Jesus replaced with a Gregg's sausage roll.

Time will tell whether Greggs fortunes fall as a result. And that's how it should be. A free society has that covered as well.

I can't believe this thread is still running! I also belong to another forum where this was discussed - the thread ran to 3 pages and lasted a day and a half. No ones faith, or lack of faith was attacked or derided

No-one else I know is still talking about this!

(Before I am attacked I am not trying to dictate what threads should run or not run, I am not trying to dictate who should or should not post or what they should post about - there I think that covers it)

No, GG I meant what I said - that kind of joke is allowed, but it is still up to the advertiser to choose whether or not to use it. If he does, he should not be surprised when a proprtion of those viewing it don't like it.

There was once a wry humorous response to the lifting of the ban on homosexual behaviour and the increase in the amount of open gayness, to the effect that it was legal, becoming normal, and would soon be obligatory. Well, off-colour religious jokes may not be illegal, and may be on their way to being normality, but it is not yet compulsory for everyone to participate enthusiastically.

Told you before, lemon, I am vegan
They are not corporate gifts. You obviously do not read anything, just make facetious comments.
You buy a calendar for £24 and that entitles you to between £35 and £60 of goods from Greggs.
Obviously only intended for those who like Greggs food.

Obviously!

Sausage rolls have been selling like sausage rolls over the last few days - all sold out.

I have no problem at all with people not liking it Elegran. We still have that freedom too.

So why did you say they were corporate gifts, lemon?
You obviously don't even read your own posts!

Annie I am sorry you feel like that and I am not saying in any way shape or form that I don't understand your feelings. Most people don't like the idea of someone feeling hurt and I know how important your faith is too you. We all find our feelings hurt at times in our lives and sometimes we can say something and other times you have to keep it to yourself. At least in this case you've been able to speak out and be supported by others.

I'm one of the 42%.

Huh? The obviously was to the ‘ only intended for those who like Greggs food’.
A person has to go into the shop every day to more than get their moneys worth, so yes, obviously they would have to be crazy about Greggs food I would suppose.

At least they won’t be making this mistake again any other Christmas.

I think this thread would have died a death if GN hadn't made their untimely interjection with the anagram that had already been posted way back. However, they didn't pick that up clearly demonstrating that they hadn't read the whole thread, thus missing all the nuances of the two opposing perceptions of the advertising campaign.

I completely get why some people who don't have religious beliefs would see the matter completely differently. I thought it was crass, particularly as Jesus a Jew was being represented by a lump of pork. As Elgran stated how difficult would it have been to use a red nose reindeer or some other Christmas images. Greggs knew what they were doing. They wouldn't have dared run a similar campaign where Mohammed was depicted in such a way and certainly not with pork, that in itself would be insulting to a Muslim, but not for a Jew it seems. No they wouldn't have done that because the following scenario may well have ensued, their outlets bombed, their staff in mortal danger and no doubt a fatwa on the head of the moron who dreamed it all up. After loss of life, we would have the usual posturers coming out in their "we will stand together" wearing "I am Gregg's the Baker" badges.

Something was lost after Charlie Hebdo's scurrilous cartoon was put out in it's stupid magazine and what followed did affect the" publish and be damned" stance in that we now have a tacit capitulation to Muslim sensiblities. Out of the aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo massacre we have a society that goes to great lengths not to offend all manner of minorities, but conversely it's as if the ante has been upped against Christianity where anything goes hence the directive to employees, "don't send out Christmas cards in case you upset someone" Meanwhile over on the other side of our parrallel universe, as illustrated on another thread, any individual who feels they wish to morph into whichever sex takes their fancy can do so even if that trounces the rights of others or worse still puts them in danger and we now have forms that ask whether we are male, female or other. What a magnanimous world we live in, lest you happen to be a Christian!

I agree TerriBull.

All most things need is a little common sense ( not so common though, is it?)

This thread is making me want a sausage roll now.
Think I shall buy one tomorrow.

Not a mistake, lemon, if only 20% think it's offensive and they are selling lots more sausage rolls.

upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e2/Greggs_store_front.JPG/220px-Greggs_store_front.JPG

Personally, I think this is sacrilege. Greggs should be blue.

Do you prefer them hot or cold, trisher? I thought I didn't like them (had a bite or two of Minibaggs's; she loves them) until I had a cold one.

Do you really think they would do the same again durhamjen another year? of course they won’t!

Terribull, I don't have religous beliefs but I also think the 'joke' was crass. I think where we differ might be in our attitude to freedom of expression. I think a lot of things are crass but I still think they should be allowed in a free society. Otherwise, it isn't free.

I also agree that no-one would run a similar ad depicting Mohammed but that's because there are some violent thugs around who think it's okay to kill people who don't agree with them.

It's the thugs that are in the wrong, not joke-makers, however much in bad taste the jokes are.

There are some great taking the piss jokes about the whole episode on Twitter. Some of the responses made me laugh out loud.

And there are serious tweets like this one from @SamWhiteTky:

"And the great thing is, no-one who works for Greggs will be gunned down by extremist Christians."

I must confess I found the sausage roll thing very funny yesterday but I totally agree that if it were any other religion being lampooned there would be an outcry, so it's wrong. I'm not actually sure if I'm a Christian even though I was brought up a Methodist. The week before last I was asked what my religion is by the hospital clerk and because I hesitated she wrote down 'None'. Then last week when I heard my grandson is very ill I prayed to God for him to be made well. I guess that makes me a complete hypocrite.

No nottooold, just honest. I hope your grandson recovers and gets well soon.