My dear Watson, it is clearly a case of cultural suicide, not murder

Irfan Yusuf writes at Crickey.com.au

Alan Jones was fired up last Friday, arguing that the fact Easter eggs were being sold as early as January at Woolworths (or Safeway for Mexican readers [he means us Victorians, dear reader]) and Coles supermarkets was evidence of the demise of Australian Christian culture. "It is legitimate to ask how far we will go to accommodate those of non-Christian faith when we live in a predominantly Christian country," says Jones.

But isn't it illegitimate to identify (as Jones reportedly did) the "hotcross-buns-in-January" phenomenon as cultural murder when it is in fact cultural suicide? Can we blame those who belong to other religious traditions for what is clearly a fault which lies with the nominally Christian sector of our community?

It is quite obvious that the supermarkets are not trying to sell Advent-in-Christmas or Easter-in-Lent to our Muslim, Jewish or Buddhist neighbours.

The clear target of these marketing campaigns are those whose Christianity has diminished to such a degree that they no longer remember why they give presents on the 25th of December or eat chocolate eggs on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring (Autumn) equinox.