In this new video, I discuss the controversy over the UK supermarket chain Tesco putting Muslims in a Christmas ad, and Muslim “reformer” Maajid Nawaz’s claim that opposition to the ad is “racism.”
Comments
BARBARAsays
I’m sure many Muslims would be offended to see Muslims in a Christmas ad! After all, Christmas is not Islamic.
mortimersays
Agree with Barbara. Christmas is the ‘Feast of the Incarnation’ and Islamic theology considers both doctrines extremely blasphemous.
Moreover, a sharia law website has the following:
“Islam forbids the Muslims to imitate the kuffaar, especially the Jews and Christians …It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 3512; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel, 2691.
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan said: The things in which the kuffaar are imitated include ACTS OF WORSHIP, such as imitating them in matters of SHIRK. (Note… shirk means incorrect worshipping such as Trinitarian worship).
… Another example is their imitation of the festivals of shirk and bid’ah, such as birthday celebrations, whether it is the birthday of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or the birthdays of presidents and kings.” – https://islamqa.info/en/45200
The prohibitions of the sheikh above include the prohibition of participating in Christmas… HARAM.
Christmas is HARAM to Muslims… and saying so is not uncharitable to Muslims, but purely a matter of record.
mortimersays
addendum: Both doctrines refers to the incarnation of God via Mary and the doctrine of the Trinity. Both doctrines are denied vehemently and insultingly in Islam.
Christmas will save the west. The music, the lights the joy it brings. The wonderful story and thoughts. What is not to like and want to be part of. More Christmas!!!
Shanesays
You missed the point that Leftists and Islamic supremacists label anyone who dares to criticize Islam, Mo, or Muslims as racists. Islam is NOT a race, and no religion, especially Islam, is above criticism, nor are any members of any religion above criticism. Too many young people back down when the accusation of being a racist, xenophobe, bigot, Nazi, Fascist, etc… is directed at them.
It’s pretty funny really. These PC idiots try to suck up to their Muslim overlords, and just end up pissing them off.
mike9asays
As usual delivery from RS, truth, to the point, superb! Thank you
Georgsays
Yep, stellar video and thought. As he said (gross paraphrase): it’s Islamization stuffed in a Christmas turkey. Nice try.
JohnGsays
Totally agree RS done more to educate about Islam than anyone else. Got most of his books.
John W.says
I’d love to see a response from Maajid.
I wonder how many homes celebrating Christmas this year will be having hijab wearing friends over.
mortimersays
Agree with John. No mosque will have a Christmas tree or crèche scene or any other memento of Christmas. Because … Christmas is HARAM!
Annsays
It depends on whether you consider Christmas to be primarily religious or cultural. If the former, then there is no reason to include non-Christians in the ad. It would be like an ad about Hanukkah with non-Jewish characters portrayed in it.
In the UK, there are now a lot of non-Christians. A lot of Hindus, who should have had at least one family in the ad. But since Christmas is now a holiday for everyone (Peace on earth, good will to men), it is only fair to include everyone in the ad. I liked the Tesco ad. Christ came for all men, and it is only fair to show a sampling of all the humanity for whom he came who are celebrating Christmas. Christians unawares, as it were.
mortimersays
Ann, it isn’t a matter of OPINION, because Islam is highly codified.
Muslims already know they must not imitate the dirty kufaar and they know that participating in Christmas is HARAM.
Muslims are supposed to maintain APARTHEID (al baraa) from the DIRTY KUFAAR.
gravenimagesays
Ann, your idea that Muslims are fine with secular celebrations of Christmas is *much* mistaken. Have you missed all of the attacks and planned attacks of Christmas shoppers, Christmas markets, Christmas tree lighting ceremonies?
mortimersays
SHARIA LAW FORBIDS THE DISPLAY OF SHIRK (WRONG WORSHIPPING) IN PUBLIC. The commercial actually FLOUTS Sharia law!
The Tesco commercial was dreamed up by a well-meaning ISLAM-KNOW-NOTHING who was thinking of the Coca Cola ad “WE ARE THE WORLD”! How inclusive. Muslims do not want to be included in Christmas.
Although, it was well-meaning, Muslims are in effect required to AVOID CHRISTMAS, IGNORE CHRISTMAS and TRY TO STOP ANY AND ALL non-Islamic religious practices in public.
Evangelistsays
On seeing the Tesco video, I wrote the following letter yo David John Lewis, Tecso’s CEO
Jesus is the reason for the season
Dear Mr Lewis
“Turkey, Every Which Way Tesco#EveryonesWelcome”
I write to you about the above video, and I was pleased to see the three hijabbed Muslimas being welcomed at the door, pleased but surprised, and unless I missed them, I didn’t see them sitting down at the table enjoying the sumptuous feast that had been prepared, wasn’t the Turkey halal, don’t Tesco sell halal Turkeys’? although I do realise that Muslims have other dietary restrictions, and so may have been unable to sit at the table and enjoy the other lovely-looking food.
Christians celebrate Christmas because they celebrate the God of the Bible “going public” and entering His creation, by coming amongst us as Jesus Christ and being born in a shed at the back of a pub in Bethlehem.
Islam denies this, with Muslims such as Sheikh Zainadine Johnson saying Muslims can’t celebrate Christmas or even be associated with the Christmas season, because it’s against the teachings of Allah.
I really am pleased that Tesco seek to be inclusive by welcoming everybody to share in a lovely meal at Christmas time, and I conclude by commenting on the welcome extended by the God of the Bible to everybody who will hear and accept His welcome to enter into the life only He can give.
We all have a choice to make whether we will hear and accept His welcome, and since our choices have eternal consequences, I conclude by asking you Mr Lewis, to consider as a matter of supreme importance the choice you will make, you’re going to live forever, choose your address, and please choose life in Jesus’ name.
With kind regards and best wishes
Showing how much Tesco completely misunderstood my letter to their CEO, I received the following “response” from their “Customer Service Executive to the Board” which showed no sign of interacting with my letter to Tesco’s CEO, and showed every sign of being a stock response to those who contacted Tesco with ctiticism
Thank you for taking the time to write and share your views on one of our Christmas adverts. We are really sorry that you don’t feel we got it right with this advert and have absolutely shared your feedback with the team.
To help a little, the thinking behind our advertising is ‘however you do Christmas everyone’s welcome at Tesco.’ We aimed to show that however people choose to recognise this special time of year, Tesco is here to help and has everything you need to be able to do so. This particular advert showcases for those who want a turkey, that we have a great range of turkeys’ to match their needs. We really didn’t intend to share any religious messaging.
Again, we are truly sorry that you don’t feel we got it right and are grateful for the time you took to let I=us know
Flavius Claudius Iulianussays
They paid you lip-service in their reply. I’d return the favour by never giving them my money ever again.
By the way, your welcoming sentiment is noble, but if you knew their history of how they repay this welcoming then you would not be so kind. I for one believe that no one who is sane should welcome a Mohammadan.
No you should convert muslims when you get the chance with music, lights and the joy. Hard for muslims to change as they know what awaits them with family and their society, but Christmas might open their minds.
Flavius Claudius Iulianussays
We can agree to disagree. I think your point of view is a bit naive.
Far better than ‘music, lights and the joy’ is getting them to read a translation (to their first language) of their scriptures (Koran and a condensed Sira and Hadith). This is frequently a path to apostasy for many of them.
Phil Copsonsays
The effect of the campaign is to deny the religious basis of Christmas.
What Tesco’s – in common with other retailers, councils etc – have done is to excise all mention of Christianity from their product range.
A walk round Tesco’s will produce any amount of goods larded with representations of a circumferentially-challenged Father Christmas, snow, robins, reindeer, fir trees, streamers, baubles, glitter, tinsel and similar irrelevant tat, but you cannot buy so much as a Christmas card showing the nativity scene.
Moshesays
I write to encourage TESCO to make a similar ad showing British Muslims joining their Jewish neighbors in celebrating Chanukah. This would be a cultural and psychological landmark as this Jewish holiday celebrates and affirms Jewish autonomy and religious identity in the Holy Land; indeed the story of Chanukah and the symbolism of the Menorah highlights the spiritual centrality of Jerusalem in Judaism for the past 3000 years. These events predated the advent of Christianity or Islam.
TESCO has in this advertising concept the potential to make a fundamental contribution to inter-faith understanding. The mutual respect implicit in Muslim celebration of Chanukah might even advance the cause of world peace.
Instead of condemning TESCO, Mr. Spencer, you might encourage the supermarket chain to enlarge and generalize the idea from Christmas to Chanukah. President Trump’s recent recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel would make such a new advertising campaign timely and significant. Muslims celebrating Chanukah would presage Muslim acceptance of Israel as the Jewish national homeland as envisaged in the Balfour Declaration.
What a wonderful follow-up to the recent archeological discovery of an ancient Islamic coin bearing the image of a Menorah: Who knew that a supermarket chain in Britian might hold the key to world peace!
gravenimagesays
As always, difficult to tell if “Moshe” is a wag or if he really wants to see Jews slaughtered by Muslims on Chanukah.
I agree with Moshe. Gravenimage I have seen your posts for 20 years and usually we are on the same page, but I have had a revelation about what Christmas and yes Chanukah now that Moshe mentioned it, can do, to lure people to the good side.
RCCAsays
I interpreted the ad as a store wanting to sell more turkeys, that’s all, a little bit along the lines of “You don’t have to be Jewish to love Levy’s Rye.” If non-Muslims object to cultural appropriation of their holiday I can understand that, especially if people feel they have to constantly accommodate Muslims and don’t feel the generosity is returned. It’s not racism, it’s resentment and there seems to be a lot of it in the UK.
Frankly I don’t know that much about Maajid Nawaz, except for vague recollections of some involvement he had a few years ago with Tommy Robinson. When I reviewed a wiki bio I saw a few things about his work against racial profiling of Muslims, taking a position promoting free speech and dismissing the notion of Islamophobia, many nonsensical ideas about countering Islamic extremism, but nothing about actually reforming Islam. So why is he called a reformer? He’s a vaguely progressive apologist defending Islam, not a reformer.
I’m glad to see Robert challenging that misnomer. Excellent work.
gravenimagesays
He’s not a reformer. And his stance against “racially profiling” is just one of his positions on preventing any real defense against Jihad.
Georgsays
We don’t need an Islamic PR campaign within our Christmas ads, thank you. Enough. I somehow doubt when there is an advertisement for Eid festivities the powers that be are quick to show imagery of blond cross-wearers roasting pork chops. DUCY? There was some other claymation type ad about Christmas where the protagonists are people of Middle-Eastern descent. Nothing more than relentless Islamizing and demoralization of ethnic Brits until they don’t have the foggiest clue who it is they are and know it is a crime to ask or wonder.
It’s propaganda. Take it somewhere else. Leave our Christmas alone — “terror bollard” adornment and all.
gravenimagesays
Yes–this was propaganda meant to make Muslims in civilized Britain appear normal.
R Russellsays
While attention is drawn to Tesco’s ad, there is something else of greater importance.
Brexit now!
(Recently Greigs. bakers, did a nativity scene with a sausage roll in the manger. Mary, Joseph and Jesus were Jews, why would they have a pork sausage roll anywhere near them? Many wrote to complain and Greigs listened. They said they never intended to cause offence.) I will use Greigs again, Tesco……well not so much
Annsays
It is true that Muslims are not supposed to celebrate Christmas, or even ever wish anyone a merry Christmas. So when Muslims are cordial and friendly toward those celebrating Christmas, it really is a chink in the wall which will eventually bring the whole wall down. I think we should welcome Muslims who want to share in our good cheer. We WANT them to come over and see how much more joy and truth there are in Christianity than in Islam. All are welcome at His table, except, of course, those who come armed and ready to kill.
gravenimagesays
Ann, I’m afraid that this ad was not about welcoming Muslims to the table, but just about normalizing the baleful presence of Islam in Britain.
And far from fellowship and good cheer attracting pious Muslims, they consider it a sign of weakness in us.
Annsays
The presence of Islam in Britain is a fait accompli. There is no way to reverse it. It was a foolish thing to have done, but now this is just the way it is. Acting hostile and unfriendly is unlikely to make anyone go back to Pakistan.
Flavius Claudius Iulianussays
So what’s the way forward Ann? All Brits convert or become dhimmis? All Brits who don’t like it, leave? Or how about getting some balls and banding together, and fighting to get Britain back from the ‘Mohammad-come-latelys,’ and their criminal, self-serving collaborators and enablers?
Mark my words carefully: some places in the world will need civil war to rid themselves of people who want to destroy their host nation from the inside and turn it into a Mohammadan state. They will have to go against their lovey-dovey ways and institutions to rid themselves of these hardened parasites.
Annsays
Moshe,
That’s a BRILLIANT idea! I’d LOVE to see a Tesco Hanukkah ad as warm and appealing as this Christmas ad, showing Jews, Christians, Muslims, and others celebrating Hanukkah! Muslims need to see that Jews are human, and love their families, friends, and communities just as much as everyone else does. And have developed a code of ethics and generous tolerance far more evolved than that of most Muslims. They need to see it, like it, want to touch and emulate it, and then maybe the barriers of lies and hatred will start to fall.
gravenimagesays
Ann, Muslims would not emulate Jews–they would just slaughter them.
Annsays
That is true of the most indoctrinated Muslims, but there are many millions of them who are not that deeply indoctrinated. The ideology is powerful and evil. There are many degrees of adherence to it, but the fact that thousands a day are converting to Christianity shows that MANY have doubts about the truth and morality of their religion.
gravenimagesays
I have the greatest respect for Muslims who are brave and principled enough to leave Islam, Ann–I just fear there are many more pious Muslims flooding into the West than are apostizing.
WPMsays
The trouble is the progressive left in the west hates the Christian Jewish beliefs and morals that are the backbone of our civilization . The MSM and PC crowd will not believe the evil that true Islam is ,they have thrown their lot in with the Islamic only because Islam undermines Christianity and Jewism. Not enough Moslems are leaving Islam and they are not leaving fast enough to make this world stable any time soon. If only 10 -15 percent of the Moslems world wide hold to true Islam that is still over 150-250 million world wide killing machines. So you have 250 million madmen and women, and 800 million people who do not see the madness for what it is because leaders of the West and the MSM will not talk about the” problem of Islam.” We cannot fix a problem till we as a people hold our leaders to face the problem.
Islamic law is one thing, and Muslim people are another. We should love Muslims, but hate Islam. I have known many Muslims who acted against the letter of Islamic law in showing friendliness and interest in those celebrating Christmas.
Flavius Claudius Iulianussays
Wow. Where do I start? With taqqiya? With the ‘oneness’ of the uhma? Do I cite the Koranic verses that prohibit Mohammadans from *genuinely* befriending kurfars? Do I tell you that all Mohammadans vary their orthodoxy throughout their lives but until they apostatize they are all dye-in-the-wool Mohammadans?
I’ve known lots of Mohammadans as well. Looking back I now realize that they were all out-and-out lying to my face, and making excuses for their religion and the uhma. (As Frank Gaffney puts it, often the nicest guy in the room is the Mohammadan.) All of these Mohammadans that I knew had a stubborn, rigid, intolerant view of morality.
You need to read up about all the cases of dhimmis (Christians etc.) who lived side-by-side with Mohammadans. On the surface they got along just fine. Then the Mohammadan hardliners showed up (as they always seem to do). The Mohammadan neighbours always turned on their former dhimmi friends. Always! This happened in Syria, in Iraq, etc. … it’s been happening for 1400 years.
So when you try to separate your Mohammadan friends from Mohammadism (“Islamic law” as you call it), you do so at your own peril and the peril of your descendents.
gravenimagesays
Robert Spencer video: Is opposition to UK supermarket putting Muslims in Christmas ad “racism”?
……………………..
Fine video, Mr. Spencer.
Zsays
1. Religion isn’t a race
2. Christmas is a Christian holiday. Do people get upset when Christians don’t take part in Ramadan? No because we don’t believe Muhammad was the prophet of god
Anne Smithsays
I think a lot of point missing is going on here.
To me all that the ad says is that Tesco welcomes your money whichever religion you belong to. Yes, it is dressed up in lots of warm soft feely-touchy images , but basically the message is GIVE US YOUR MONEY.
Valkyrie Ziegesays
; These are continuing examples of the usual attempts by advertising companies who recast roles in advertizements to appease the self-important monster of “diversity”, which aren’t fooling anyone, except for the advertizers, because Muhammadans hate the holidays of Christian, Jewish, Pagan, and any other traditions, wherein people are having fun, which are facts everyone knows except advertizers.
I can hardly wait for advertizers to cast Muhammadans in advertizements for “Passover”, or “Chanukah”, or “Purim”. It makes as much sense.
Carolsays
Nawaz knows Islamic doctrine is set in stone but he’d nonetheless like to help the foxes blend in amongst the running hounds regardless of how much it insults our intelligence. Anyone who wears a hijab is supporting an anti-Christian creed. Next year maybe Tesco can outdo itself and show “warmhearted” muslimas mailing out Seasons Greetings cards to the families of murdered Copts.
Robert does well to call out this hypocrisy.
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BARBARA says
I’m sure many Muslims would be offended to see Muslims in a Christmas ad! After all, Christmas is not Islamic.
mortimer says
Agree with Barbara. Christmas is the ‘Feast of the Incarnation’ and Islamic theology considers both doctrines extremely blasphemous.
Moreover, a sharia law website has the following:
“Islam forbids the Muslims to imitate the kuffaar, especially the Jews and Christians …It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 3512; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel, 2691.
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan said: The things in which the kuffaar are imitated include ACTS OF WORSHIP, such as imitating them in matters of SHIRK. (Note… shirk means incorrect worshipping such as Trinitarian worship).
… Another example is their imitation of the festivals of shirk and bid’ah, such as birthday celebrations, whether it is the birthday of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or the birthdays of presidents and kings.” – https://islamqa.info/en/45200
The prohibitions of the sheikh above include the prohibition of participating in Christmas… HARAM.
Christmas is HARAM to Muslims… and saying so is not uncharitable to Muslims, but purely a matter of record.
mortimer says
addendum: Both doctrines refers to the incarnation of God via Mary and the doctrine of the Trinity. Both doctrines are denied vehemently and insultingly in Islam.
Gail griffin says
Christmas will save the west. The music, the lights the joy it brings. The wonderful story and thoughts. What is not to like and want to be part of. More Christmas!!!
Shane says
You missed the point that Leftists and Islamic supremacists label anyone who dares to criticize Islam, Mo, or Muslims as racists. Islam is NOT a race, and no religion, especially Islam, is above criticism, nor are any members of any religion above criticism. Too many young people back down when the accusation of being a racist, xenophobe, bigot, Nazi, Fascist, etc… is directed at them.
Savvy Kafir says
It’s pretty funny really. These PC idiots try to suck up to their Muslim overlords, and just end up pissing them off.
mike9a says
As usual delivery from RS, truth, to the point, superb! Thank you
Georg says
Yep, stellar video and thought. As he said (gross paraphrase): it’s Islamization stuffed in a Christmas turkey. Nice try.
JohnG says
Totally agree RS done more to educate about Islam than anyone else. Got most of his books.
John W. says
I’d love to see a response from Maajid.
I wonder how many homes celebrating Christmas this year will be having hijab wearing friends over.
mortimer says
Agree with John. No mosque will have a Christmas tree or crèche scene or any other memento of Christmas. Because … Christmas is HARAM!
Ann says
It depends on whether you consider Christmas to be primarily religious or cultural. If the former, then there is no reason to include non-Christians in the ad. It would be like an ad about Hanukkah with non-Jewish characters portrayed in it.
In the UK, there are now a lot of non-Christians. A lot of Hindus, who should have had at least one family in the ad. But since Christmas is now a holiday for everyone (Peace on earth, good will to men), it is only fair to include everyone in the ad. I liked the Tesco ad. Christ came for all men, and it is only fair to show a sampling of all the humanity for whom he came who are celebrating Christmas. Christians unawares, as it were.
mortimer says
Ann, it isn’t a matter of OPINION, because Islam is highly codified.
Muslims already know they must not imitate the dirty kufaar and they know that participating in Christmas is HARAM.
Muslims are supposed to maintain APARTHEID (al baraa) from the DIRTY KUFAAR.
gravenimage says
Ann, your idea that Muslims are fine with secular celebrations of Christmas is *much* mistaken. Have you missed all of the attacks and planned attacks of Christmas shoppers, Christmas markets, Christmas tree lighting ceremonies?
mortimer says
SHARIA LAW FORBIDS THE DISPLAY OF SHIRK (WRONG WORSHIPPING) IN PUBLIC. The commercial actually FLOUTS Sharia law!
The Tesco commercial was dreamed up by a well-meaning ISLAM-KNOW-NOTHING who was thinking of the Coca Cola ad “WE ARE THE WORLD”! How inclusive. Muslims do not want to be included in Christmas.
Although, it was well-meaning, Muslims are in effect required to AVOID CHRISTMAS, IGNORE CHRISTMAS and TRY TO STOP ANY AND ALL non-Islamic religious practices in public.
Evangelist says
On seeing the Tesco video, I wrote the following letter yo David John Lewis, Tecso’s CEO
Jesus is the reason for the season
Dear Mr Lewis
“Turkey, Every Which Way Tesco#EveryonesWelcome”
I write to you about the above video, and I was pleased to see the three hijabbed Muslimas being welcomed at the door, pleased but surprised, and unless I missed them, I didn’t see them sitting down at the table enjoying the sumptuous feast that had been prepared, wasn’t the Turkey halal, don’t Tesco sell halal Turkeys’? although I do realise that Muslims have other dietary restrictions, and so may have been unable to sit at the table and enjoy the other lovely-looking food.
Christians celebrate Christmas because they celebrate the God of the Bible “going public” and entering His creation, by coming amongst us as Jesus Christ and being born in a shed at the back of a pub in Bethlehem.
Islam denies this, with Muslims such as Sheikh Zainadine Johnson saying Muslims can’t celebrate Christmas or even be associated with the Christmas season, because it’s against the teachings of Allah.
‘Stay away from it. Don’t be part of it’: Hardline imam says Australian Muslims’ can’t celebrate Christmas because it’s against the teachings of Allah.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5041415/Queensland-imam-says-Muslims-t-celebrate-Christmas.html
I really am pleased that Tesco seek to be inclusive by welcoming everybody to share in a lovely meal at Christmas time, and I conclude by commenting on the welcome extended by the God of the Bible to everybody who will hear and accept His welcome to enter into the life only He can give.
We all have a choice to make whether we will hear and accept His welcome, and since our choices have eternal consequences, I conclude by asking you Mr Lewis, to consider as a matter of supreme importance the choice you will make, you’re going to live forever, choose your address, and please choose life in Jesus’ name.
With kind regards and best wishes
Showing how much Tesco completely misunderstood my letter to their CEO, I received the following “response” from their “Customer Service Executive to the Board” which showed no sign of interacting with my letter to Tesco’s CEO, and showed every sign of being a stock response to those who contacted Tesco with ctiticism
Thank you for taking the time to write and share your views on one of our Christmas adverts. We are really sorry that you don’t feel we got it right with this advert and have absolutely shared your feedback with the team.
To help a little, the thinking behind our advertising is ‘however you do Christmas everyone’s welcome at Tesco.’ We aimed to show that however people choose to recognise this special time of year, Tesco is here to help and has everything you need to be able to do so. This particular advert showcases for those who want a turkey, that we have a great range of turkeys’ to match their needs. We really didn’t intend to share any religious messaging.
Again, we are truly sorry that you don’t feel we got it right and are grateful for the time you took to let I=us know
Flavius Claudius Iulianus says
They paid you lip-service in their reply. I’d return the favour by never giving them my money ever again.
By the way, your welcoming sentiment is noble, but if you knew their history of how they repay this welcoming then you would not be so kind. I for one believe that no one who is sane should welcome a Mohammadan.
Gail griffin says
No you should convert muslims when you get the chance with music, lights and the joy. Hard for muslims to change as they know what awaits them with family and their society, but Christmas might open their minds.
Flavius Claudius Iulianus says
We can agree to disagree. I think your point of view is a bit naive.
Far better than ‘music, lights and the joy’ is getting them to read a translation (to their first language) of their scriptures (Koran and a condensed Sira and Hadith). This is frequently a path to apostasy for many of them.
Phil Copson says
The effect of the campaign is to deny the religious basis of Christmas.
What Tesco’s – in common with other retailers, councils etc – have done is to excise all mention of Christianity from their product range.
A walk round Tesco’s will produce any amount of goods larded with representations of a circumferentially-challenged Father Christmas, snow, robins, reindeer, fir trees, streamers, baubles, glitter, tinsel and similar irrelevant tat, but you cannot buy so much as a Christmas card showing the nativity scene.
Moshe says
I write to encourage TESCO to make a similar ad showing British Muslims joining their Jewish neighbors in celebrating Chanukah. This would be a cultural and psychological landmark as this Jewish holiday celebrates and affirms Jewish autonomy and religious identity in the Holy Land; indeed the story of Chanukah and the symbolism of the Menorah highlights the spiritual centrality of Jerusalem in Judaism for the past 3000 years. These events predated the advent of Christianity or Islam.
TESCO has in this advertising concept the potential to make a fundamental contribution to inter-faith understanding. The mutual respect implicit in Muslim celebration of Chanukah might even advance the cause of world peace.
Instead of condemning TESCO, Mr. Spencer, you might encourage the supermarket chain to enlarge and generalize the idea from Christmas to Chanukah. President Trump’s recent recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel would make such a new advertising campaign timely and significant. Muslims celebrating Chanukah would presage Muslim acceptance of Israel as the Jewish national homeland as envisaged in the Balfour Declaration.
What a wonderful follow-up to the recent archeological discovery of an ancient Islamic coin bearing the image of a Menorah: Who knew that a supermarket chain in Britian might hold the key to world peace!
gravenimage says
As always, difficult to tell if “Moshe” is a wag or if he really wants to see Jews slaughtered by Muslims on Chanukah.
Probably the former…
Gail griffin says
I agree with Moshe. Gravenimage I have seen your posts for 20 years and usually we are on the same page, but I have had a revelation about what Christmas and yes Chanukah now that Moshe mentioned it, can do, to lure people to the good side.
RCCA says
I interpreted the ad as a store wanting to sell more turkeys, that’s all, a little bit along the lines of “You don’t have to be Jewish to love Levy’s Rye.” If non-Muslims object to cultural appropriation of their holiday I can understand that, especially if people feel they have to constantly accommodate Muslims and don’t feel the generosity is returned. It’s not racism, it’s resentment and there seems to be a lot of it in the UK.
Frankly I don’t know that much about Maajid Nawaz, except for vague recollections of some involvement he had a few years ago with Tommy Robinson. When I reviewed a wiki bio I saw a few things about his work against racial profiling of Muslims, taking a position promoting free speech and dismissing the notion of Islamophobia, many nonsensical ideas about countering Islamic extremism, but nothing about actually reforming Islam. So why is he called a reformer? He’s a vaguely progressive apologist defending Islam, not a reformer.
I’m glad to see Robert challenging that misnomer. Excellent work.
gravenimage says
He’s not a reformer. And his stance against “racially profiling” is just one of his positions on preventing any real defense against Jihad.
Georg says
We don’t need an Islamic PR campaign within our Christmas ads, thank you. Enough. I somehow doubt when there is an advertisement for Eid festivities the powers that be are quick to show imagery of blond cross-wearers roasting pork chops. DUCY? There was some other claymation type ad about Christmas where the protagonists are people of Middle-Eastern descent. Nothing more than relentless Islamizing and demoralization of ethnic Brits until they don’t have the foggiest clue who it is they are and know it is a crime to ask or wonder.
It’s propaganda. Take it somewhere else. Leave our Christmas alone — “terror bollard” adornment and all.
gravenimage says
Yes–this was propaganda meant to make Muslims in civilized Britain appear normal.
R Russell says
While attention is drawn to Tesco’s ad, there is something else of greater importance.
Brexit now!
https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2017/december/european-court-to-decide-if-islamic-sharia-law-can-override-a-nations-civil-law
(Recently Greigs. bakers, did a nativity scene with a sausage roll in the manger. Mary, Joseph and Jesus were Jews, why would they have a pork sausage roll anywhere near them? Many wrote to complain and Greigs listened. They said they never intended to cause offence.) I will use Greigs again, Tesco……well not so much
Ann says
It is true that Muslims are not supposed to celebrate Christmas, or even ever wish anyone a merry Christmas. So when Muslims are cordial and friendly toward those celebrating Christmas, it really is a chink in the wall which will eventually bring the whole wall down. I think we should welcome Muslims who want to share in our good cheer. We WANT them to come over and see how much more joy and truth there are in Christianity than in Islam. All are welcome at His table, except, of course, those who come armed and ready to kill.
gravenimage says
Ann, I’m afraid that this ad was not about welcoming Muslims to the table, but just about normalizing the baleful presence of Islam in Britain.
And far from fellowship and good cheer attracting pious Muslims, they consider it a sign of weakness in us.
Ann says
The presence of Islam in Britain is a fait accompli. There is no way to reverse it. It was a foolish thing to have done, but now this is just the way it is. Acting hostile and unfriendly is unlikely to make anyone go back to Pakistan.
Flavius Claudius Iulianus says
So what’s the way forward Ann? All Brits convert or become dhimmis? All Brits who don’t like it, leave? Or how about getting some balls and banding together, and fighting to get Britain back from the ‘Mohammad-come-latelys,’ and their criminal, self-serving collaborators and enablers?
Mark my words carefully: some places in the world will need civil war to rid themselves of people who want to destroy their host nation from the inside and turn it into a Mohammadan state. They will have to go against their lovey-dovey ways and institutions to rid themselves of these hardened parasites.
Ann says
Moshe,
That’s a BRILLIANT idea! I’d LOVE to see a Tesco Hanukkah ad as warm and appealing as this Christmas ad, showing Jews, Christians, Muslims, and others celebrating Hanukkah! Muslims need to see that Jews are human, and love their families, friends, and communities just as much as everyone else does. And have developed a code of ethics and generous tolerance far more evolved than that of most Muslims. They need to see it, like it, want to touch and emulate it, and then maybe the barriers of lies and hatred will start to fall.
gravenimage says
Ann, Muslims would not emulate Jews–they would just slaughter them.
Ann says
That is true of the most indoctrinated Muslims, but there are many millions of them who are not that deeply indoctrinated. The ideology is powerful and evil. There are many degrees of adherence to it, but the fact that thousands a day are converting to Christianity shows that MANY have doubts about the truth and morality of their religion.
gravenimage says
I have the greatest respect for Muslims who are brave and principled enough to leave Islam, Ann–I just fear there are many more pious Muslims flooding into the West than are apostizing.
WPM says
The trouble is the progressive left in the west hates the Christian Jewish beliefs and morals that are the backbone of our civilization . The MSM and PC crowd will not believe the evil that true Islam is ,they have thrown their lot in with the Islamic only because Islam undermines Christianity and Jewism. Not enough Moslems are leaving Islam and they are not leaving fast enough to make this world stable any time soon. If only 10 -15 percent of the Moslems world wide hold to true Islam that is still over 150-250 million world wide killing machines. So you have 250 million madmen and women, and 800 million people who do not see the madness for what it is because leaders of the West and the MSM will not talk about the” problem of Islam.” We cannot fix a problem till we as a people hold our leaders to face the problem.
Gail griffin says
Ann, I stand with you.
Ann says
Islamic law is one thing, and Muslim people are another. We should love Muslims, but hate Islam. I have known many Muslims who acted against the letter of Islamic law in showing friendliness and interest in those celebrating Christmas.
Flavius Claudius Iulianus says
Wow. Where do I start? With taqqiya? With the ‘oneness’ of the uhma? Do I cite the Koranic verses that prohibit Mohammadans from *genuinely* befriending kurfars? Do I tell you that all Mohammadans vary their orthodoxy throughout their lives but until they apostatize they are all dye-in-the-wool Mohammadans?
I’ve known lots of Mohammadans as well. Looking back I now realize that they were all out-and-out lying to my face, and making excuses for their religion and the uhma. (As Frank Gaffney puts it, often the nicest guy in the room is the Mohammadan.) All of these Mohammadans that I knew had a stubborn, rigid, intolerant view of morality.
You need to read up about all the cases of dhimmis (Christians etc.) who lived side-by-side with Mohammadans. On the surface they got along just fine. Then the Mohammadan hardliners showed up (as they always seem to do). The Mohammadan neighbours always turned on their former dhimmi friends. Always! This happened in Syria, in Iraq, etc. … it’s been happening for 1400 years.
So when you try to separate your Mohammadan friends from Mohammadism (“Islamic law” as you call it), you do so at your own peril and the peril of your descendents.
gravenimage says
Robert Spencer video: Is opposition to UK supermarket putting Muslims in Christmas ad “racism”?
……………………..
Fine video, Mr. Spencer.
Z says
1. Religion isn’t a race
2. Christmas is a Christian holiday. Do people get upset when Christians don’t take part in Ramadan? No because we don’t believe Muhammad was the prophet of god
Anne Smith says
I think a lot of point missing is going on here.
To me all that the ad says is that Tesco welcomes your money whichever religion you belong to. Yes, it is dressed up in lots of warm soft feely-touchy images , but basically the message is GIVE US YOUR MONEY.
Valkyrie Ziege says
; These are continuing examples of the usual attempts by advertising companies who recast roles in advertizements to appease the self-important monster of “diversity”, which aren’t fooling anyone, except for the advertizers, because Muhammadans hate the holidays of Christian, Jewish, Pagan, and any other traditions, wherein people are having fun, which are facts everyone knows except advertizers.
I can hardly wait for advertizers to cast Muhammadans in advertizements for “Passover”, or “Chanukah”, or “Purim”. It makes as much sense.
Carol says
Nawaz knows Islamic doctrine is set in stone but he’d nonetheless like to help the foxes blend in amongst the running hounds regardless of how much it insults our intelligence. Anyone who wears a hijab is supporting an anti-Christian creed. Next year maybe Tesco can outdo itself and show “warmhearted” muslimas mailing out Seasons Greetings cards to the families of murdered Copts.
Robert does well to call out this hypocrisy.