March 29 2012 at 11:16am
INLSA
CROSSED OFF: Woolies hot cross buns havent gone down well with some Christians. Picture: Jennifer Bruce
Suren Naidoo
RETAILER Woolworths has come under fire from some Christians for putting the halaal certification mark on hot cross bun packaging.
But Father Chris Townsend of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference has labelled the issue “nothing more than a storm in a baking pan”.
Yesterday, e-mails on the issue made the rounds around SA and it also featured on Twitter and Facebook.
Some Christians complained that hot cross buns had special significance to Christians and the halaal symbol should not be used.
Halaal certification signifies foods that can be eaten by Muslims.
Tony Seifart tweeted: “Woolworths SA clearly has no respect of the Christian Faith to make hot cross buns halaal.”
“It’s not about the ingredients – it’s the act of taking something tied to my beliefs and stamping it with a halaal symbol,” another tweet read.
Tanya Kovarsk tweeted: “Getting @saulkza hot cross buns from @WOOLWORTHS_SA. All the halaal talk has made him hungry for them.”
But Oresti Patricios disagreed. He tweeted: “Not about choice, it’s about stupidity. It’s only a hot cross bun, why can’t anyone eat it?”
Townsend said it was all an “over-reaction by some members of the Christian community” and that people needed to be more understanding.
Woolworths said: “We apologise and assure our customers that no offence was intended. Our next Easter offer will have both non-halaal certified hot cross buns and halaal-certified spiced buns.”
http://www.iol.co.za...tweet-1.1266407
Today I sent out a tweet about how Woolworths South Africa labels their Hot Cross Buns as halaal and the fact that I think it’s a little culturally insensitive.
The origins of Hot Cross Buns may not be Christian itself, but over the last couple of hundred years it certainly has come to be an integral part of Lent – a time of preparation for Christians for the upcoming Easter remembrance, when we remember that Jesus Christ not only died on the cross for our sins, but also rose from the dead. It is the one huge difference between Christianity and all other world religions, and for a Christian it is (or at least it should be) a whole lot more important than Christmas.
While most Christian Denominations today no longer celebrate Lent – there are many who do – and Hot Cross Buns form a part of that – a deeply spiritual part of our Christian Calendar. It seems then odd that Woolworths would decide to take a Christian Symbol of our faith and slap a Halaal sticker on it. Why not sell “Sticky Raisin Buns” without the cross on it for all consumers and leave the Hot Cross Buns alone?
http://www.freetips....buns-be-halaal/
Are Muslims even permitted to eat hot cross buns since they bear the symbol of the cross and are associated with Christian festivals?
Edited by Mrs. J, 29 March 2012 - 06:40 PM.
