RELIGIOUS SENSITIVITY OF COMPANY PRODUCTS

We are all different and as a result doing business across borders (whether political, religious, cultural or linguistic) requires Cultural sensitivity, Meaning a sense of empathy,

Flexibility and creativity

informed by cultural knowledge

 Religion is an element of culture that pervades every

aspect of a society and permeates the life of individuals whether one is a believer or a non-believer Religion is an important cultural factor to study because it is one of the most universal and influential social institutions that has significant influence on
peoples attitudes,

values and
behaviors at both the individual and societal levels.

HOLLYWOOD BUDDHA
The

film "Hollywood Buddha" showed a complete lack of cultural sensitivity Causing outrage and protest on the streets of Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Burma When the designer of the film's poster decided to show the lead actor sitting on the Buddha's head, An act of clear degradation against something holy.

BIG BROTHER

The concept of Big Brother was somehow taken to the

Middle East. The show was pulled of the air after its first few episodes due to public protests and pressure from religious bodies stating the show's mixed sex format was against Islamic principles.

SONY

Little Big Planet Delayed Due to Quran Controversy Little Big Planet has been delayed worldwide due to the inclusion of quotes from the Quran, reports VideoGaming247. In a forum thread, a Muslim user commented that he noticed two passages from the Quran in a licensed music track for the stage, "Swinging Safari." Sony pulled the game despite it already being on retail shelves in some areas and rectify the problem and sincerely apologise for any offence that this may have caused

MCDONALD'S

MCDONALD'S FACING HINDU PROTESTS OVER RESTAURANTS NEAR HOLY SITES McDonalds, known worldwide as the standard-bearer of the hamburger, will be opening its first two vegetarian restaurants in India in 2013 Meat is off the menu at two McDonald's catering for pilgrims in India. The first site, Katra in Jammu and Kashmir, is home to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi The second vegetarian restaurant is planned for Amritsar, home of the Golden Temple

PROCTER AND GAMBLE

P&G, maker of familiar household products such as Mr. Clean

and Tide laundry detergent, is affiliated with the Church of Satan. The ram's horn will form the 666, which is known as Satan's number. Christians should remember that if they purchase any of these products, they will be contributing to the church of Satan.

KFC

Former environment minister Maneka Gandhi joined

the anti-KFC movement. KFC was also accused of using illegally high amounts of monosodium glutamate (MSG) and frying its food in pork fat. A store in Delhi was closed by the authorities, purportedly for health reasons, but more likely to avoid a repetition of the Bangalore incident.

ANTONIO FEDERICI ICE CREAM IS OUR RELIGION

Ice cream is our religion was the slogan of the print ad campaign and the

first banned ads were Kiss temptation and Submit to temptation. The religious themes featured in the advertising campaigns where Catholic priests and nuns push for more intimacy than the Holy Spirit is comfortable with got them banned several times by UKs Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The (Irish Catholic) creative director, on the other hand, said that it is a challenging and iconoclastic piece of advertising. It tells a deeper story, the story of thousands of pregnant Irish women enslaved by the Catholic church in convents and who had their children taken away from them by nuns because they were seen as moral degenerates.

BRITISH AIRWAYS
RELIGION IN THE WORKPLACE: THE BRITISH AIRWAYS CROSS CONTROVERSY

British Airways takes a strictly secular approach to religion in the workplace,

banning any outward symbols of faith. One employee who originally complied with the ban protested after she found out that the company had made accommodations to other faiths, such as allowing Sikhs to wear turbans. She then decided to wear a cross pendant in protest of the companys perceived discriminatory policies. When British Airways disciplined the employee, it caused a public backlash by religious leaders and public supporters of the employee.

HARRY POTTER

RELIGIOUS DEBATES OVER THE HARRY POTTER SERIES In the United States, calls for the books to be banned from schools have occasionally led to widely publicised legal challenges, often on the grounds that witchcraft is a government-recognised religion and that to allow the books to be held in public schools violates the separation of church and state. The Orthodox churches of Greece and Bulgaria have also campaigned against the series, and some Catholic writers and officials have voiced a critical stance. The books have been banned from private schools in the United Arab Emirates and criticised in the Iranian state-run press.

FINNISH LOO ROLL COMPANY WIPES LATEST PRODUCT FROM SHELVES AFTER CONTROVERSIAL PRINT

The

Scandinavian toilet paper manufacturer made a public apology After it accidentally offended church leaders by printing Bible quotes on toilet rolls. In a recent report for Reuters, it was revealed that Meta Tissue which often prints
philosophical phrases, quotes and poetry

on its toilet paper to give people something to read during an otherwise boring time, had accidentally conveyed the wrong message.

ALLAH ON NIKE SHOES

Unbeknown to Nike the script logo used on the shoe could be seen

to resemble the word Allah written in Arabic-style script. Nike immediately issued a recall of the product from worldwide sale and a public apology to the Islamic community As the product was designed and originally sold in the US, throughout this process Nike worked closely with the Council for American Islamic Relations (CAIR) to resolve the issue.

YOGA CLASSES AT U.S. SCHOOL SPARKS RELIGIOUS CONTROVERSY

People have the belief that yoga teaching can convert kids

to Hinduism Parents were mistaken regarding the yoga programme. "They're concerned that we're putting our God before their God

POKMON CONTROVERSY

Claims of Zionist Jewish plot in the Arab and Islamic world Fundamentalist Muslims claimed that Pokmon is a Jewish conspiracy that is intended to brainwash Muslim children to make them renounce their faith. These same groups claimed that the word "Pokmon" is a phrase that means "I am Jewish" In 2001, the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, who is the highest religious authority in the kingdom, issued a fatw banning the Pokmon franchise

UNITED COLORS OF BENETTON ANGEL AND DEVIL

The Italian master of shockvertising created in 1991 unprecedented

controversy with the Angel and Devil campaign. The ad portrays a moral conflict, symbolized by an angel a white girl with blonde curly hair, blue eyes and the devil an Afro American girl whose hair looks similar to devilish horns. The gap in the middle of the front teeth is a sign of wisdom, beauty, happiness and fertility in many parts of the world.

NIKE ST. ROONEY

British journalists claimed that Nike cynically portrayed Rooney

part Woden, the Anglo-Saxon god of war, part the suffering but triumphant Christ Several religious groups complained to the Advertising Standards Authority Nikes spokeswoman declared that they simply wanted to celebrate Rooneys return to Manchester United, it had nothing to do with the crucifixion.

LAYS CONTROVERSY IN INDIA

Lays potato chips contains Pig meat',is the latest rumor in India. The controversial news has been traveled from Pakistan to India. The E631 food additive (spice enhancer) in the Lays is the root-

cause of controversy. The additive can be extracted from Plants like Cassava ( from Tapioca starch) or the inosinate can also be extracted from animal products like Pig meat or Fish. Most of the Muslims have already stopped eating Lays potato chips so as to avoid any risk.

AL SHABAAB SAMOSA BAN LINKED TO SYMBOL

Somali militant group al Shabaab may have banned the making

and sale of samosa, a popular snack in the war-torn country, because of its shape, linking it to a Christian symbol. The ban on samosa, a pastry often stuffed with minced meats and vegetables, comes amid a devastating famine that is sweeping across the country.

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