What could be more natural then adorning the pub with the flags of the 32 nations in the World Cup tournament?
But nothing in this world is simple. In some places local pressure has insisted on the removal of the Saudi Arabian flag from such places because its Islamic connections should not be associated with alcohol.
In a previous World Cup FIFA (football's governing body) fell foul of the Saudis by intending to have footballs with a flag in each panel. It turns out, then, that drinking by the Creed (for the Muslim Creed is written on the flag) or kicking it is not at all the thing to do.
I have some sympathy for the Saudi problem: every church has a set of dos and don'ts for its premises which can be similarly awkward. The net effect of it all is to imply a general view that whereas sport unites, religion divides. But maybe they need to choose to change their football participation or the flag.
Perhaps this kind of religious sensitivity is why the Lord Jesus shredded so many of the religious predilections of his day, eating and drinking with sinners, touching lepers, blessing children and healing on the Sabbath - just generally saying something about people being more important to God than religious rules designed to protect God but divide people.
No comments:
Post a Comment