Matt Posted 4 November 2005 Posted 4 November 2005 Hindus are demanding that Royal Mail withdraws one of this year's Christmas stamps, claiming the mother and child image it represents is insulting to their religion.The 68p Christmas stamp, which would be used to send mail to India, features a man and woman with Hindu markings worshipping the infant Christ. The image is one of a series of six mother and child stamps that go on sale today. Ramesh Kallidai, secretary general of the Hindu Forum of Britain, said the image was insensitive, because it showed people who were clearly Hindu worshipping Christ. "It is the equivalent of having a vicar in a dog collar bowing down to Lord Ram on a Diwali stamp," he said. "These things need to be done with sensitivity." The stamps were drawn from religious images around the world. The Hindu stamp was taken from a picture that hangs in Bombay, India, and was painted in the 17th century. It is an Indianised version of a European print of The Holy family with St Anne and the two angels, according to the city art gallery. It has a European theme but a Mughal setting. The entire picture shows St Joseph trying to push aside a huge curtain so that St Anne can behold the baby. The picture was chosen for Royal Mail by this year's stamp designer, Irene Von Treskow, an Anglican priest in an English-speaking church in Berlin. She said she was fascinated by the image because it was so interesting to see a Mughal painting with a Christian subject. She does not believe the picture is offensive. "How can it be?" she asked. "It is 17th-century art." She said she found the painting in a book and then looked up the image on the internet. Mr Kallidai said the man in the painting has a "tilak" marking on his forehead, clearly identifying him as a Vaishnava Hindu. The woman has the traditional "kumkum" mark on her forehead, identifying her as a married Hindu woman. "These are exclusively used by Hindus," he said. "While many people doubt the authenticity of the age of the painting, we believe that even if this were true, it would be insensitive to use it at a time when the issue of conversions in India has been a subject of heated debate. "Even if we accept that an artist in 1620 made the mistake of portraying practising Hindus worshipping the infant Christ, we should be asking if this is politically and communally correct in the 21st century." He said he had called for Royal Mail to issue a Diwali stamp for the Hindu festival of light, which began on Monday, but there had been no response. "It is striking to see that Royal Mail thinks it prudent to issue Christmas stamps that can cause resentment in the worldwide Hindu community but remains silent on the issuing of stamps for Diwali, the festival of lights celebrated by the third largest faith community in the UK and by a billion Hindus worldwide." Royal Mail said no offence had been intended. "We thought it would be nice to return to a religious theme," a spokesman said. Whats everyone's thought on this? I think it's stupid, soon Christmas will be cancelled all together because it'll be classed as offending other religions, e.t.c....Other religions have time off work/school, e.t.c for there version's of Christmas, so why don't we as christians? Because other religions also have our christmas off aswell! To be honest I don't care about religion at all but it really does annoy me when other religions, class something as racist especially something so silly as this, for example if the royal mail had left Hindu's out of this stamp, Hindu's could then come back and say "You being racist - not including us in a culural world anymore". "Racism"/Claims of racism is just getting out of hand now, you won't be able to look at another person from a different race, country, religion without being called racist soon!
Libertine Posted 4 November 2005 Posted 4 November 2005 Everything is against someones religion, it's going too far.
frenchy_lcfc Posted 4 November 2005 Posted 4 November 2005 Everything is against someones religion, it's going too far. Definaltley getting out of control!! Its really P*****G Me Off!! Look at all the rages in Paris that aswell is because of religion!! When the hell Are we gonna Stop all of this!!
Cat Burger Posted 4 November 2005 Posted 4 November 2005 Ban religion?!? how would people have pointless wars?
Katy Posted 4 November 2005 Posted 4 November 2005 I do worry about what is being allowed to happen in this country. Any Hindu FT members care to comment on this?
City Fan Posted 4 November 2005 Posted 4 November 2005 Not meaning to be racist or anything, but this is ENGLAND and the main religion is CHRISTIAN, and if they have a problem with any aspects of our religion, then they should twaddle off down to Heathrow or Gatwick. I lived in the Middle East for a couple of years and I never complained about anything "insulting my religion" because I realised that Christianity is not the main religion there.
shen Posted 4 November 2005 Posted 4 November 2005 Ban religion?!? how would people have pointless wars? Religion is not a reason for the wars we've had. It's just an excuse...
john_lcfc Posted 4 November 2005 Posted 4 November 2005 Not meaning to be racist or anything, but this is ENGLAND and the main religion is CHRISTIAN, and if they have a problem with any aspects of our religion, then they should twaddle off down to Heathrow or Gatwick. I lived in the Middle East for a couple of years and I never complained about anything "insulting my religion" because I realised that Christianity is not the main religion there. seconded
Deathside Posted 4 November 2005 Posted 4 November 2005 Not meaning to be racist or anything, but this is ENGLAND and the main religion is CHRISTIAN, and if they have a problem with any aspects of our religion, then they should twaddle off down to Heathrow or Gatwick. I have a problem with most aspects of your religion - Just packing my case now
Hullfox Posted 4 November 2005 Posted 4 November 2005 Not meaning to be racist or anything, but I just love that opening. You know when you read it that it's gonna be followed by something racist.
Gamesmaster Posted 4 November 2005 Posted 4 November 2005 Not meaning to be racist or anything, but this is ENGLAND and the main religion is CHRISTIAN, and if they have a problem with any aspects of our religion, then they should twaddle off down to Heathrow or Gatwick. that is the wrong and somewhat racist attitude to have. britain is now a multi faith country, and you should know better than to describe it as one faith. are you an elitist or something? we have to make all people of all colours and faiths feel welcome in this country. how about if you dont like our multi faith country, you jog down to heathrow? you racist sc um! appologise to the non christians.
fosse_no9 Posted 4 November 2005 Posted 4 November 2005 Thoughts of religion instigate the most unreligous state of mind possible..... I could discuss in much detail if you wish.
City Fan Posted 5 November 2005 Posted 5 November 2005 that is the wrong and somewhat racist attitude to have. britain is now a multi faith country, and you should know better than to describe it as one faith. are you an elitist or something? we have to make all people of all colours and faiths feel welcome in this country. how about if you dont like our multi faith country, you jog down to heathrow? you racist sc um! appologise to the non christians. You are joking right? Fair enough Britain is a "multi faith country", so why are some Hindu's saying that something insults their religion? If it WAS multi faith, everyone from different religions would accept each other's religions. I have no problem with Hindus or any members of any other religion in this country, but when they claim that something is an insult to their religion, then surely it is no longer a multi faith country, but a Hindu country? Britain IS a multi faith country, but Christians don't seem to moan that their religion is "insulted". Here is a true example, an Aunties friend had some porcelain pigs on her windowsill, someone complained saying that it insults their religion, and so she had to take them down. Do Christians ever complain if they see another religion's symbol dangling down from the front of someones car for example? I don't think so. Not sure if I have portrayed my point clearly? Reading it back it does look slightly racist but not intended at all.
City Fan Posted 5 November 2005 Posted 5 November 2005 You are joking right? Fair enough Britain is a "multi faith country", so why are some Hindu's saying that something insults their religion? If it WAS multi faith, everyone from different religions would accept each other's religions. I have no problem with Hindus or any members of any other religion in this country, but when they claim that something is an insult to their religion, then surely it is no longer a multi faith country, but a Hindu country? Britain IS a multi faith country, but Christians don't seem to moan that their religion is "insulted". Here is a true example, an Aunties friend had some porcelain pigs on her windowsill, someone complained saying that it insults their religion, and so she had to take them down. Do Christians ever complain if they see another religion's symbol dangling down from the front of someones car for example? I don't think so. Not sure if I have portrayed my point clearly? Reading it back it does look slightly racist but not intended at all. And another thing, I think that cancelling all Santas in Birmingham (which they have done because someone complained) insults my religion.
Matt Posted 5 November 2005 Author Posted 5 November 2005 Not meaning to be racist or anything, but this is ENGLAND and the main religion is CHRISTIAN, and if they have a problem with any aspects of our religion, then they should twaddle off down to Heathrow or Gatwick. I lived in the Middle East for a couple of years and I never complained about anything "insulting my religion" because I realised that Christianity is not the main religion there. That what I was trying or wanted to say in the first place but thought it'd be below the belt, obviously not! This is probably racist but i'm gonna say it anyway, I was watching the national news last night and there were about 4 or 5 main headlines on the news, 3 of the stories involved rasist hate, and it also included indians, other religions, e.t.c, and its not just coincidence, As christians living in England it is US becoming a minority! England where christianity is supposed to be the main religion we are becoming the minority!
Nationwider Posted 5 November 2005 Posted 5 November 2005 The stamp does seem a bit silly really. Kind of asking for trouble in the current climate. I'd be interested to know the full reasoning behind it. The sensible thing would be to withdraw it, or replace it with persons without the Hindu markings.
Babylon Posted 5 November 2005 Posted 5 November 2005 If you don't like it, don't buy it. If your still not happy you can fook off.
Nationwider Posted 5 November 2005 Posted 5 November 2005 If you don't like it, don't buy it. If your still not happy you can fook off. Fair point. As its specifically for sending post overseas, anyone offended by it, or likely to cause offence by sending it (Hindus sending post to relatives, perhaps) would choose not to buy it anyway. Which begs the question, who designed the thing if no-one's going to buy it?
Gamesmaster Posted 5 November 2005 Posted 5 November 2005 Not sure if I have portrayed my point clearly? Reading it back it does look slightly racist but not intended at all. maybe you have racist tendancies and you didnt realise it.
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