Perspective

Hello World...

I’m using my daily thoughts and encounters to discover as many things as possible which bring together, rather than divide, our various belief systems and cultures.

Recently I’ve been hoping I’m not the only one who thinks that sometimes people create their own problems simply by making mountains out of molehills. Perspective can be as important an attribute as honesty, wisdom, or faith. A week or two ago I read an article in the Huffington Post concerning a family’s complaint against a major supermarket. The family had purchased a cheese and onion pasty, and then discovered it had meat in it.

The family in question happens to be a Muslim family, and complained to the supermarket that it should not have been sold as a vegetarian product if it contained meat, pointing out that their religion only allows them to consume meat passed as halal. As an attempt at resolving the complaint, the supermarket offered the family a bottle of champagne, which irked them even more as their religion does not allow them to consume alcohol either. It was after these two incidents that the story made the press.

What struck me was the nature of the comments posted underneath by the readers of the post. Every single one seemed to be supporting the supermarket with comments suggesting the family should ‘go home’ and asking why they should be entitled to ‘have things their own way’ etc.

These were just the comments which were put politely. Reading through them, I found myself staring in disbelief at a level of bigotry I thought might have been on the wane in this country. They did, after all, buy a vegetarian pasty, which should not have meat in it. Had a vegetarian made this kind of complaint – the exact same problem, just for a different reason – then no one would have reacted so viciously.

On the other hand, should the manager of the supermarket be held in disdain by the family for offering champagne? Perhaps not everyone knows the ins and outs of each religious belief, and even if they do, I know a Muslim or too who will imbibe occasionally. A bottle of champagne is a generous offer, and one’s individual beliefs (after all, we all believe something slightly different to each other) cannot be know just from dealing with a small complaint.

Everyone involved in this, from the family to the commenters, need to just calm down a little. The family were perfectly entitled to complain that item they had bought was not that which was advertised. They may spend their money on what they wish. But they in turn should have realised that, even if the compensation offered was inappropriate, this did not mean they were being deliberately insulted. They should simply have asked for an equivalent which would not violate their beliefs.

It was discovered many centuries ago that the Earth and the solar system we live in do not form the centre of the universe. Neither are any of us as individuals the centre of the world. Those we encounter cannot fathom our every thought, stance, or next action. Putting ourselves in the position of someone else, whether it be a simple and valid complainant or someone just trying to do their job, we might find we ourselves make so much more progress towards living a happier, less angry life.

Thanks for listening, and take care.