A US city has renamed Good Friday “Spring Holiday” in a move dubbed a “poke in the eye” for Christians.
Bloomington, Indiana, is well known for being a liberal city and Mayor John Hamilton claimed the renaming would “better reflect cultural sensitivity in the workplace”.
The move has drawn heavy criticism from local media and provoked a backlash online.
Divisive
In an editorial, local newspaper the Herald Times described Good Friday as “a day important to the faith of many in this country”. It added that the change of name will “divide rather than unite”.
Renaming it “Spring Holiday” was “insensitive to those for whom it means a lot. It’s an unnecessary poke in the eye to many Christians”, it said.
In a memo to city employees, Mayor Hamilton called the move another way to demonstrate “commitment to inclusivity”.
Many opponents took to social media to criticise the change, including one which asked, ‘How is the day Jesus died not inclusive?’
An unnecessary poke in the eye to many Christians.
The Herald Times
‘Anti-Christian’
In the UK, there have also been attempts to undermine the Christian meaning of Easter.
Several major supermarkets were criticised last year after refusing to stock Easter eggs which featured pictures of the cross and a leaflet explaining the resurrection.
The refusal was criticised by leading figures in the Church of England and described as “anti-Christian” by manufacturers The Meaningful Chocolate Company.