Salafist group warns tomatoes are “Christian”

[DJKeefy]

This makes perfect sense... because it makes no sense.

A Salafist group called the Popular Egyptian Islamic Association has come under fire after sending out a warning on Facebook urging its followers not to eat tomatoes because the vegetable (or fruit) is a Christian food.



The group posted a photo on its page of a tomato - which appears to reveal the shape of a cross after being cut in half – along with the message: “Eating tomatoes is forbidden because they are Christian. [The tomato] praises the cross instead of Allah and says that Allah is three (a reference to the Trinity).

[God help us]. I implore you to spread this photo because there is a sister from Palestine who saw the prophet of Allah [Mohammad] in a vision and he was crying, warning his nation against eating them [tomatoes]. If you don’t spread this [message], know that it is the devil who stopped you.”

Yeah... no.

Predictably, Facebook users expressed outrage over the post, which prompted the group to clarify its stance on the controversy with the update, “We didn’t say you can’t eat tomatoes. We said don’t cut it in [such a way that reveals] the cross shape.”

I see what you did there. Crazy religious nutjobs are still crazy.

I wonder if the Muslim Brotherhood’s presidential candidate, Mohammad Morsi, is happy about getting an endorsement from this group?


Source: http://www.nowlebanon.com/BlogDetails.aspx?TID=2451

[Horus]

We live in interesting times as they say I feel sorry for you lot living there if these idiots get into power and that looks increasingly likely as many people say they will not vote for either party as a protest, but by doing that they will almost certainly let these radical types gain power by default.

[LovelyLadyLux]

(I can't help this response) - BUT - I wonder if BIG Beefsteak tomatoes are more Christian then Sweet 100's........This is the type of thing that gives 'religion' a bad name.......About all I can say seriously is that this is really really extreme behaviour and it is sad even to think that somebody is so pre-occupied/disturbed in their thinking so as to be spending time and thinking energy on thoughts and ideas such as this? I mean, really, you have nothing else of importance in your life other than to look at tomatoes and comment on their symbolism if cut a certain way AND to then go out of your way to do what? Monitor everybody in your mosque to see which way they're cutting tomatoes.............sad sad sad and sadder still it is possibly going to get worse.

Stuff like this is kinda the "writing on the wall" and if I was an ex-pat living in Egypt I think I'd be seriously on the phone to all my old friends and relatives I left behind and start to sort my options re: returning home. Blighty here I come 'n all........

[Ruby Slippers]

You couldn't make it up, could you?

[Horus]

So at the moment Egypt has no government because it was declared illegal and two candidates for president that most people don't seem to want, it all beggars belief. Does anyone really think that this will solve anything? whoever wins it looks like at least 50% of the population will be against him. Ok I can hear the apologists already making comparrisons with the Uk as they usually do, but there is nothing to compare, we at least have a stable form of government regardless of how the voting figures are interpreted or how narrow a margin or vote gets any particular party into power, but this is different. If Egypt does not get a president that speaks and acts for everyone then it has failed and more problems will lie ahead. Apathy has led to having to choose between a rock and a hard place, on one hand a person associated with the old regime who people fear will just be a puppet of the old military rulers that will return the country to the status quo that existed prior to the revolution. The alternative is a candidate that represents a well organised religious group that has kept itself well under the radar during and after the revolution and spread it's influence very widely. They have carefully avoided anything controversial or played down the religious aspect of their party, but many must be looking to countries such as Iran and seeing the severe changes that can take place very quickly once these religious parties come to power. So I suspect that the lesser educated will be voting for the religious party while the more affluent will want to see a return of the more stable military type rule. Meanwhile the average Egyptian who thought that the revolution would actually lead to a change for the better is left wondering how it all came to this limited choice of between "a rock or a hard place"

[HEPZIBAH]

I remember taking part with comments on either L4u or Facebook4u when this topic first came up. I wondered then just how many tomatoes they'd used to come to their conclusion. Recently I came across this photograph which I thought fitting - I knew there were lot's of tomatoe varieties but I had no idea quite how many shapes and colours! I do hope that in coming to their conclusion, they experimented with a large cross section (opps pun was not intended but will stay) of tomatoes!

[Horus]

I’m glad that you posted that picture Hepzi, my Grandson (who loves to challenge his Granddad) brought me some small Tomato plants to see who could grow the “bestest ones” (his words). After giving them the best of care I now have a good crop of what are supposedly ‘beef’ tomatoes, but to be honest they look so deformed that they do not look very appetising at all, but seeing your picture they look very much like some of those large corrugated ones with the mangy undersides, I reckon they will finish up being cooked in something myself as I don’t fancy them on a salad.