Store bans 'Jesus,' but OK with 'Jihad'
Other approved words: 'Allah,' 'Buddha'
Published: 15 hours ago
Joe Kovacs is an award-winning journalist and, since 1999, executive news editor of WND. He is the author of two best-selling books: "Shocked by the Bible: The Most Astonishing Facts You've Never Been Told" and its 2012 sequel, "The Divine Secret: The Awesome and Untold Truth About Your Phenomenal Destiny."
The popular department store Marks & Spencer ignited controversy when it banned words such as “Jesus” and “Christ” from its flower service, but apparently had no problem with “Allah” and “jihad.”
Now, the British-based multinational chain has responded to customers who complained about the double-standard, and is allowing Jesus back.
According to Christian Today, the store initially blocked the Christian words to avoid their misuse, hoping to avoid any perceived offensiveness.
Obscenities and the word “gay” was also on the banned list.
A company spokesman told Christian Today: “We apologize for any offense caused, it was certainly never our intention. We have revised the words included on the automatic phrase checker which is in place to prevent the use and misuse of certain words.”
Customers who sought to add a free message when they purchased flowers could not complete their transaction if they tried to use one of the prohibited words.
A pop-up message would indicate: “Sorry, there’s something in your message we can’t write.”
The restrictions were revealed by the Sunday Times after Geraldine Stockford was precluded from buying a bouquet for a funeral.
She wanted to say the flowers were from a family in “Christ Church Teddington.”
The full message read: “Thank you for your care and practical help for Margaret in her last days … With love from her church family, Christ Church Teddington.” The late Margaret, 93, attended the church for 87 years.
The former archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey of Clifton, told the Times: “If Christ becomes an offensive word in a Christian land then all of us should be alarmed.”
Andrea Minichiello Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern, said: “It is a sad state of affairs if the start point is to assume the word Christ is being used to be offensive.”
Read more at
http://www.wnd.com/2015/03/store-bans-jesus-but-ok-with-allah/#dV4Y7ZIHDOt7gstS.99
