Queen's Trinity Cross medal scrapped... because it's 'too Christian'

A medal personally established by the Queen is being withdrawn after it was deemed offensive to Muslims and Hindus. </p>

The honour - known as The Trinity Cross of the Order of Trinity - has been ruled unlawful and too Christian. </p>

It has been awarded to 62 distinguished residents of the former colony of Trinidad and Tobago over more than 40 years, including cricketers Brian Lara and Garfield Sobers, novelist V.S. Naipaul and many diplomats and politicians.</p><div class="thinCenter"><div class="thinArtSplitter"><div class="splitLeft"> </div><div class="splitRight"> </div></div><p class="imageCaption">Caribbean storm: The old Trinity Cross (left) is replaced with the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, which has removed any Christian symbols
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But groups representing the Caribbean islands' Muslim and Hindu communities - which account for around a third of their 1.3million-strong population - had argued that the words 'Trinity' and 'Cross' were 'overtly Christian'. They also said the use of a cross insignia was offensive. </p>

Five British law lords, all members of the Privy Council, have ruled that the honour breached the right to equality and the right to freedom of conscience and belief. </p>

The Council is an obscure body made up of senior politicians, bishops and peers.
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They advise the monarch on the exercise of the Royal Prerogative and act as a final court of appeal for many former colonies. </p>

In the judgment, Lord Hope of Craighead said that the Trinity Cross was 'perceived by Hindus and Muslims living in Trinidad and Tobago as an overtly Christian symbol both in name and substance' and as such breached the islands' constitution of 1976. </p>

It will be replaced with the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago - a circular medal featuring a sun, stars, water and a map of the islands.</p>

Lawyer Anand Ramlogan of Hindu association Maha Saba said of the decision: 'It's a vindication of the 40 years of disquiet and unease silently suffered by the Muslim and Hindu communities whose legitimate grievance with the Trinity Cross was flippantly dismissed by successive governments.' </p>

The implications of the ruling are being studied by lawyers in the Cabinet Office, which oversees the honours system.
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Hugh Peskett, editor-in-chief of Burke's Peerage and Gentry, warned that changing the names of titles to remove Christian references would destroy hundreds of years of history. 'Part of the significance of an honour is its antiquity,' he said. </p>

The Queen is due to visit Trinidad and Tobago - which won independence in 1962 - in November for the Commonwealth heads of government meeting.</p>

 

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Muslims <u>and Hindus</u> my arse.</p>

 

I've often found a new moon to be too crescent shaped.

Who do I complain to ?

 

God.... er no..er wait

Allah ?

 

Needs modernising

the Christian diminsion is not relevant in my opinion.

 

It needs modernising because it's not relevant in your opinion? nt

 

RE: It needs modernising because it's not relevant in your opinion? nt

the Christian element is not relevant. It is about honouring people of whatever religion or no religion? What does Christianity have to do with what should be a secular award and recognition?

 

Is it relevant in your opinion?

I could not give a ****. I don't go to church, I am at best agnostic. The Christianity bit is a relevant as Royal or British Empire bits these days, surely?

Rename them People's Awards. Lets drop this obsession with all forms of medieval behaviour control eh?

 

Tell you what, let's just abolish and make illegal all British history.

Make everyone duly ashamed of Britain over the years, and start again.

 

RE: Is it relevant in your opinion?

Redstar I could not agree with you more. That is exactly what I meant.

 

No need to abolish it...

but alter it with the times eh?

I am a firm believer that British History should be well known and taught above all others. Not only for some pride in our past achievements but some humility at our darkest hours....

 

Thanks..

I'll si thi in the Pennines...

 

Aye

We're a right set of ***** us.

 

I think we have been at times...

first concentration camps and all that.

But on the flipside, cricket for the natives.

 

RE: Is it relevant in your opinion?

Of course its relevant. It is what makes it British. Origin, tradition, history etc. If it is irrelevant then why does it offend? It only seems to be irrelevant if it is Christianity that is being given up, imagine the uproar if it was the other way round.

 

Had you ever heard of the Queen's trinity cross before today?

 

I'm not a Christian or a Royalist...

can I still be British?

 

You've watched too many Mel Gibson films.

We've only ever done what was necessary at the time.</p>

I like it when modern day enlightened attitudes are used to judge actions of many years ago.</p>

I want an apology though from all the descendants of Barbary pirates that used to raid our South West coastal towns.
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RE: Is it relevant in your opinion?

quite honestly I don't care what way round it is. This is a secular country, not christian or jewish or muslim or whatever. It doesn't offend me or anyone probably. It just needs updating.

 

Never seen one....

of course, that's what history is! a view of the past from a certain point of view.

We can look at our past but from more than one point of view...that's what I'm getting at!