Nicolai Sennels sends this account of his correspondence with the Red Cross about the organization’s aversion to overt symbols of Christmas. The exchange was previously published (in Danish) at 180grader.
My email correspondence with the Red Cross concerning Christmas decorations
by Nicolai Sennels
Confronted with the unpleasant news that Red Cross is now forbidding Christmas decorations in their shops, I decided to write their Danish office:
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From: Nicolai Sennels
To: The Red Cross
Date: December 22nd, 2010
Subject: The red cross is Christian
According to Christian Daily (December 22nd, 2010), the Red Cross in Great Britain has decided to remove all Christmas decorations in order to avoid ‘provoking” non-Christians. Spokesman Hans Bech Gregersen says that the cross “is a symbol of protection, not a Christian symbol.” That is not true. Red Cross was founded by the Swiss Henry Dunant in 1863. The Red Cross symbol is an inversion of the Swiss flag (square with a white cross). The cross in the Swiss flag symbolizes the Christian cross. The white cross in the Swiss flag is ascribed to the Theban Legion, which consisted of 6666 men who converted to Christianity and was killed in the year 286. The Theban Legion is remembered every year on the 22nd of September. The oldest depiction of the Swiss flag is from 1513 in the Lucerne Chronicles. In these chronicles the white cross is shown together with the body of Christ. So, Red Cross: The cross that you use in your logo and your name has Christian roots, and that is no shame.
Yours,
Nicolai Sennels
Relevant links:
Flag of Switzerland
Theban Legion
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From: The Red Cross
To: Nicolai Sennels
Date: December 23rd, 2010
Subject: Re: The red cross is Christian
Dear Nicolai Sennels,
“As an acknowledgement towards Switzerland, the herald mark, the red cross on white back ground, that is created by switching the republic’s colours, will be the hallmark of the armed forces’ medical service.”
These are the words used in the first Geneva Convention of 1949. It was created in order to focus on the neutrality of Switzerland, and the principle of neutrality has since 1864 been binding on the states. There is nothing Christian in it. Had it happened in another country, it can not be excluded that the symbol would also have been an exchange of the colors in that country’s national flag. You can read more about the badge on the International Red Cross Committee’s website: www.icrc.org and in the attached publication: IHL and Denmark.
Yours,
Preben Søegaard Hansen
Secretary
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From: Nicolai Sennels
To: The Red Cross
Date: December 23rd, 2010
Subject: Re: The red cross is Christian
Dear Preben,
Thank you for your answer.
Red Cross’ logo is a variety and a reference to the Swiss flag. The cross in the Swiss flag has a Christian meaning and it is the same cross in the Red Cross logo. It is possible that the Red Cross as an organization does not want to associate themselves with Christianity — presumably in order to serve less tolerant religions — but both the organisation’s name and logo refer to a Christian symbol, specifically because of the connection to the Swiss flag which is a Christian symbol.
It’s remarkable that an organization which takes its name from the Christian cross and has chosen a Christian cross as a logo is so busy trying to distance itself from Christianity and Christian culture — which has played a central role in the development of our Western culture (including our use of Christmas decorations in shops etc.).
The Red Cross’ connection to Christianity has also been noticed by the Muslim world, which instead of just contributing to the Red Cross with manpower and money, has established its own Islamic counterpart, the Red Crescent. As a counterpart to the Red Cross’ cross, the Islamic charity organisation specifically chose the half moon mentioned in the Koran as a religious symbol for Muslims (and which — typical of the aggressive Islamic rhetoric — also can be seen as symbolizing a scimitar on several Islamic flags and mosques). The moon was by the way subject to idolatry by the Muslims’ prophet in his childhood and youth, and his Moon God later became what is now Allah.
When your red cross appears together with the red crescent on the same signs and flags, it contributes to the religious value of the red cross.
Yours,
Nicolai Sennels
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I have not heard from Red Cross since…
Postscript: The Red Cross’ homepage says that Christian symbols are “offensive to Muslims”:
Year 1876-1878. During the war between Russia and Turkey, the Ottoman Empire declared that it would use the red crescent on a white background in place of the red cross. While respecting the red cross symbol, the Ottoman authorities believed that the red cross was, by its very nature, offensive to Muslim soldiers. The red crescent was temporarily accepted for the duration of this conflict.
Nicolai Sennels is a psychologist and the author of “Among Criminal Muslims: A Psychologist’s experiences with the Copenhagen Municipality”.
Previous posts by or about Nicolai Sennels:
16 comments:
Since when do we kowtow to the demands of the Ottoman Empire?
The only good thing about the Ottoman Empire is that it has ceased to exist.
Let us keep it that way.
The moon was by the way subject to idolatry by the Muslims’ prophet in his childhood and youth, and his Moon God later became what is now Allah.
I'll have to correct this:
Allah was a moon god of Mecca centuries before Muhammad was even born. The camels of the Arabs would wear moon badges to signify their respect for Allah, and the name Abd Allah ("Slave to Allah") was common, as was the Islamic battle cry "Allah-hu-Akbar" ("Allah is the Greatest").
And indeed Allah was the greatest - of the 360-some idols in the Kaaba, much coveted by Muhammad, yet never given to him voluntarily.
Before the so-called "Satanic Verses" incident, he made it very clear that he did not worship what they worshipped (109:2):
I worship not that which you worship.
This is complicated, for the implication of this is that at that time (- 3 AH), Muhammad did not worship Allah. Implications of this are left as an exercise for the reader.
What matters more, however, is that worship of Allah was widespread in Arabia for at least 5, probably 9, generations before Muhammad, as recorded by the Islamic historian Al-Tabari in volume 6 of his comprehensive history of the Islamic world.
Point being: Allah predates Muhammad.
For Christ sake... The Red Cross in Europe has gone completely off the rails! If they don't think they are any longer a Christian organization or, they no longer wish to be, they should say so. Stop the PC Bull and speak plainly. Then, those of us that wish to contribute to a relife org can make a reasonable decision.
It seems that that is what the Red Cross hopes to prevent!
The problem is, what to do about it? We have taken these things in incremental steps and done nothing. I would like to remind the readers that the frog was initially put into the pot with cold water...
I lived in Saudi Arabia between 1990-1995. One of my ever lasting memories is of the Muttawa'in (Relgious Police) who were, and remain foremost in my list of unpleasant and evil creatures.
They were the enforcers of Islam and I could relate many examples of their wretched conduct - including forcing young girls back into a burning school building to die because, they were "improperly" dressed and therefore, could not come into a public street.
The travel agent I used in Riyadh had, like all the others, brochures issued by Swissair. The brochures all featured a photo of a Swissair aircraft with the Swiss flag on its tailfin.
The Muttawa'in had blacked out the cross on every brochure, as every depiction of a cross was prohibited.
The Red Cross is correct to state that Christian symbols are offensive to Muslims. But obviously, the Red Cross does not care that its country of origin's flag is also offensive to the representatives of the seventh century.
Bloody fools - both groups.
Apparently, this goes back quite a ways: I found this story from 2003 about this:
"Fearing they might offend someone, Red Cross stores in Britain have taken the Christian out of Christmas this year, banning any display of overtly religious decorations."
I recall stories about Muslims in various parts of the world refusing to be treated by, or even attacking, vehicles and personnel with the Red Cross (as well as the Israeli Red Star) logo. I imagine that if any Western Christian refused service from Muslim Red Crescent staff, he would be considered to be a "racist" or at least a "bigot" by Red Cross Secretary Preben Søegaard Hansen.
Also, a quick search yielded the following related stories:
1. May of 2010:
The International Committee of the Red Cross says it has provided basic training and first aid kits to the Taliban in Afghanistan.
A spokesman for the international humanitarian organization says about 70 members of the armed opposition were given first aid training last month, the BBC reported Wednesday.
"We treat and train people on the basis of medical necessity as an impartial organization, regardless of race or politics," the spokesman said....
Source
2. December 2010:
International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that the Red Cross in Afghanistan (ICRC) has not intervened on behalf of a long-term employee who was arrested and imprisoned because he is Christian. This, despite that the Red Cross mandate includes "visiting prisoners" and "helping victims of conflict and internal violence, whoever they are."
Source
3. June 2009:
U.K.: Foreign Office minister says Red Cross logo evokes Crusades, should be replaced with "neutral" symbol
Source
4. March 2009:
A radical Islamic militant group from the southern Philippines, Abu Sayyaf, has threatened to behead a Red Cross hostage
Source
And many more similar stories, beginning on this Google page.
The Hesperado
1389: The only good thing about the Ottoman Empire is that it has ceased to exist.
Would that Islam could be defined similarly.
Apparently, this goes back quite a ways: I found this story from 2003 about this:
"Fearing they might offend someone, Red Cross stores in Britain have taken the Christian out of Christmas this year, banning any display of overtly religious decorations."
I recall stories about Muslims in various parts of the world refusing to be treated by, or even attacking, vehicles and personnel with the Red Cross (as well as the Israeli Red Star) logo. I imagine that if any Western Christian refused service from Muslim Red Crescent staff, he would be considered to be a "racist" or at least a "bigot" by Red Cross Secretary Preben Søegaard Hansen.
Also, a quick search yielded the following related stories:
1. May of 2010:
The International Committee of the Red Cross says it has provided basic training and first aid kits to the Taliban in Afghanistan.
A spokesman for the international humanitarian organization says about 70 members of the armed opposition were given first aid training last month, the BBC reported Wednesday.
"We treat and train people on the basis of medical necessity as an impartial organization, regardless of race or politics," the spokesman said....
Source
2. December 2010:
nternational Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that the Red Cross in Afghanistan (ICRC) has not intervened on behalf of a long-term employee who was arrested and imprisoned because he is Christian. This, despite that the Red Cross mandate includes "visiting prisoners" and "helping victims of conflict and internal violence, whoever they are."
Source
3. June 2009:
U.K.: Foreign Office minister says Red Cross logo evokes Crusades, should be replaced with "neutral" symbol
Source
4. March 2009:
A radical Islamic militant group from the southern Philippines, Abu Sayyaf, has threatened to behead a Red Cross hostage
Source
And many more similar stories, beginning on this Google page.
The Hesperado
And the YWCA changes their name to Platform 51
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1344779/YWCA-drops-word-Christian-historic-Platform-51.html
much to the jubilation of atheists.
http://freethinker.co.uk/2011/01/07/more-bleating-from-uk-christians-as-ywca-rebrands-itself-as-platform-51/
This is our brave new world. We are handing over everything to the moslems on a platter.
One of the things the left has worked hard to achieve is to place leftists in control of all of the foundations and charitable organizations they could. The reason they went to so much trouble is to be able to do things like removing all aspects of Christianity from the organizations. They did this because the Christian Churches and organizations helped stop the communists from taking over several nations just before and just after WWII.
Funnily enough The Adventures of Robin Hood,apantomime at the glasgow pavillion has been forced to remove the red cross symbol from the costume of Nurse Poltis as the red cross objected to the use of 'their' symbol.A green cross has replaced it.
A spokesman for the red cross said 'Repeated and widespread misuse of the red cross emblem could dilute it's neutrality and it's ability to protect'.
It's a god damn kids theatre production.The Red cross need to take a chill pill instead of going on like some business corporation.
This IS of course the same IRC that insists that the MDA symbol of Israel be turned into a Red Square Outline. Correct?
DrShalit
Interesting! Am I the only one who is reminded of PURE RUSSIAN COMMUNISM when I hear the words "Red Square"?! Geez, Russian Communism's not a political philosophy, or anything like it, right?! Argh!
From Wikipedia:
"On December 7, 2005, a diplomatic conference of states party to the Geneva Conventions adopted a third additional protocol, thereby introducing a new protective emblem, dubbed the "Red Crystal." This "third protocol emblem" is hailed as a truly universal emblem free of religious, ethnic, or political connotation. The new symbol is a red square frame tilted at a 45 degree angle. According to the rules of the third additional protocol, MDA can continue to use the Red Star of David as its sole emblem for indicative purposes within Israel. For indicative use in abroad missions, MDA can, depending on the specific situation in the host country, either incorporate the Red Star of David inside the Red Crystal or use the Red Crystal alone."
"On June 22, 2006, MDA was recognised by the ICRC and admitted as a full member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies,[5] following adoption of the Red Crystal symbol in the statutes of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement on the same level as the Red Cross and Red Crescent symbols."
Hi guys,
some amusing comments here. Feels like some take it as an insult that the Red Cross says it is not a Christian organisation. Which is amusing because, well, it isn't, never has been.
The cross in it's name and emblem as well as its charitable function lead many to believe otherwise...wrongly so. Believe it or not, there can be good organisations that actually are not Christian in this world.
:-)
MariaS: Platform51 - is it me, or is that suspiciously like the ground zero mosque - Park51?
It's gotta be co-incidence. Please?
Evidently, it's sheer coincidence:
"Bosses say the name was chosen to reflect the fact that 51 per cent of people are female and that they can use the charity as a platform ‘to have their say’ and ‘to move to the next stage of their lives’."
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"Officials at the World YWCA headquarters in Geneva said none of the 124 branches in other countries are changing their names."
"Spokesman Sylvie Jacquat said: ‘The name has been there for more than 150 years and we are not even discussing a change."
"‘We see our name as an opportunity for promoting Christian values and principles.’"
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"Platform 51 aims to ‘lobby for changes in the law and policies to help all women’."
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"Mike Judge of the Christian Institute think tank said: ‘Many believe there is an anti-Christian bias among those who decide which charities get state funding."
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