A Christian lobby group says the wearing of red poppies is "politically correct"?

Question

Does anyone agree with this?

The director of Ekklesia, Jonathan Bartley, says people should be able to choose between red or white ones

Mr Bartley, writing in an edition of the Anglican newspaper The Church Times, said that the red poppy implied redemption can come through war.

He wrote that the Christian story implies redemption through non-violent sacrifice, and therefore the white poppy is more Christian than the red type.

Answer 1

A few years ago, I was in the Albert Hall for the annual Memorial Day presentation. At the climax of that celebration, everybody stands in silence, and as they do, millions of poppy petals are released from the ceiling (one for each person killed in the wars of the last century). Several of those poppy petals hit me as they fell, and I'll never forget how painful the experience was. Each petal represented a human life given in sacrifice that I might stand there -- the unbearable weight of history, all affixed to a single petal.

I don't care if it's politically correct or not. I'll wear the blood-red poppy till the day I die. It's important to remember; and it's important to honor sacrifice.

Answer 2

No, trying to change a ninety year tradition based on the wearing of a red poppy by introducing a white poppy, is politically correct. Remembrance of the first world war is not a celebration of war, it is the very opposite: It is remembering the sacrifice and bravery of hundreds of thousands of soldiers who gave their lives in defence of their country. People were patriotic then. If anything, it is remembering the savagery of war, not celebrating it, which is the snide inference of the PC white poppy brigade.

The attempt to introduce a white poppy in the guise of giving choice, is an attempt by the contemptible left to try to undermine yet another of our traditions. It used to be white feathers for cowards, so they at least got the colour right. After the end of the first world war, red poppies started to grow over all the land wasted by continuous explosions. That is one of the main reasons, but not the only one, why it is a red poppy that is used. Tell the lefties to leave well alone, they have already done enough damage.

Answer 3

The red poppy does not imply redemption comes through war. It is simply a way of donating money to wounded ex-servicemen.

I come from a background believing in non-violent Christianity, and the white poppy has for long been part of this tradition. But if the red and white poppy are seen as antagonistic this is wrong.

Answer 4

No I do not! The reason why red was chosen for the British Legion's 'Poppy Appeal Fund', was to reflect a truth... namely, that on the battle fields of the First World War, notably in Flanders, after the devastation of artillery bombardments and the deaths of hundreds of thousands of soldiers, the scene was softened by the appearance of thousands of red wild poppies. Some survivors likened the mass of red flowers to the blood of those who had been killed.
So forget about the 'PC' remarks; red was chosen 90 + years ago and is therefore the traditional colour. For thousands of people throughout the world, red is what poppies will always be, acting as a reminder of the sacrifices that failure of diplomacy brings to those who are in the armed forces. White poppies may be a symbol of peace - but the red ones remind us of what happens when peace breaks down.

PS Just seen your 'additional details'... the beginning of Christianity seemed like a pretty violent one to me!

Answer 5

RED is the colour of the poppy, and red it should always be, these so called 'christians' need to get off their high PC horses, and really think about the true sugnificance of the poppy and why its red, and why its worn. I am sick to death of the PC people and their crap, time they shut up and kept their stupidity for the playground where they belong.

In Flanders Fields....
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields

By John McCrae 1915

Answer 6

No, I do not agree. As I was selling poppies this week I felt a slight twinge of distaste for the milquetoast I saw wearing a white one. He can wear a CND button or something else if he doesn't want any more wars - that's fine. The poppy simply shows you honour the thousands of young men who died fighting for their country. Nobody has said anything about redemption.

Answer 7

The Christian lobby group know what they can do...............what a load of rubbish!! No, I do NOT agree with them.......at all!!!
In Flanders Fields....
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields

Answer 8

I've never seen white poppies for sale - it appears to me that this debate is in itself politically correctness gone OTT - poppies aren't about Christianity they are about remembering those who have fallen. They are red because that is the colour of the poppies in some of the fields were WW1 battles were fought - and so that is their significance.

Answer 9

The red poppy is used by the VFW and other organizations among other! It isn't to glorify war, as there is nothing about war to glorify. If you were not in one you will never understand it!

Depending on the country, as it was started in Canada, it is Veterans day, to honor (supposedly) those who did fight!

It's only politically incorrect if you don't like people who defended this country!

Answer 10

Has the whole world gone blo-dy mad I put on a poppy to remember the fallen, the wounded, the widows and widowers their children, and all the wars we have fought and are fighting. the poppy is red its always been red, Why are we even having this conversation. Political correct, they are plain mad.