Jesus replaced with a Gregg's sausage roll.

No Nottoold, it means he never gives up on us and somehow you knew this . We only have to think what Christ said to the thief on the cross when the thief was close to death

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

I don't think anyone's sales will go down. Why is no one complaining about chocolates or the advent calendars filled with beauty products, or the one's with whisky or gin. Is this actually just snobbery about Greggs or sausage rolls? What a load of rubbish about a Christmas that is only religious for a small per cent of the country but is a mid-winter festival for most - just as it used to be before the Christians stole it.

The complaints seem to come from a particular type of Christian with a high sense of entitlement if posts on here are anything to go by.

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.

What is wrong is that we have allowed other religions to believe they have some sort of protected status. Christianity doesn't and neither do they.

Do tell GG, how do you celebrate your mid winter festival, will you be st Stonehenge on the 21st ? Your celebrations are four days before the Christian celebrations, must be strange unless you belong to a coven , expect so, we like to be among our own don't we

GracesGran I find your comments patronising, poorer people do not live on snacks and one does not have to subscribe to a particular faith to feel offended when it is mocked.

I agree Christinefrance.

And yes, the usual suspects have tried to make this political when really, it is about having the decency to accept others have faith, and are entitled to have faith and may be upset when a major celebration of that faith is ridiculed. Jesus is central to Christianity.

They are enjoying the ridicule.

One doesn't have to be Christian to KNOW that the manger scene is a depiction of a holy event. Removing Jesus from the scene is desecration, and blasphemous too, but I don't suppose that entered the heads of the people who OK'd the Greggs' advertisement.

I spoke to a Muslim family this weekend who are horrified that religion is so disrespected by Greggs. Despite us talking about it and highlighting what they have done, people I have spoken to have said it has done nothing for the bakery's profile except harm it.

The usual are enjoying themselves

The point that people of any faith would find the Greggs ad in poor taste has been made repeatedly Day 6. I'm not criticising you for making it again. My Muslim and Jewish friends would find it crass to use an image that is central to any faith as a poor 'joke'.
I'm sure Greggs are delighted with the response to their poor joke, any publicity is a Good Thing.
I stand by the many comments on this thread about a bit of human kindness. It doesn't mean that free speech is in the bin but it could mean our society develops a way of marketing that doesn't exploit faith or join in the rubbishing of various groups. At a tangent but it fits for me is the current run of adverts that present men/husbands/sons as incapable, lazy and rather dim. It's the mirror image of those dreadful 1950's ads when a woman's place was in the home because, poor girl, she was simply out of her depth anywhere else.
Also, is it impossible to talk about this kind of thing without hurling insults between certain camps or individuals?

Implying that someone is a witch isn't very nice is it anniebach.

I haven't mentioned or implied anyone is a witch Eleothan , you owe me an apology

for what it is worth I was trying to stand up for those Christians who do find themselves sneered at, patronised or ridiculed by the media and others.

I think that little message sums it up MawBroon
The lack of respect shown here for believers is nasty. Most (I used 'most') Christians 'love one another' and whether we share the faith or not, disrespecting one of its major festivals is not clever, kind or respectful.

Depends what sort of witch. I’ve known some very nice ones.

So have I Nfk and I know a fair number of non witchy pagans who celebrate all the ancient pagan festivals. Midsummer at Stone Henge is particularly exciting I'm led to believe.

anniebach What does this mean then?

"..... must be strange unless you belong to a coven , expect so, we like to be among our own don't we"

I am not on a personal level upset by this advert but I can see why it would be upsetting to those who hold a christian faith.

I think I have a wider problem however with the fact there would never be an advert of this ilk using the Muslim faith for example because it now accepted as being objectionable and known to cause a backlash. So why is it remotely acceptable to view those of a christian faith in a different light?

It seems to me that there are 'some' things/subjects that are taboo to do anything remotely of a possible insulting nature and there are others that are deemed as fair play and the playing field is not level so to speak.

For example you could have people who would perhaps defend up hill down dale anything to do with Muslims, LBGT matters, Political Parties but they would be quite happy to mock Christians, Heterosexuals, other Political Parties . Hypocrisy, hmm, maybe. The way of it, hmm ,probably.

The ad is hardly a factual piece of work, it is I guess supposed to be funny but the sad thing is it was obviously going to upset some , so why do it? The ad was going to possibly controversial , so why do it?

Maryeliza says, "far as religion goes, people who argue it should be treated politely usually mean that it shouldn’t be criticised or made fun of - why? It has no special status whatsoever

OK, try telling that to a Jew, Muslim, Hindu and Sikh. Or a Christian.

Your lack of respect for the faith of others is....well...'astounding'. I am holding back. I could think of other words.

It means what it says, the poster said she would be celebrating Mid Winter which is 21st December, if your referring to the use of coven, look up the definition , I have friends who are pagans and they meet as a coven . You are so eager to pounce , nothing new there .

Nooo Baggs, sausage rolls have to be hot!

Wilmaknickersfit How many people took offence at the Christmas episode of the Vicar of Dibley where Alice had her baby in the stable? Or the Father Ted one where all the priests were trapped in the lingerie section of a department store?

Not really a valid comparison, is it? No one deliberately set out to displace Jesus in the crib with pork wrapped in pastry, did they? THAT act was disrespectful and mocking.

Maryeliza would be the first to be angered if any faith apart from Christianity was mocked and the first to mock Christianity

I thought Alice having her baby in a stable was sweet. I loved the Vicar dressed as the Easter bunny too. The Gregg supporters here would have enjoyed seeing a sausage roll on the Cross on Good Friday

I read in today's i that ofsted is to ask primary school girls why they are wearing a hijab. That's one religion that is not above criticism.

I thought Alice having her baby in a stable was sweet.
I liked that episode too.

How odd to ask Muslim girls why they are wearing a hijab, surely as stupid as asking is rain wet

No if the girls are wearing it because they have been pressured into it then it is wrong. If the girl herself has taken the decision and is fully aware of why that's a different matter.

Do tell GG, how do you celebrate your mid winter festival

You assume too much Annie. For all you know I am a Christian - just not an extremist.