Religion 101: Cross pattern – a threat to Islam?

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Take a good look at the image above. Done? You may want to take a second look. Done? Congratulations, you are now been converted to a Christian.

You say what! You may ask what the hell I am talking about. Well, according to PPIM (Islamic Consumer Association of Malaysia), looking at a cross will convert you to a Christian. Sound ridiculous? This seems to be the case when they made police report against an ice cream manufacturer for adding pattern cross on the biscuits. Yes, of course someone thrown in the argument that small kids eating the ice-cream may be lead to think that cross is a good thing and as such there is a great danger that they might convert to Christians. If you ask me, that is one hell of cock-bull story ever to posted in the name of “religion”.

Look at the picture closely and tell me what comes to your mind. PPIM is highlighting on the cross but what do you think?

If I were a kid, the last thing I want to do is to analyze the various patterns (yes, patterns and not a Christian Cross as argued by the zealots) on biscuits. The first thing I would do is to put it inside my mouth and eat it off. Is looking at the cross make you to be easily converted? The question is – is that weak your faith? Yes, you will say that you referring to kids – who may not be able to judge the facts. For that, I ask you back – where are the parents? Too busy screwing each other? Too busy that they have failed to educate their kids of the real world and the distinction between a pattern and religious symbol?

Come on, it is clear that PPIM is trying hard to be another Taliban in this issue. It would have been a different story if non-halal ingredients have been added to the biscuit. Yes, then I would say PPIM has a strong point and the authority should investigate it (provided if the biscuits have been tagged earlier as halal certified). But no, this has nothing to do with the ingredients but rather the patterns. In this sense, what the hell PPIM (as a consumer association) is trying to achieve by “bogeying” the simple patterns on the biscuits?

Reading through the Muslim consumer website on this issue, other than the fact that there seems to be a “cross” pattern on the biscuit, no one made it very clear as to why this is a big issue or why it is “dangerous” for the Muslim –it is left to the readers to assume things. The zealots at PPIM seem to be harping on the image which is just an ordinary pattern for nothing. Mind you that the biscuit in question is halal to eat. Adding the fuel to the sick joke is the comments from the “concerned Muslims” who blindly agree to argument:-

Tahniah, dan teruskan usaha cemerlang ini! Semoga Allah S.W.T sentiasa bersama kita

(Crude translation: Congratulations and keep up this excellent effort, may Allah S.W.T always be with us)

kita ni umat yang terbesar di malaysia. tapi paling tak kuat. walaubagaimanapun, kita mempunya satu kekuatan yang orang lain tak boleh nafikan iaitu kekuatan kepenggunaan. Wahai sekalian umat islam gunakanlah kuasa kepenggunaan anda. Jadikan ianya satu jihad.

(Crude translation: We are largest religion group in Malaysia but the weakest. Anyway we have the strength that no one can deny, which is consumer power. Use it and make it as a “jihad”)

If your faith is strong and been tested high & low (mind you that God likes to test one’s faith occasionally), looking at a cross will not have any impact on what you believe. You may even walk into a church and stay in it for a day and yet, if your faith is strong and if you truly believe in your God, you will remain strong in your faith. Certainly PPIM is trying to put its influence on those who are weak on their faith and tries hard to be the champion in the name of religion. But have they wondered the kind of damage that being done on their religion? For those who are not familiar with Islam, this stupid act of making police report for something trivial as a cross pattern on a biscuit tend to show the wrong side of the religion.

Islam has been firmly associated with violence no thanks to the September 11 & London bombing incidents and now it seems to be edging on the border of paranoia. The religion (which supposes to be peaceful and fair in nature) is now being used as an excuse for things are dubious and have nothing to do with one’s faith.

Say what; let us assume that the so-called pattern on the biscuit is indeed a secret way to convert Muslims in a large scale. Let us assume that whatever PPIM is doing is good for everyone. So, if PPIM is arguing the patterns as something against Islam, then tell us how Islamic is NEP? Would PPIM make a police report on this too? After all, NEP is also been deemed un-Islamic and so to embrace it, is akin to converting to another religion too (departing from the norms of Islam).

Read the post by Raja Petra on this issue titled “The NEP in the Islamic perspective” before you start championing for the religion. In Islam or any other religion for that matter, the key word here is fairness. So, you make a pattern on a biscuit as a big issue, and then NEP which is a bigger menace should be as well.Otherwise, as we Indians would say – shut your back & mouth and keep quiet.

PPIM, there are better things to do than going after certain patterns on a biscuits.

For more angle on this jokers at PPIM, read also:-

Jeff Ooi’s Truly Malaysia

Lucia Lai’s Those Religious Extremist At It Again

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