The Conservatives have claimed Good Friday

Its isn't though Annie, its not the same at all.

Johnson has just released a very respectful and measured Easter message. Although I don't agree with his politics I think it is a good message.

The "Good Friday. Conservatives" message is just an ill thought out and blatant attempt to associate a political party with a religious festival.

If he used The Cross for political reasons then no different to those on this thread who are doing the same.

I wonder at Christians who say they don't find this offensive. Did they not look carefully enough? Why are the letters GOOD so large? This isn't a time when 'good' things happened. Why is the cross so large and yet unadorned? Would the traditional black wrap have made it less attractive, reminding people perhaps of all the deaths from Covid? Consider how a more appropriate image might have looked. Large cross with a black drape. In small font on bottom left hand corner Good Friday and Conservative. It's a wholly different story isn't it?

I don't actually think that this is a centralised diktat from Tory HQ. If you do a reverse image search on the tweet you can see that its been used by a bunch of rather dim Tories who really don't get what all the fuss is about. Most of the serious ones haven't used it, apart from Zadawi.

Tory MPs make the final link to identify with fascism in ‘Good Friday’ tweet
In a list of 14 characteristics of fascist regimes, as defined by Lawrence W Britt. Johnson’s government conformed to 13 of them.
Apparently many other Tory MPs have tweeted it too, which suggests that it has come from Conservative Central HQ.
So this image can serve no other purpose than to attempt an intertwining of religion and government, as defined in fascist ideology.

There has been a backlash, of course.

Nadhim, please consider deletion. Good Friday marks the death of Jesus Christ. Not normally something you would stick a party logo on.— Tory Fibs (@ToryFibs) April 2, 2021

Shown this to Christian husband. Says it is offensive…especially given the persecution of minorities under this Government.

Suggest you remove it.— ?carol hedges (@carolJhedges) April 2, 2021

How dare you brand the cross with a political logo. Shame on you.— Fr Ian Maher SCP???????????#RejoinEU (@IanMaher7) April 2, 2021

Sorry, but, as a Christian on this holiest of days, that is pretty offensive.— Ben Bradshaw (@BenPBradshaw) April 2, 2021

I am not a Christian but I find this deeply offensive, I wonder what Jesus would have made of food banks, school children going hungry in the holidays and the herd immunity policy that left the most vulnerable to die?— tessa rodgers (@tessarodgers12) April 2, 2021

Go on, tell us how Jesus' life & teaching is reflected in today's Conservative party.— Unicorn 3.5% ? ??????? ?? ? #FBPA #FBPE (@LenoreSimson) April 2, 2021

Some Tories have tried to counter by claiming that the image was no worse than when the Labour Party has posted images to Muslims saying “Eid Mubarak”, but it is an argument that does not work. Here’s the reason:

I don't regard this as well-intentioned. It's turning the Cross into a Conservative Party symbol. .— (((Frances 'Not A Monster' Coppola))) ??? (@Frances_Coppola) April 2, 2021

Just so. Labour wasn’t appropriating Muslim symbols when it sent its message to Muslims, but that’s exactly what this message did.

I'm a practising Christian, the tweet didn't offend me, I'm not sure I felt any genuine emotion behind it, but I'd like to wish everyone a Happy Easter, He is risen, thanks be! And I'm off to my bed, in readiness for a different, but hopefully, satisfying first service this year in Church. Peace be with you!

So exactly what 'religious symbolism' should they 'stay away' from, and why should 'Labour ones' be singled out for special emphasis?
Politicians should not get involved in religion at all. I haven't singled out the Labour ones, they were posted earlier on this thread, and they are just as inappropriate as the Conservative Good Friday one. Why that one has been singled out for criticism over the Labour ones we can only guess. It does not give any kind of greeting, it just recognises the day.

What if it was

"Eid"

Conservative Party

???? Maybe they are taking ownership of bank holidays? IDK whether to be offended or not. If they didnt recognise a Christian date in the calendar then it might be worse... I dont remember seeing them mention Passover, though... Hmmmm.

Good post BrightandBreezy Thank you.

Good sensible post BrightandBreezy Thank you!

BrightandBreezy good post

As a Christian I am not at all offended by an image of the cross with the words Good Friday beside it. I am just curious regarding his choice of Good Friday. All of the political parties send out celebrationary messages at the times of all the major religious festivals in order to attract as many voters as possible. I am wondering if he has mistaken the traditional solemnity of the day as it would be more usual within the Christian community to wish people a Happy Easter on Easter Sunday. However he doesn't wish us a Happy Good Friday and although I am not a Conservative I think he meant well and was trying to emulate other culturally themed messages put out by all the political parties.

Chestnut

JaneJudge

twitter.com/nadhimzahawi/status/1377914792170684416/photo/1

Thank you for posting that. I think politicians should stay away from any religious symbolism, and that definitely includes all the Labour ones too. They are all inappropriate.

So exactly what 'religious symbolism' should they 'stay away' from, and why should 'Labour ones' be singled out for special emphasis?

JaneJudge

twitter.com/nadhimzahawi/status/1377914792170684416/photo/1

Thank you for posting that. I think politicians should stay away from any religious symbolism, and that definitely includes all the Labour ones too. They are all inappropriate.

suziewoozie

greenlady102

suziewoozie

Alegrias1

suziewoozie

greenlady102

this is not an official conservative party post and I suspect that whoever posted it has put themselves in DEEP do-do.

He’s a government minister - he knows what his master wants.

I don't know Suzie, I think he's gone off in an "unauthorised" direction here. His Photoshop skills leave a lot to be desired. Have you seen some of the comments on his Twitter?

OK I’ll rephrase it - he’s not very bright but he thinks he knows what his master wants. He is after all on the payroll for something and it’s not his sparkling wit and intelligence is it?

well I think in this case he got it badly wrong, but as I said, might have been an employee with a grudge or no brains or both. Many Twitter account holders either don't run their own accounts or run them but have others who can post for them.

There is absolutely no question whatsoever that this tweet was made by the minister concerned. He has not disowned it and it is on his verified Twitter account - I know of what I post. Why do you feel the need to make excuses for him?

Good grief!!
Who said what?
???

twitter.com/nadhimzahawi/status/1377914792170684416/photo/1

Any honesty going? Thought not.
All that the outraged posters ( faux outrage) care about is having something to moan about concerning a Conservative MP.
With all the awfulness in the world, and at Easter too. I find that mindset so depressing.

suziewoozie There is absolutely no question whatsoever that this tweet was made by the minister concerned. He has not disowned it and it is on his verified Twitter account
I'm not much good at Twitter and I can't find it. Can you send a link to this Good Friday post you say is on his verified Twitter account?

sharon103

suziewoozie

3nanny6

To original poster and the printing of the Good Friday image and cross. I do not bother with twitter and would not have seen this although I am not offended by it. It does not say Happy Easter it just says Good Friday.

In my Christain faith I attended mass yesterday and Good Friday is the most solemn mass and the day Jesus succumbed to death at the hands of his executors. Our days of Lent came to an end and the vigil will continue this
evening until we celebrate mass once more tomorrow.
To those who have beliefs it is a wonderful celebration and
if you are an atheist then that is your choice we are all different.

I understand all about the importance of Good Friday,. I know the image didn’t say Happy Easter - that’s the point . It doesn’t just say Good Friday - that might have been acceptable - it has the word Conservatives on it and the logo - the logo of a political party by the cross???

They've all done it.

No, sharon103, they haven't 'all done it'. No other party has 'done it'.

I'd expect good wishes from any of the parties on christian, or non christian, festivals, but the word is festival, a day of celebration.

Good Friday is not a festival. Not a day for 'greetings' or best wishes. Or anything...

There you go again Lemon, telling me what I think. It doesn't matter at all what Zadawi's religious beliefs are. It just matters that he posted " Good Friday. Conservatives"
What do you think his message was?

Totally agree with you Lemongrove

Alegrias1

Have you read the thread, at all, Lemongrove? Especially the posts from Christians about the meaning of Easter?

I am a Christian Aleg... and yes, I have read all the posts on the thread.
I have also read that Zahawi comes from a Christian background, but whether he does or not, matters not.
The point is, that he wasn’t wishing anyone a ‘Good Friday’!
Simply posting his message on Good Friday.So what?
As other posters have pointed out, it’s the fact that he is a Conservative MP and not a Labour MP, let us have honesty about this fact.

Well said Lemongrove.
I do know the difference between the solemnity of Good Friday and the other joyful religious celebrations mentioned in here. I don’t really think it’s appropriate for political parties to add their brand to any religious poster, but as you say, they all do it.
Having read all the posts on here, it does seem to be the fact that it was on a Tory tweet that is causing the most angst.
Cave Kier!

Well it does seem strange that so much fuss is being made about this one lemongrove.

Well said Lemogrove.