons, the
Clara Barton House in Glen Echo, Maryland displays old photographs of early Red Cross insignia depicting the cross as a Christian cross. Since the 1860's and now that the Red Cross is an international organization, they have adopted a new philosophy of neutrality explained at the
Red Cross site. If they're seen as a Christian organization, they'll be attacked by radicals. If they're seen as completely neutral, then they can accomplish their mission of helping those in need.
18
posted on
12/21/2002 9:17:43 AM PST
by
Ligeia
To: pabianice
When is the Red Cross going to drop the Evil Cross as its sign?They're working on it right now. Below is the current proposal for a "non-offending" replacement image.
19
posted on
12/21/2002 9:20:40 AM PST
by
thatdewd
To: yankeedame
So which charities should I support this CHRISTmas season? I'm thinking the Salvation Army. Any other good suggestions?
20
posted on
12/21/2002 9:46:43 AM PST
by
keats5
To: yankeedame
I think its time to abandon the Red Cross. Even though it was founded by a Christian.
To: keats5
We gave to Salvation Army and local charities where we could see that our contribution can make a difference.
To: thatdewd
When is the Red Cross going to drop the Evil Cross as its sign?They're working on it right now. Below is the current proposal for a "non-offending" replacement image.
To me, it symbolizes that the "road to Hell" (the downward pointing arrowhead) is "paved with good intentions" (the upward pointing arrowhead). How appropriate!
To: yankeedame
Really a late poster here, but caught the blue index on the right. I hope this is on topic. First of all credit to the little people, who no doubt work hard for the Red Cross.
Now for the high poo bah(s) of this organization. In 1939 the hastily unprepared British Expeditionary Force was encamped in France. My Dad wrote and said the winter was bitter. Good ladies organizations all over Britain knitted socks and the much prized mitten.
The mitten was in regulation khaki and the ends specially sown to leave half an inch of finger tips exposed. Excellent for circulation and - for firing a rifle.
Absolutely remember this. A minor scandal developed. The Red Cross allegedly were charging money from the British Tommy for goods donated. I heard it more than once elsewhere in the war. A popular song indicated the Tommies pay. "21 shillings a day- once a week"- Total was about 4 dollars US at the time.
Of course it could be just a rumour- any old swaddies out there?
To: FreedomCalls
To me, it symbolizes that the "road to Hell" (the downward pointing arrowhead) is "paved with good intentions" (the upward pointing arrowhead). How appropriate!And the new emblem is strangely reminiscent of a certain OIL company's logo. I bet I know what brand of gas they want us to use when driving down that road...
25
posted on
12/21/2002 11:11:30 AM PST
by
thatdewd
To: yankeedame
26
posted on
12/21/2002 11:14:53 AM PST
by
Cindy
To: FreedomCalls
Your #23......are those Marilyn Monroe's lips?
Leni
To: yankeedame
[ He added: "The Muslim community has been talking to Christians for the past 1,400 years. The teachings from Islam are that you should respect other faiths." ]
REALLY!...Talk about STUPID..blowing up the trade towers was S.T.U.P.I.D... NOW Ameirca is not sleeping anymore...NOW the Qu'ran will be studied till the
COMEDY COMES OUT......
** Oh! yeah! theres some serious comedy there..
** Clue: Google this "the Hadiths(Hadid)"
28
posted on
12/21/2002 11:21:01 AM PST
by
hosepipe
To: yankeedame
29
posted on
12/21/2002 11:24:35 AM PST
by
Cindy
To: yankeedame
30
posted on
12/21/2002 11:52:19 AM PST
by
Cindy
To: thatdewd
That has a certain masonic touch to it.
31
posted on
12/21/2002 12:10:15 PM PST
by
xp38
To: yankeedame
It happened here last year in Southern California. Now its spread to the U.K. I think its time the Red took the word Cross out of its name. They clearly think Christianity is too politically incorrect to promote in the entire Western world.
To: Peter Libra
When I was quite young my Grandmother told me her brother was in the front lines in France during WW1. When he came home he told her that when the Red Cross came to the front with coffee and donuts they charged for them. When the Salvation Army came they gave them to the boys FREE!
She always stressed giving to the Salvation Army. I always have all these years and I'm 73. God bless them.
33
posted on
12/21/2002 12:31:34 PM PST
by
Royce
To: MinuteGal
I can see that.
It does kinda look like it!
To: Royce
Where there is smoke there is fire. Ex Royal Signals here. Message received. Roger and out. Cheers.
To: yankeedame
Muslims could see the tree, and it would fill them with such rage that they might blow themselves up. Of course, if this were to happen, the Christians would be to blame for failing to be more tolerant.
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