The Red Cross in Liege, Belgium, has reportedly ordered that crucifixes and Christian crosses be taken down from all 28 of its local facilities in an effort to appear religiously neutral.
Reports of the removal came after translations emerged from a report that was initially covered by Belgian outlet 7Sur7, CNS News noted. The Christian Post has more about the removal as well as the story of the Red Cross’ religious roots:
Breitbart News reported Monday on a translation of a 7sur7 article where André Rouffart, president of the Red Cross in Verviers, reveals that the Belgian branches were asked by the Provincial Committee of the Red Cross in Liège to “respect the principles of the Red Cross” of religious neutrality and remove the cross because it might offend Muslims.
The Red Cross was founded in the 19th century by Jean-Henry Dunant, a devout Christian who was also part of the creation of the Young Men’s Christian Association.
The directive to remove the crosses reportedly came via email, with at least one volunteer complaining over it, as CNS News noted.
“Let things remain as they are. We used to say ‘Christmas holidays,’ now it’s ‘winter holidays,'” the volunteer reportedly said. “The Christmas market in Brussels has become the ‘Winter Pleasures.'”
Rouffart reportedly dismissed some of the pushback.
“I think it’s a storm in a glass of water,” he said of the debate, though it seems some are truly troubled by the move.
Read more about the issue here.