Swiss advertising hurts religious feelings
In September, Swiss launched an advertising campaign with the slogan «Kreuz ist Tumpf.» Apparently, Muslims in Switzerland are now accusing Swiss of having hurt their feelings.
The campaign on large posters, which was hung in various cantons, is said to have been launched at an inopportune time. Because around the same time, the amateur film "Innocence of Muslims" led to mass protests in which more than 50 people died. Moreover, as Sonntag writes, the sign of the cross is frowned upon and is perceived as a provocation against Islam. Therefore, it had come to heated debates on Facebook and forums such as "Turkworld" in the aftermath.
More moderate Muslims, on the other hand, accused their fellow believers of too radical ideas, according to Sonntag. The Swiss advertisement was not a provocation for them. Swiss reacted diplomatically to the criticism: "We in no way intend this advertising message to make a religious or political statement," said Swiss spokeswoman Myrian Ziesack, according to Sonntag. However, Swiss is very sorry if the religious feelings of third parties have been hurt.
