Anti-Christian jeans are hot trend among Swedish youngsters
"Cheap Monday" jeans have become a hot commodity among young Swedes
because of their punk-rock style, trendy tight fit and affordable jeans,
but what has people talking is the ungodly logo of the brand: a skull
with a cross turned upside down on its forehead.
"It is an active statement against Christianity," Bjorn Atldax
told The AP. "I'm not a Satanist myself, but I have a great dislike for
organized religion." The logo developer insists he has a purpose beyond
selling denim jeans: to make young people question Christianity, which he
called a "force of evil" that has sparked wars throughout history.
Sweden, a secular nation where churchgoing has been declining for years
are unaffected by the controversy. Apparently, even the country's
largest church, the Lutheran Church of Sweden, reacts with the
controversy with a shrug.
"I don't think it's much to be horrified about," said Bo Larsson,
director of the church's Department of Education, Research and Culture.
It is abundantly clear that this designer wants to create public opinion
against the Christian faith...but I believe that the way to deal with
this is to start a discussion about what religion means." Some Swedish
Christians are calling for a tougher stance against the jeans.
"One cannot just keep quiet about this," said the Rev. Karl-Erik Nylund,
vicar of St. Mary Magdalene Church in Stockholm. "This is a deliberate
provocation (against Christians) and I object to that." "No one wants to
provoke Jews or Muslims, but it's totally OK to provoke Christians," he
said.
The jeans are selling in Norway, Denmark, Britain, the Netherlands and
France. Orjan Andersson, the jean brand's owner, hopes to tap the
lucrative U.S. market soon - and said he isn't worried the logo will
hurt sales.
Associated Press "Is the devil in the denims?" Lewiston Morning Tribune.
31 December 2005. Sec. 2A.
Chapel cross removed to prevent offense - 01/05/2007
The College of William & Mary, a university that was founded at the request of the Anglican church, has removed the cross from the chapel because it was offensive to some.
President Gene Nichol ordered the cross removed from Wren Chapel, and stored in the sacristy unless someone specifically asks for it to be displayed during a service. He took this action because the diverse student population included some who were "put off" by the cross.
Once the alumni found out, Nichol softened his stance and allowed the cross to be placed in the chapel on Sundays, but ruled that it would be back in the closet the rest of the week.
The 18-inch brass cross was a gift to the school from the Bruton Parish Episcopal Church, and has been on display for decades. Nichol defended his decision to remove it by saying he is not "willing to compromise on that fundamental principle of equal access for all."
Based on an article from...
J.R. Labbe of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram "Chapel cross removal an act of intolerance", The Spokesman-Review. 5 January 2007. Sec. B7.
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