Red Cross Blogs

I have seen the story repeated on twitter it seem to appear on right wing leaning blogs, To be kind to these people they are for the most part sheep being manipulated by media leading them away from the things they should be looking at.Some know that they talking rubbish but they are so invested in the lies of the right they just need to believe to validate their own identities.

Dorothy did you read the post? In particular ‘neutrality is one of our fundamental principles’. They sell Christmas cards and gifts but they are not religious, so what? Why is that a problem, did Christ not teach tolerance? Can’t you respect and tolerate the Red Cross position on neutrality? They only have that policy to maximise their reach and effectiveness, not to upset people who want to see pictures of the nativity on their Christmas cards

Has the Red Cross banned any overt reference to Christmas prior to this year. I doubt it.of course you are politically corrected. Unfortunately you have alienated Christian who are sick of this attack on an observance which is fundermental to of our faith.A very foolish thing to do

In light of your neutrality principle, what does the red Cross represent and why do you use a cross? And what does the red Crescent represent and why do you use a crescent? Why don’t you use a cross everywhere or a crescent everywhere? Why use a cross in some countries and a crescent in others? Are these two symbols representative of something not neutral?

These reports about the Red Cross banning Christmas have made me feel so angry, especially as some of the people who have left comments do not seem to understand the Red Cross reply. They are a NEUTRAL organisation, who cannot have any political or religious views. To make it simpler for those who do not understand this, take the example of a doctor, who swears an oath to treat anyone whatever his or feelings are. They cannot show any partiality or opinion the same way the Red Cross can’t. As a committed Christian who revels in Christmas, I heartily approve of the Red Cross and all the amazing work it does all over the world. I believe in and totally trust this organisation because it is neutral in all its dealings.

You don’t believe charities should promote themselves over Christmas time purely because it’s Christmas time? People are statistically more generous around the festive season – non religious and religious people alike. Are you saying they cant raise money to save lives simply because it’s a religious holiday?

Right….thats why they promote themselves so heavily during christmas for seasonal donations and have a BIG RED CROSS as a symbol. Gimme a break.

You nasty little British dhimmis, you make me sick.

Right, neutrality from an organization who used to have a Christmas Roll Call, who have had Christmas Red Cross stamps in history.

Listen to you hassle this Christians who come here speaking their mind. You LOVE this. You love being able to talk down to the Christians, flag their posts, and spew your hatred.

I’m an Atheist who’s tired of seeing you filthy Christian haters bully them.

Oh for god’s sake, does it matter if they have decorations or not? I don’t care either way, and I have no idea why other people feel so passionate about it that they won’t donate to a charity who doesn’t put them up. What has the world come to?

Yeah, that’s not the Red Cross, it’s the Salvation Army.

Your “neutrality” is oh so ever “neutral” that you have always failed to contact an Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, who was illegally kidnapped from Israeli soil in 1996. UNTIL the Red Cross makes some publicised effort to contact this man, they will never, ever get another single penny from me. I used to support you. You have missed this years charitiys’ list where I have decided to spend a few hundred pounds to worthy causes. The Red Cross is no longer a worthy cause.

Got to love Americans!
[rest of my thoughts unlikely to pass your filter]

I’m from Kent and I will definitely make sure I donate to the Red Cross this year. Christmas was a festival long before Christians even existed, so we can all celebrate it or not as we choose. I would hate to think that Christians would not support such a clearly good organisation because of their misplaced anger. I guess that would not be a very Christian thing to do.

I suggest you have to check with the bucket before postin ga message like this! Make sure bucket belongs to the RED CROSS.

So, the good done for your family is irrelevant? As are the 229 disasters in your county that the local Red Cross responded to in fiscal 2009? Yeah, I guess the Red Cross is useless to you. Next time find someone else to bring your daughter home.

The Red Cross is a secular, neutral organization. Jesus has nothing to do with it. Be sure not to need blood, help after a disaster, or first aid education.

Oh grow up!!! The red buckets aren’t just out at Christmas, they r out when ever there has been a disaster collecting to help out those in need regardless of their believes be it at home or aboard

Do you really think I believe you.
I have donated items, given blood and time. No More!!!!!

They’re not the Red Crescent Moon or the Red Star of David…they are the Red Cross.
Wonder what beginnings can be learned from that?

“Christmas was a festival long before Christians even existed,”

Before Christmas even existed? What do you thing ‘Christmas” is based upon? Drued’s and early Celts sacrificing people in bogs?

“I would hate to think that Christians would not support such a clearly good organisation because of their misplaced anger. I guess that would not be a very Christian thing to do. ”

Ah. blaming Christians now, eh?

The celebration now best known in historically Christian countries as ‘Christmas’ sits on top of the much older celebration of the Winter Solstice – the shortest day of the year. From 56 *BC* the Romans were celebrating the Solstice specifically on the 25th of December with feasting and drinking (sound familiar?) but the solstice itself was marked for thousands of years before that.

Hi Engedi. You can find more information about the origins of the Red Cross, Red Crescent and Red Crystal emblems here: http://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/misc/emblem-history.htm

this is just a nice way to ”cover up” with words…this is u.s.a. and Jesus Christ is the of God and thats what u.s.a andthe people here need to remember…not to please other countries…go back to old days style remember where your help came from…the u.s.a is taking Jesus out of every thing…i will never support the red cross again to help people that deny our Lord and don’t care about your cards!!!

“Christmas is a major UK holiday and time of celebration, which is shared by people of all faiths and those of no faith. Many of our shops and offices are decked out in festive decorations around this time of year – we also sell a range of Christmas cards and gifts in our shops, both high street and online. It’s true that you won’t find explicitly religious items or displays, relating to any faith, in any of our shops, at Christmas or any other time.”
So you “celebrate” Christmas AND make money promoting Christmas, but deny the REASON for CHRISTmas for the sake of “neutrality”? In the USA we call that “talking out of both sides of your mouth.” In other words, it’s being a hypocrite.

What do you feel about the comments by the British Red Cross.
What does Christmas mean to you?

No, this is the internet, and a UK-based part of it.

Do any of the posters on here complaining about the British Red Cross principles actually think that the likes of the big supermarkets and so on, who cynically manipulate any tradition, religious or otherwise, to fill their own pockets, actually give a stuff about the meaning of Christmas or Yule? Of course they don’t. But they’ll sell you red and white coloured novelties with extra markup to make some cash off you.

At least the Red Cross has clearly and patiently explained their position, which in my opinion is in no way hypocritical. The Red Cross do so much good, not just overseas, but at home with loans of mobility equipment for the elderly and those recovering from surgery – to my mind it just seems petty for people who would otherwise have donated to these worthy aims to withold those donations just because the CHARITY is doing its best to help everybody.

Charity is supposed to be about giving for the good of other people. Not cherrypicking based on what you will get back in return.

“It’s true that you won’t find explicitly religious items or displays, relating to any faith, in any of our shops, at Christmas or any other time.”

The cross and the crescent are both religious symbols. You had better change the names and logos so your statement will actually be true.

Hi David. Thank you for your kind words about our work. We actually do have Christmas decorations up in our shops. We just don’t display overtly religious items.

So the story is untrue in every respect?

Or, yes it’s true?

Oh, I see. Another concession to Muslims. How socially correct. Done, no more money for them.

That’s not very Christian of you.

Thank you-Henry VIII-for The Church of England and for all the wonderful Yuletide Celebrations thereof. It’s about ‘the bashing of Christians and Christianity’ everywhere in the world because of one group. In America the ACLU is suing all schools that mention ‘Crhistmas’ on behalf of muslims. Christians, and Christians only, have been slandered, mocked and insulted by liberals/Democrats in America-the excuse being insulting to muslims. Bologne!!!!!! It’s about votes and power…oh yeah and
‘The Ten Commandments’…boy they sure are terrible aren’t they?
…unlike stoning people to death in a public street.
I proud to be an American and a Christian……

Red Cross Dhimmis!

Somebody needs to start converting you Christians to Christianity. Its about loving, forgiveness, helping others, not ‘Jesus Christ is my Lord and Saviour’. It aint about what Jesus is doing for you when you die you self-centred idiots, its about what you can do for other people right now. And that doesn’t include pointless anger campaigns where you ‘defend’ your ‘tribe’ of fellow believers with no regard for actual human needs and emotions. What matters is how much money the Red Cross can raise, and how many people they can help. It doesn’t matter how they raise it or who they help. If God cared about that, He wouldn’t be worth worshipping now would He?

What is an overtly religious item?

Sorry. Try again. Though the Swiss flag is a ‘greek cross’ in the sense that it’s arms are equal length. The first Swiss flag that used this cross, was created as a display of Christianity. Just as the Danish, Swedish and Finish flags have Christian crosses that stretch the length and width of the flag, the first Swiss flag was square and used a greek style cross.

I appreciate your explanation but you continue to ignore whether or not you disallow your employees to display nativity scenes and things of that nature in order to celebrate the most precious of holidays they celebrate. If all of you cards, etc. are about Santa, Snowmen, etc., that’s nice but we have to admit, regardless of faith, that “Christmas” by it’s very name is the celebration of Christ. To ignore this is simply denial of the obvious. The Red Cross is a wonderfull organization and does a great work. Chill out though. Let your employees celebrate with nativity scenes and not deny the meaning they believe in. Keep it in moderation should be the theme, regardless if it’s Santa or a nativity scene. If a Jewish employee or Muslim employee wants to place some small decorations also when a special holiday importatn to them arises, let ‘em!! Let’s all chill out and allow people, in moderation, to be who they are. That’s freedom!

My father, a WWII veteran, told me the stories of how the Red Cross charged the American Soldiers for cigarettes that were donated for the Armed Forces and would not allow me, as a child to donate to the Red Cross.

As an adult with 3 young children caught in the disaster of a tornado, I put aside my father’s teachings and responded to the Red Cross’s offering of soup and sandwiches at a shelter that was erected down the street. I was taken aback that they were charging disaster victims for food (1970 NE OKC). In the Great Flood of 1993 here in Missouri…again I ignored my father’s warning and my own gut feeling. I went to the Red Cross center. I witnessed Red Cross workers taking new packaged (donated) blankets and replacing their used blankets and given the used items to those that had lost everything in the flood. I vowed then to NEVER give to the Red Cross. I begged my deceased father’s forgiveness for not heeding his teachings. I give to my local food banks and womens patriotic organizations and local churches where I can see what is being done.

Wrong
See above for this shining example of Christian Charity.
“I will never donate another penny to Red Cross …if you cannot recognize my Jesus the one that Christmas is all about..because you are aftaid you might offend some Atheist…then you don’t need my money….I think things are reallly getting bad when Jesus is taken out of all organizations,Lord help this country for we know not what we do……..Merry Christmas Red Cross”

I think it’s pretty obvious which side is ‘promoting an agenda’ here. It’s a vile, hateful and ultimately completely selfish agenda, concerned with forcing people to toe the line, even if they must blackmail charities to do so.

You people are hilarious. Did you even look at the domain name on this blog?

No one is asking the Red Cross to PROMOTE religion…and it’s not about decorations….and no one is saying anyone should stop giving needed blood….Some want to try to deny God’s existence and want to remove HIM from our lives; that is not right…who does the Red Cross think is helping them?? Nothing good can happen without God allowing it…….Do you really think that the Red Cross can make more miracles happen than God can? All things are possible With God…He has a plan for EVERYONE, and the sooner people start believing that, wonderful things can happen if we come to HIM…..Doesn’t anyone think that some of the people who are being helped are giving thanks to God?..Do you think the people in Haiti and other places having catastrophic things happen ask the religion of those helping or giving? WE can’t “set aside” God thinking HE might “offend” someone? You insult God…..How can God be offensive?? God alone is Pure Good and Pure Love….If all men had faith in HIM, so many things could be changed in the world…….GOD HELP US ALL TO LOVE AND TRUST IN HIM……..

My reply to this – Let’s put CHRIST back into CHRISTmas! Why should we be ashamed of our Saviour JESUS CHRIST. If the Taliban don’t like it they can lump it. Let’s embrace the moderates who are happy for us to be ourselves:- CHRISTIANS WITHOUT SHAME!!!

By promoting CHRISTmas you would NOT be removing your equal support to people all over the world of all different faiths, creeds and nationalities or however you may like to put it. Would you?

Get straight. CHRISTmas was NOT a festival a festival before CHRISTIANS were established after the advent of CHRIST. There WAS a PAGAN festival which was before the time of JESUS CHRIST. Ergo, it could not be called CHRISTmas, could it?!!!

We can’t let people in need down by compromising our neutrality. That is why we do not align ourselves with any particular political cause or religious creed anywhere in the world. And that’s why we don’t have any items of a religious nature in our shops.

Being a christian does NOT mean turning a blind eye when my religion is being shunned and beaten down as if its something to be ashamed of or that should be hidden. If we do not stand up for the god we believe in who will…certianly not you.

I believe that the article above quite clearly explained why they shun any connection to religion. I am a follower of Christ and if you are too then you ought to know that there are plenty of Christian charities that you can donate your money to. However there are places in the world that they simply cannot work in as effectively as BRC, and these places need help as much as the rest of the world.

Sure, but it just means they should bring help as a neutral organistaion everywhere and to everybody without asking their allegiations or faith. BUT it can’t mean that you musn’t respect your donors and their faith (or lack of it). I see no problem with charity cards or fundrising for Christmas/ Channukah/ holiday season/ Divali and Ramadan – so the donors may choose cards which they want to buy (come on, even if I support a cause I won’t buy cards that I don’t intend to send to anybody as the writing doesn’t suit me). And if part of Christian/ Jewish/ Muslim/ Hindu etc. tradition of a part of donors is offensive to other donors purely because it exist it means the offended are NOT neutral or tolerant and should  not work with red cross. I am NOT offended (being Christian) by cards stating “season greetings” “Channukah greetings” or “Divali day” or connections of Thai red cross with royal family (who are Buddists and Buddism is state religion in Thailand, though there is obviously freedom of religion guaranteed. Does it diminish what Thai red cross have done for Cambodians in Pol Pot time? And they did a lot! If Christianism is offensive to red cross (or any other religion for that matter) it is not politically correct – it is stupid. Donors have right to have faith/ religion and express it freely. And the real neutrality is when donors of different backgrounds show they care and not when they try to hide who they are

There was once a man who told a parable about a good Samaritan.  If I recall correctly, the point of the story was that even people who are different from us and hold different beliefs from ours do good things.  For those who ask themselves, “what would Jesus do?”  I think the answer, based on the parable of the good Samaritan, would  be to support the actions of the ones doing good in the world, regardless of if they are Christians.

“Giving blood has nothing to do with religion”? You might want to ask some Jehovah’s Witnesses what they feel about that statement.

So where did the Red Crescent come from?

The only people who have taken Christ out of Christmas are the people who fail to: Love unconditionally, forgive, judge not, befriend the lonely, shelter the homeless, give to the hungry the sick and needy, clothe the naked…  I just realized writing this that this is the stuff that the Red Cross does everyday…  seems like they live as a better example of Christ than those who profess to be his deciples!      If you truly want to put Christ back in Christmas then live by his exapmple every day of your life and pass it on!

Merry Christmas!

Sorry about that Kristiana, I think it might be because of the apostrophe in the URL. Try copying and pasting the link from the address bar instead of using the tweet/share buttons?

I thought that the “cross” in Red Cross meant that it was a Christian organization. My brief search however does not confirm that. I have no interest either way in it being a Christian organization. If it was ever such, which I find no support for, it isn’t now. I am a religious Jew (see my comment above) and I do support keeping Christmas a RELIGIOUS CHRISTIAN HOLIDAY. I do not support the de-religionizing of ANY religious holiday, be it Christmas, Easter, Hanukkah, Passover, Sukkot or Shavuot!

 Once again, read the article. This is nothign to do with offence caused over here, this is about lives saved abroad. You might not be able to see the connection but then you don’t havbe to cross the front-lines of wars in oder to save people’s lives from (often religious based) wars.