Australia, your chicken is upsetting people
In “let’s get cross over nothing” news this week, the Australian Christian Lobby is apparently appalled that Red Rooster has decided to slaughter all of its chickens in accordance with halal principles
ACL spokesman David Yates said “We think many Christians would be offended if they went into Red Rooster and had to eat halal meat”.
I have no idea who David Yates is, or what he is talking about. I also have no idea who the Australian Christian Lobby are or why on earth they think they have the right to speak for me, or any other Christian in Australia.
The ACL is not alone in making ridiculous statements on this issue. Atheist Foundation of Australia spokesman David Nicholls said he would “throw up” food that had been prepared religiously. Surely it would be less trouble to not eat it in the first place?
Eventually it may occur to someone to think of the chickens. RSPCA head Dr Hugh Wirth said “I’d go so far as to say Halal slaughter in Australia is less cruel than orthodox Western methods.”
There is something a little depressing about Christians and atheists finally finding some common ground when that common ground appears to be based on not being too fond of Islam.
Still you have to admire them for standing up to be counted. Many people, no doubt distracted by minor issues like climate change, mandatory detention of refugees and third world debt relief, appear to be entirely uninformed and apathetic on the halal fast food issue.
I don’t eat at Red Rooster much, because I am trying to stay healthy and thin, but the statements made by the ACL on this issue really do make me want to rush out and buy the biggest Red Rooster burger I can find, solely to annoy David Yates.
Whoever he is.
ACL spokesman David Yates said “We think many Christians would be offended if they went into Red Rooster and had to eat halal meat”.
I have no idea who David Yates is, or what he is talking about. I also have no idea who the Australian Christian Lobby are or why on earth they think they have the right to speak for me, or any other Christian in Australia.
The ACL is not alone in making ridiculous statements on this issue. Atheist Foundation of Australia spokesman David Nicholls said he would “throw up” food that had been prepared religiously. Surely it would be less trouble to not eat it in the first place?
Eventually it may occur to someone to think of the chickens. RSPCA head Dr Hugh Wirth said “I’d go so far as to say Halal slaughter in Australia is less cruel than orthodox Western methods.”
There is something a little depressing about Christians and atheists finally finding some common ground when that common ground appears to be based on not being too fond of Islam.
Still you have to admire them for standing up to be counted. Many people, no doubt distracted by minor issues like climate change, mandatory detention of refugees and third world debt relief, appear to be entirely uninformed and apathetic on the halal fast food issue.
I don’t eat at Red Rooster much, because I am trying to stay healthy and thin, but the statements made by the ACL on this issue really do make me want to rush out and buy the biggest Red Rooster burger I can find, solely to annoy David Yates.
Whoever he is.
posted by I'm not Craig at 6:54 AM
8 Comments:
I don't eat there either, and I won't be anytime soon. I don't like their food much.
If halal preparation means less nastiness for chickens then it is good, but on a serious note I do not like all this changing stuff because of religion. It's wrong, in my opinion. When other people's beliefs begin to intrude on every day life, that's a bit of an issue. And no wonder the Christians and Atheists and everyone else are annoyed - they have never managed to intrude on every day life in this way, and they are jealous, I think.
You've got me thinking, I feel another non-religious blog coming over me.. nufieahiufh reiuqna fvoeanvb heaihoji ojoiseajj oops sorry, that was me typing in tongues.. ;)
Snoskred, I think for the first time ever, I do disagree with you a little bit.
Firstly, anything that is slighty better for the poor chickens is AOK with me, I totally agree on you on that point.
However, if 80% of potential customers don't care how the food is made, but 20% really do and can't enjoy a product then changing the process so 100% of potential customers are satisfied (regardless of the actual reason) sounds good to me. I would like multicultural Australia to be as accomodating to everyone as possible.
Thanks for doing this post Mr I'm Not, I wasn't aware of this little tidbit.
I really do think that Christian Lobby groups like this really have hurt the appeal of their own religion (I guess in the same way extremists have hurt their own religion). People really do have alarming knee jerk emotional reactions to the darndest things.
The chickens is one thing. The no-bacon no-pork can't eat at restaurants that serve pork - because these are cloven hooved animals which are dirty and wallow in their own filth is something else entirely. Does Red Rooster now not serve bacon as well?
Bacon is an integral part of Australian life. The egg and bacon sanger for breakfast, bacon on your burger, we eat a lot of bacon. I wrote not long ago about a friend of mine who asked for bacon on his burger and was told no, we are Halal, you can't have it. When he complained he was told he was racist.
Multicultural is fine, but do we lose our own culture in the process? :( When place that have always served bacon suddenly do not anymore this is a bit of an issue for me. And where does it end? Does it ever end? What next?
I believe that Vegemite has a kosher version. So this is not new.
It appears to me to be a business decision by RR. If they can sell their produce to a new market, then they will bend over backwards to do so.
And Snoksred, I don't think we can change the world immediately (sadly), but if someone has a sincerely held belief that does noone any harm, then that's fine by me (no matter how misguided).
And I wouldn't eat at RR, or KFC or Macca's. I'm a free-range gal.
I just can't believe that the ACL cares. Is this really part of their charter? Have they run out of feminists and academics to criticise?
The whole thing is making my head hurt.. so I found myself retreating to the tv for a few hours of fluff, or as my other half called it "Pr0n for Women". A chick flick, and one of great fluffiness. And it has inspired me to write a review for a different movie, so I am hopeful my head stops pounding soon.. :) It's tempting just to forget these things are happening. I don't think that is right, but it works, kinda..
Snoskred
Loved the typing in tongues thing. I'm glad you explained what it was, for a moment there I thought the word verification had gone mad and was trying to take over the world.
Adam
I agree that these lobby groups, whoever they are, are generally not helping, and it irritates me that journalists quote them as somehow representing all Christians.
I blog about stuff like this because its my own tiny way of putting an alternative view out there. And because hopefully they will google themselves and this will annoy them.
Meva
Kosher vegemite? What is in regular vegemite that makes it non-kosher? And yay for free-rangeness.
Ms Batville
If I ever find out what these people are on about, I'll let you know. My theory is that sometimes they just get bored and pick a topic to be cross about more or less at random. Possibly by throwing darts at a newspaper or something.
I'm with you on the sincerely held beliefs that do no harm, Meva. Businesses are indeed making choices based on PR and improving product acceptance to a wider clientele. That's what making money is about. The choice made here has no impact on people of other religious beliefs. The same food is available and from what INC has said, there's no indication that bacon is off the menu. Snoskred, the hamburger store in question may well have been operated by Muslims who cater primarily to an Islamic clientele. It's all about choice. Simply find another place to eat if what you want is not provided there.
A little look at history shows that Christianity has been responsible for some of the most intrusive and demeaning intrusions on daily life to people who failed to toe the Christian line. Christians are no less faultless than any other religious sub group. I celebrate anything that respects the premises of another religion and acknowledges the rights of the individual to choice. Do no harm, be respectful to others. That's all that matters.
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