back to article Russian Christians boosted by Pussy Riot law spank 'sinful' Apple logo

Apple has been criticised before - but never for promoting original sin. Seemingly emboldened by upcoming national legislation on blasphemy, Russian Orthodox Christians have defaced the logos on Apple products because they consider the bitten Apple to be anti-Christian, says Russian news agency Interfax (in Russian). The …

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  1. Spoddyhalfwit

    Such accusations from a religion that uses the image of bloke being executed?

    1. Peter Storm

      Also, these idiots don't even know their own religion. The Bible never mentions an apple. It's just the fruit of the tree of knowledge.

      Those wacky God-botherers , what will they get up to next.

      1. Captain Hogwash

        Even more specifically, fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

      2. Simon Harris
        WTF?

        Those wacky God-botherers , what will they get up to next.

        Whinging about Spongebob Squarepants apparently!

      3. Reg Blank
        Headmaster

        @ Peter Storm

        From what I remember, in medieval English "apple" didn't refer to apples as we know them today, instead it was a word that applied as a generic term to fruit. It was only later when this generic term for various fruit was applied to a single type and became the apple we know and love.

        1. cortland

          Re: @ Peter Storm

          Just as one man's meat is another man's poisson.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Religion? A pox on ALL your houses

      As opposed to that religion where followers go around the streets shouting 'Death to Arabs' and slitting the throats of hapless Palestinians they come across in the streets?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Religion? A pox on ALL your houses

        I seem to recall it was originally a fig tree anyway.

        1. Ru
          Angel

          Re: Religion? A pox on ALL your houses

          "I seem to recall it was originally a fig tree anyway."

          It would be appropriate. God Hates Figs, etc.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            FAIL

            Re: Religion? A pox on ALL your houses

            I talked with my local Father a while ago about this. Adam and Eve is a parable and never really happened. I'd like to see these orthodox twits blaspheme their way out of THAT one!

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        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Religion? A pox on ALL your houses

          Well let me put itthis way, if a trained representative of the church who has been in their service for a few decades, in a few different countries doesn't know the score, then they're in a worse state than I thought they were.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I think the generally accepted story about the logo is that it is an Apple bitten by Alan Turing.

    But I'm sure the church wouldn't like that either given he was gay.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Apparently it's nout to do with Turing.

      I do see now that it's blatant that it could be to do with Adam & Eve ... but maybe it says something that most people reading would have gone for Turing over the Bible story!

      1. Goldmember

        "Apparently it's nout to do with Turing."

        Indeed, but as Jobs is no longer around to dispel that rumour, Apple could use that explanation if this ridiculous farce ever caused them any trouble.

    2. It wasnt me

      Interesting......

      I thought they just nicked it off the Beatles.

    3. Tom 7

      The apple bitten by Alan Turing.

      I think they've done more damage to computing than that achieved.

  3. Paul Johnston
    FAIL

    Fish

    Shouldn't they draw little fishes rather than crosses?

    Bill Hicks we miss you!

    1. Simon Harris
      Happy

      Re: Fish

      A colleague at work just showed me the Darwin Fish car emblem.

  4. Jon Press

    Original sin

    Since Apple claim to be the origin of everything popular, this makes perfect sense.

  5. tkioz
    Thumb Down

    Ugg... must such idiots pretend to speak for my faith?

    1. John Bailey
      Thumb Up

      Yep. For as long as you allow them to.

    2. brainbone

      RE: "idiots pretend to speak for my faith"

      And you are surprised by this? Idiots flock to superstitious faith like flies to ....

  6. Mystic Megabyte
    FAIL

    AFAIK no apples are mentioned in the book of Genesis

    1. 404

      As Always...

      ...It's all in the interpretation. Whether it's lawyers, priests, mullahs, commentards, whatever, it means what they say it means

      - not for or against, my beliefs are my own.

    2. Elmer Phud
      Alien

      Apples

      I'll have you know they are Cox's apples -

      God would not bother with anything other than true English apples would he?

      1. John Brown (no body) Silver badge
        Joke

        Re: Apples

        "I'll have you know they are Cox's apples"

        Oi! You just leave Brian out of this!

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    4. Simon Harris
      Coat

      Apples...

      "AFAIK no apples are mentioned in the book of Genesis"

      Although I bet Noah wished he had a mac when it started raining!

      I'll get my coat... it's made of plastic.

      1. Paul Johnston
        Go

        Re: Apples...

        As long as it is only made from one material!

        Deuteronomy 22:11

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Sweet Baby Jesus!

    Holy unusual situation isn't it?

  8. Big_Ted
    Angel

    oh dear........

    El Reg definately heading for the naughty step for allowing such phrases as below

    Jesus Phone

    St Steve

    Church of Apple

    1. Hieronymus Howerd

      Re: oh dear........

      *definitely

  9. aahjnnot

    There's nothing wrong with cultural sensitivity

    Many organisations change their logo or name to avoid causing offence in certain cultures. The Red Cross is the Red Crescent in some countries, and, in the UK, Robertson's jam dropped the gollywog (am I allowed to use that word without traumatising delicate El Reg readers?) some years back to avoid offending shoppers.

    Cuddly toys are offensive in the UK. Crosses are offensive in Islamic countries. Bitten apples might be offensive in Russia. Get over it. Just adapt to people whose values are different from your own.

    1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
      Holmes

      I draw you a Mohammed!!

      > Just adapt to people whose values are different from your own.

      I have no intention to adapt to people whose value is being professionally offended in the name of $DEITY and who go out of their way to tell me about it in no uncertain terms. I would rather use a daisy cutter on them.

      1. Bakunin
        Devil

        Re: I draw you a Mohammed!!

        "... I would rather use a daisy cutter on them."

        And there we go. Each side is as bad as the other.

        You know you could just say you don't agree or put forward as rational reason why it should be different.

        Or of course we could all go back to just flinging faeces around the cage and civilisation be damned.

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      1. S4qFBxkFFg

        Re: There's nothing wrong with cultural sensitivity

        As in, golliwogs.

        I had one as a kid, probably still in my mother's attic somewhere.

        (I doubt they have any effect on children, I stopped playing with it long before I had any idea they could be regarded as a caricature of black people.)

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: There's nothing wrong with cultural sensitivity

          Yes, I had one as a child in the 70s. The racist, sexist, homophobic 70s - just look at some of the TV sit-coms that can't be shown anymore and wonder if this time is to be held up as a paragon of virtue where everything was right and proper.

          Golliwogs are grossly offensive you'll be hard pushed to find anyone - particularly anyone who isn't white, generally anti PC, male and commenting on the internet - who will defend them.

          1. Valerion

            Re: There's nothing wrong with cultural sensitivity

            > Golliwogs are grossly offensive you'll be hard pushed to find anyone - particularly anyone who isn't white, generally anti PC, male and commenting on the internet - who will defend them.

            A shop near me had them for sale quite recently. There was a huge fuss made by the council (any prizes for guessing we're in Lib Dem land here?) and by the shopping centre and by various local mouthpieces who all wanted them banned from sale.

            The local rag got involved, went out and quizzed a whole ton of black (coloured,negro,african,whatever pick your own damn word) people as they went past the shop. Nearly all of them couldn't give a shit that it was for sale and supported the shop keepers right to sell them. They, like most of us, had grown up and moved on. It's no more offensive than a Barbie doll is to a thin, blonde white woman.

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: There's nothing wrong with cultural sensitivity

              @Valerion - Go and look how golliwogs have been used in literature - Enid Blyton in particular. If you are not offended and think that it's all great, that's fine however a lot of people are seriously offended.

              There was a Richard Herring's Objective on Radio 4 about the golliwog, I suggest you look it up. The program deals with the situation with humor, trying to rescue things which have been lost to us, or that are deemed offensive. The only one in two series that they have not been able to "rescue" was the golliwog, it just carried too much baggage.

          2. toadwarrior

            Re: There's nothing wrong with cultural sensitivity

            I'll defend them because a doll can't hurt anyone. Freedom of expression and art doesn't just apply to what some people like. Many people find violent video games to be obscene and offensive. Should we ban those? I guess frankie boyle should be hung for making a career out of being offensive.

            Btw, you can still find them for sale. Usually in rubbish areas. I saw them at great Yarmouth and ironically one of the shops selling them was operated by someone with brown skin. I think most people realise it's a relic from the past and don't really care about them. Especially if they can earn cash from it.

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: There's nothing wrong with cultural sensitivity

              If you think that a caricature can't hurt anyone, why do you suppose that they're used so often in propaganda?

              It may not be a case of seeing a golliwog and presuming that all the people represented by them are some silly comical stereotype, it's more subtle and pernicious than that. It's part of a slow drip, drip, drip eroding decent opinions and portraying "others" as not the same and not worth as much as "us". Were it to be an outright racist slogan, I would probably have less of a problem with it, you can see this and react against it, giving a child a toy which degrades others is much more damaging in the long run.

          3. Simon Harris

            Re: There's nothing wrong with cultural sensitivity

            Yes, I had one as a child in the 70s.

            I had one too back then. But in a (probably rather accidental) attempt at politically correct disability awareness, I think mine ended up with only one leg.

      2. aahjnnot

        Re: There's nothing wrong with cultural sensitivity

        Gollywogs (soft toys based loosely on exaggerated African stereotypes) were found in every child's bedroom in Britain 50 years ago but are now widely regarded as grossly offensive to the point where a broadcaster and daughter of a former prime minister recently lost her job for comparing an interviewee to one.

        1. Ken Hagan Gold badge

          Re: There's nothing wrong with cultural sensitivity

          I think it was always the comparison that was considered grossly offensive. The dolls just got caught in the cross-fire. That is, it was easier to remove all the dolls from society than remove all people who were wont to make offensive comparisons. (Perhaps the latter approach would probably have been better in the long term.)

        2. Woodgar

          Re: There's nothing wrong with cultural sensitivity

          The difference here is that people from Africa actually exist, and it can be demonstrated that the soft toys you mention are an offensive racial stereotype, whereas the offensive nature of the bitten apple only exists inside the heads of a few people who chose to find the image offensive, and as such has no basis in reality.

          1. Dire Criti¢

            Re: There's nothing wrong with cultural sensitivity

            Offence itself is purely in the heads of the offended. It exists nowhere else.

      3. Peter Storm

        Re: There's nothing wrong with cultural sensitivity

        "Cuddly toys are offensive in the UK"

        Yeah, the f**cking Generation Game has got a lot to answer for!

        1. Elmer Phud

          Re: There's nothing wrong with cultural sensitivity

          "Cuddly toys are offensive in the UK"

          Yeah, the f**cking Generation Game has got a lot to answer for!

          Is there an actual reason for Bruce ?

          Is he as old as God?

          No it's not a good game, now bugger off you creepy man!

      4. itzman

        Re: There's nothing wrong with cultural sensitivity

        He probably is thinking of meercats.

      5. Dan 63

        Re: There's nothing wrong with cultural sensitivity

        Apparently so. Not long ago a lady was in bother because she sat her cuddly gollywog on the window sill and someone whinged about it.

    3. Chris Harrison
      WTF?

      Re: There's nothing wrong with cultural sensitivity

      There's a apple in my fruit bowl right now. Better not take a bite out of it in case a christian is walking passed my window and see it.

      Cultural Sensitivity? Bollox - These people make a profession out of being offended.

      If we adapt to everyone whose values are different then where does it end? Personally I'm offended by women having to walk down the street dressed as ninjas in case I can't control myself and jump them, I don't see Islam bending over to not offend me?

    4. Gav
      Holmes

      Re: There's nothing wrong with cultural sensitivity

      This is not Russian cultural sensitivity, this is a small sub-culture of Russia.

      In all cultures, UK and Russia included, you'll find some bunch of loons who'll invent something to be offended by any logo you wish to use. Part of what binds these sub-cultures together is the idea that the rest of society is on a secret mission to annoy and persecute them. So they're often eager to find "evidence" of this.

      Fortunately for the rest of society we are allowed to ignore them. Pandering to their disillusion only encourages them to up the stakes on the next "offence".

    5. PassiveSmoking
      Thumb Down

      Re: There's nothing wrong with cultural sensitivity

      There's a world of difference between respecting cultural norms, and kowtowing to a bunch of loudmouth looney fanatics because they have sand in their manjinas over a symbolic representation of a piece of fruit.

      If religious people would only grow the hell up I might not hold them in such contempt.

    6. LaeMing
      Thumb Down

      Re: Just adapt to people whose values are different from your own.

      Hmmm. FSM forbid that they have to adapt to anyone else, no: it is always the majority that has to adapt to the obnoxiously loud minority.

    7. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: There's nothing wrong with cultural sensitivity

      And yet here in Australia they still sell Coon cheese*.

      * Named after Edward W. Coon (1871–1934)

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Was it an apple?

    I hate to be on the side of Apple, and I may be wrong (I am an atheist) but I seem to remember being taught that there was no mention of an apple being the fruit, and that there are various theories about what the fruit was (fig, olive, grape, pomegranate...) but nothing conclusive.

    I guess early Christians were just rather unimaginative, picking apples of all things, and that has compounded over the years to produce these mental Russian ones.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Was it an apple?

      Probably banana (given the shape)

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Was it an apple?

        I'm sure someone will take Comfort in that comment. :)

        1. Peter Johnstone
          Facepalm

          Re: Was it an apple?

          "I'm sure someone will take Comfort in that comment. :)"

          Maybe that someone is this guy: Ray Comfort AKA Banana man.

          D'oh icon because, well, watch the video and you'll see why.

    2. Tweetiepooh

      Re: Was it an apple?

      I thought that the apple came about because European artists knew the tree and how to paint it.

      The Bible does not mention what fruit it was.

  11. hplasm
    WTF?

    Russia

    First the fall of Communism, next the fall of IQ.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Russia

      Looking at the state of religion in the USA, fundamentalism is the religion of the Free Market - i.e. in the FM, one idea is as good as another until more people invest more money in it. Science is the exact opposite - if a few tens of people agree with the theory of Evolution and a few millions don't, the free market says Evolution is bunk, and Science asks who has the best evidence.

      The amazing thing about Paul Broun is how few people are demanding his recall, not how many.

      1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
        Holmes

        Re: Russia

        > Implying that the USA or Russia have a "free market"

        > Implying that the end result of capitalism is Saudi Arabia

        > Implying that "Science" is pure and unadulterated and a grounding force. Lyssenko or Nazi doctors may want to chat with you.

        > Implying that anyone even knows who Paul Broun is or that people are bothered by the crud they elect.

        Really now.

        Someone once said with a bit too much flourish:

        "Capitalism demands the best of every man — his rationality — and rewards him accordingly. It leaves every man free to choose the work he likes, to specialize in it, to trade his product for the products of others, and to go as far on the road of achievement as his ability and ambition will carry him. His success depends on the objective value of his work and on the rationality of those who recognize that value. When men are free to trade, with reason and reality as their only arbiter, when no man may use physical force to extort the consent of another, it is the best product and the best judgment that win in every field of human endeavor, and raise the standard of living—and of thought—ever higher for all those who take part in mankind’s productive activity. ....

        In this complex pattern of human co-operation, two key figures act as the twin-motors of progress, the integrators of the entire system, the transmission belts that carry the achievements of the best minds to every level of society: the intellectual and the businessman. ....

        It is on this fundamental division of labor and of responsibility that the intellectual has defaulted. His twin brother, the businessman, has done a superlative job and has brought men to an unprecedented material prosperity. But the intellectual has sold him out, has betrayed their common source, has failed in his own job and has brought men to spiritual bankruptcy. The businessman has raised men’s standard of living—but the intellectual has dropped men’s standard of thought to the level of an impotent savage."

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Russia

          Anyone who has to quote Ayn Rand as evidence of anything has already lost the argument. For the invalidity of the quote, you just have to look around you and then tell me where in the world " men are free to trade, with reason and reality as their only arbiter, when no man may use physical force to extort the consent of another"

          The "Free Market" is as big a fairytale as "true Communism" or "real Christianity". It's an ideology used as a fig leaf for very nasty goings on. As was discovered by Ayn Rand when it dumped her to survive on the Government handouts she railed against.

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          @Destroy all Monsters

          ">implying"-ing + Godwin + Ayn Rand = downvoted

  12. Crisp
    FAIL

    It's a sad day for religion

    When gods need protection under the law. It used to be that gods would just hurl a lightning bolt and smite people they didn't like. It seems that todays modern god prefers to hurl lawyers instead.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: It's a sad day for religion

      Read the Bible. Basically that's how it works: the Scribes and the Pharisees were just different breeds of lawyers and Jesus was dispatched "judicially".

      I think Terry Pratchett has a joke somewhere that gods can't really aim lightning very well, so when someone gets hit they just announce "See what happened to the sinner!"

      1. edge_e
        Stop

        Re: It's a sad day for religion

        Who downvoted a Pratchet reference?

        1. Ken Hagan Gold badge

          Re: It's a sad day for religion

          Someone who has just been told that the gods have a very poor aim?

    2. Gav
      Mushroom

      Re: It's a sad day for religion

      I'm fine with them hurling lawyers. At least that way the fallacies of their argument can be held up for proper ridicule.

      Better lawyers than zealots with sticks/stones/guns/bombs.

      1. John Bailey

        Re: It's a sad day for religion

        How about we hurl the lawyers at the zealots?

        Hurl fast enough, and two problems solved.

      2. cortland

        Re: It's a sad day for religion

        Trebuchet (also see "Lawyer Hurling"): A way to dispose of legal professionals; a mechanical writ.

    3. cortland

      Re: It's a sad day for religion

      Well, you see, as the god of Mono island admitted, lightning was so hard to steer that most of the gods just waited until lightning hit some poor fool then said he was a sinner.

  13. Crisp

    "it seems to be a genuine concern for these believers"

    Believers are genuinely concerned about a lot of things.

    Most of it doesn't exist though, and so doesn't affect the rest of us.

  14. Alistair MacRae

    How about the cross

    There's people going round with a symbol of a man being tortured to death all over the place. Not appropriate for public viewing surely?

    1. This post has been deleted by its author

      1. badmonkey
        Angel

        Re: How about the cross

        >>> It's a warning about the abuse of state power (in an unsustainable empire) against people who advocate sharing, being nice, and other "socialist" ideas.

        Is it? Are you sure? Because I don't think that's the answer you'll get from any Christian, unless it's a liberal priest playing word games.

        It is a symbol of Christ's sacrifice, which brought about the redemption of mankind. Of course a thoroughly repellant and immoral concept: the idea that vicarious redemption by way of the brutal torture and murder of a 3rd party is somehow an ethical precept.

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo82sgrSAYg

        No, we can see it for the primitive and dark reminder of human sacrifice that the Christians themselves confirm it to be.

        Either that, or it's a reminder not to trust them damn dirty Christ killing Jews, one of the two.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: How about the cross

        So unsustainable it only went on for another 400 years in the west and another 1000 or so in the east.

        Do they teach no history in schools these days?

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: How about the cross

          Yes but it had already jumped the shark.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: How about the cross

            Er the western Roman Empire peaked nearly two hundred years after the supposed birth of Christ. You might want to go look up the Pax Romana.

    2. hplasm
      Thumb Up

      Re: How about the cross

      Torture Porn laws?

      1. Anonymous Coward 15
        Childcatcher

        Re: How about the cross

        Probably only counts as porn if you're into http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Family_International#Loving_Jesus

  15. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Hmm...

    It's worth pointing out that the blasphemy law in Russia is a lot more complicated than what it, on the surface, appears to be. The Putin government (regime?) have looked to manipulate the church as a means of gaining control which was lost when communism fell. The whole Pussy Riot thing sums it up in a nutshell, from the outside a fairly poor band break into a church and protest. From the inside, they protest in one of the most sensitive churches and against a still popular a controlling leader.

    Anyway, as a Christian, I'd just like to say: Apple logo, offensive? WTF?

    1. badmonkey
      WTF?

      Re: Hmm...

      Bullshit. The Church is being manipulated by the Kremlin? You must be joking. How about they're both in it up their eyeballs, a symbiotic relationship of Church and State if there was ever one. Don't apologize for the appalling actions of your fellow faithful sheep. The Russian Orthodoxy has been aching for a chance to get back on the horse, and now - it's true with the full and mutual support of Putin and his cronies - they see their opportunity.

      If Russia passes the anti-blasphemy law they're talking about, it shall have to be said that the country is properly fucked and will be for rather longer than the post-Soviet Glasnost had given hope for. It could already easily be said on the evidence of the appalling judicial result of the Pussy Riot case.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Hmm...

        @Badmonkey - You could go away and learn even the tiniest bit of Russian history before joining in, you know...

        I'm not apologising for the actions, I find them offensive, but it's not by a long shot every Christian in Russia and it's not as simple as is portrayed, there is a lot more going on here.

        1. badmonkey

          Re: Hmm...

          Maybe you could go away and come to the realization, in your own time of course, that holding religious faith in the face of the opportunities of modern education is really a rather inexcusable failure of intellect for anyone that's not completely stupid these days.

          And that doing so, despite all evidence and reasoning that confronts you, is likely to lead to apologist bullshit in support of the usual suspects operating in the shadows of the churches in times and places they feel they can get away with it. Like the UK of old and, it would seem, Putinist Russia.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Hmm...

            "Maybe you could go away and come to the realization, in your own time of course, that holding religious faith in the face of the opportunities of modern education is really a rather inexcusable failure of intellect for anyone that's not completely stupid these days."

            I'd like to see the TV programme where badmonkey dukes it out with Julia Neuberger, Rowan Williams, Jo Bell-Burnell, and the Dalai Lama. It's a pity Edward Said is dead, he'd have made a good addition.

            There's religion and religion. And the problem with blanket absolutist statements is that they just tend to demonstrate that the person making them doesn't know as much about the world has he thinks he does.

            1. badmonkey

              Re: Hmm...

              Where do I sign up?

              >>> There's religion and religion.

              That's true. And my rhetoric is absolutist it's also true. I am attacking our friendly AC Christian's sneaky attempts to blame the Putinist thugs and their politics, trying to cleverly shift the responsibility away from his or her godly colleagues in the east where it properly lies in an entangled mess of hypocrisy, corruption, ignorance and superstition, and a continually unfortunate apathy on the part of the Russian people.

          2. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Hmm...

            Is that the best you can do? A pathetic ad-hominim attack that runs along the lines of "You're not that smart, you could have been educated, but you're not, that's why you're a Christian."

            Pathetic and ironic that you can't argue better, what with your claimed position of superior education.

      2. cortland

        Re: Hmm...

        Say "incestuous."

  16. The New Turtle

    I had always assumed the logo was deliberately chosen to resonate with the image of acquiring forbidden knowledge in Genesis. It would be something of a leap to view it as anti-Christian, although some will consider the use of religious symbology by anyone other than themselves 'blasphemy'.

    As for those protesting about the use of a crucifix, you're coming off just like the very people you object to.

    1. DavCrav

      "As for those protesting about the use of a crucifix, you're coming off just like the very people you object to."

      That's the point. It's using irony to demonstrate hypocrisy.

      1. Anonymous Coward 15
        Joke

        Irony?

        I thought it was made of wood.

    2. Ken Hagan Gold badge

      @The New Turtle

      For my part, I'd always assumed that it was just a picture of an apple. Y'know, having just called his company Apple Computer Co, for want of a unique name, he then chooses a picture of an apple as the logo because, well what else is he going to use? Taking a bite out of it was as far as his imagination went in that department. Frankly he had more important areas in which to direct his creative energy.

    3. Fred Goldstein

      An apple with a bite out of it looks more striking than an unbitten one; it's a great logo. Apple's first logo was a picture of Isaac Newton sitting under the tree, but it was rather too elaborate.

      I doubt they had any offense at western religion in mind. Steve Jobs was Buddhist, after all, not one to think much about Genesis.

  17. aahjnnot

    I forgot... our own culture is the only True Way

    I'm depressed but not surprised to be the only poster who thinks that respecting other cultures is a good starting point. How would we in the sophisticated West respond to a company that used a Swastika as a logo? Or one that reinvented an ancient fertility symbol of an erect human member engaging with a bull? Or one that put a picture of a naked child on its products.

    Any of these images would be very likely to breach the law in the UK, but have been regarded as completely acceptable by other people in different places at different times. But I don't hear outraged voices accusing our government of outrageous censorship.

    Oh, wait... I forgot. Our culture is the Only True Way. All other cultures are primitive and deserve nothing but mockery, contempt and, possibly, description by a bemused anthropologist,

    1. DavCrav

      Re: I forgot... our own culture is the only True Way

      "How would we in the sophisticated West respond to a company that used a Swastika as a logo?"

      You should probably look that one up. It's widely used in India. If you are thinking of the Hakenkreuz, on the other hand...

    2. edge_e
      FAIL

      Re: I forgot... our own culture is the only True Way

      But I don't hear outraged voices accusing our government of outrageous censorship.

      Listen harder, they're there.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I forgot... our own culture is the only True Way

      >a company that used a Swastika as a logo?

      You're not referring to the old Windows logo, are you? Just askin'.

    4. badmonkey
      Angel

      Re: I forgot... our own culture is the only True Way

      >>> How would we in the sophisticated West respond to a company that used a Swastika as a logo

      If you mean the Nazi version, then, ummn, I suppose most would react in a way that would be appropriate for the use of a symbol of the Third Reich National Socialists and their associated crimes, the history of which is well known and still well remembered by some.

      As opposed to a bite out of an apple which may or may not refer to a superstitious creation myth, which involves an unspecified type of fruit in a fantasy book written 2500 years ago by disparate and contradicting authors the content of which which has no basis in reality, you mean?

    5. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I forgot... our own culture is the only True Way

      @aahjnnot: you're not the only one, it just gets to be rather trying here when you attempt to hold a position based on respect of others' culture. For all the protestations of being liberal (small l) and tolerant that commenters make here, it's depressing how often you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between reg and daily mail comments. Often I just don't bother.

  18. John G Imrie

    upcoming national legislation on blasphemy

    Will that protect other religions or just the messianic sect that broke from main stream Judaism around two thousand years ago.

    PS All hail the FSM, pasta be upon him.

    1. 404

      PS All hail the FSM, pasta be upon him...

      But is He gluten-free? Has to be gluten-free.... don't want to upset my stomach....

      ;)

      1. Tom 7

        Re: PS All hail the FSM, pasta be upon him...

        gluten intolerance is a sign of apostasy - you just have to believe harder - al dente at least.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: PS All hail the FSM, pasta be upon him...

          This is a pain. I'm going to have to go back to worshipping Cthulhu. Bread isn't on the menu.

  19. alexsumner
    Devil

    Apple leads good Christians astray...

    ... by getting them to use Apple Maps!

    Still, by the same token, no-one who wants to follow the Road To Hell will succeed in doing so.

    1. hplasm
      Happy

      Re: Apple leads good Christians astray...

      The Map reflects religion- it's a grey area.

  20. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    ".......make it illegal to insult religion in the country"

    W O W, Human beings can be severly mentally retarded!

    Passing this sort of law clearly demonstrates that those with sway also need treatment.

    Not a very good image to project to the rest of the world.

  21. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    It might be intentional. Remember the Apple 1 debuted for $666.66 back in the day! :)

  22. Bill Fresher

    Apparently there's a bite in the apple to stop it looking like a cherry.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      bite?

      Yes, but is it a bite? Maybe it fell off the tree and hit something, so is in fact dented. Doesn't look much like a bite really given the absence of teeth marks as such ...

      1. Bill Fresher

        Re: bite?

        The designer of the logo calls it a bite...

        http://creativebits.org/interview/interview_rob_janoff_designer_apple_logo

  23. rwbthatisme

    The Beatles better watch out

    All those beatles LP's have a spinny apple thingy in the middle, I think if you play them backwards they sound like yoko ono.

    1. Grivas Bo Diddly Harm

      Re: The Beatles better watch out

      "...if you play them backwards they sound like Yoko Ono."

      Now that IS evil.

  24. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    complainers not taking it the spirit as it is meant

    It seems to me that the apple image serves as a warning of original sin (in the same way as skull images in cemetaries as momento mori).

    To apply it to technological shinies should warn the faithful of the risks associated with following one heart's desire.

    1. Tanuki
      Stop

      Re: complainers not taking it the spirit as it is meant

      Apple products certainly provide Temptation and excite Lust in some weak-willed souls.

  25. Purlieu

    Cross

    Surely replacing them with a cross is just hypocritical, since they are using one religious symbol in a commercial way instead of another.

    Oh wait, religion and hypocrisy ..... etc ............

    1. Elmer Phud

      Re: Cross

      The Turtle Moves (capitalisation is required to make it Important - like 'Truth' and 'Light' and 'Healing' ffs).

  26. NotMyRealName
    WTF?

    I'm shocked!

    "How would we in the sophisticated West respond to a company that used a Swastika as a logo? Or one that reinvented an ancient fertility symbol of an erect human member engaging with a bull? Or one that put a picture of a naked child on its products."

    Hmm. The 'swastika', albeit the other way round, is a centuries-old Bhuddist symbol for peace. Some folks, ignorant of history, take exception to it. As for ancient fertility symbols, reinvented or otherwise, how could anyone be offended? Unless, of course, they're ignorant of history. And the manufacturers of nappies routinely feature naked (well, apart from a proprietary nappy) children on their product packs and adverts.

    Amazing what some people can get needlessly riled up about. Me, I'm shocked and offended by all those nudes in art galleries. I demand that they be turned to the wall. Think of the children, please!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I'm shocked!

      Are you seriously suggesting that people should not remember the Nazis when they see a swastika? Really?

      Most people know it's a centuries old peace symbol, but Hitler did rather ruin that for everyone and the association with extermination camps and a truly terrible world war does rather stick in the mind.

      1. mickey mouse the fith

        Re: I'm shocked!

        Didnt the Nazi one have spokes that point towards earth whereas the origional peaceful one pointed skywards?

        Might have been the other way round, im to lazy to look it up.

  27. Ross K Silver badge
    Mushroom

    Isn't it ironic?

    A new law currently working its way through the Russian Parliament in the wake of the case of the Pussy Riot punk rock group would make it illegal to insult religion in the country

    In the space of 20 years, it's amazing how Russia went from being secular/communist to a country where speaking out against organised religion gets you time in chokey...

    Bible bashers of all persuasions can burn in their respective hells.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Isn't it ironic?

      They weren't protesting against organised religion, they were protesting about the re-election of Putin.

      And your last line... why? What have I done to offend you?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Isn't it ironic?

        'And your last line... why? What have I done to offend you?'

        A (presumed) non-believer telling a "bible-basher" to burn in their hell is clearly some kind of irony since they don't believe in the place anyway.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Isn't it ironic?

          The non believer might not believe in hell, but why wish such a thing on someone who does believe?

      2. Ross K Silver badge
        FAIL

        Re: Isn't it ironic?

        They weren't protesting against organised religion, they were protesting about the re-election of Putin.

        And your last line... why? What have I done to offend you?

        Let me go at that again. First the Reg said: A new law currently working its way through the Russian Parliament in the wake of the case of the Pussy Riot punk rock group would make it illegal to insult religion in the country

        So then I said: In the space of 20 years, it's amazing how Russia went from being secular/communist to a country where speaking out against organised religion gets you time in chokey...

        So it can be clearly seen that I didn't mention Pussy Riot, the Reg did.

        To be perfectly bloody honest I'm offended by people proclaiming to be offended because someone slagged off their God/multi-armed elephant/Allah/whatever.

        I wish someone would invent a law to spare my feelings from you lot.

        Not everyone shares your views - get over it.

    2. Robert Helpmann??
      Childcatcher

      Re: Isn't it ironic?

      "The band's members ... insisted that their protest was political rather than religious in its nature."

      Since when is religion not political? This law and its application is certainly not about religious beliefs, per se, only the creation of another tool for use by those in power to maintain that power.

  28. Naughtyhorse

    so can we expect

    the church being dragged through the courts for copying images used by apple in that there book of theirs (OMFG!!111!!!! is that the same book as in macbook???) multi billion settlement on its way.

  29. envmod

    So yeah, The Bible never even mentions an apple but even if it did - how can something that is IN THE CHRISTIAN BIBLE (ie the idea/story of Original Sin) be insulting to the Christian faith?? They're basically saying that The Bible is insulting - I mean, I happen to agree about that, but I think these people have not thought their argument through.

  30. TimNevins
    Devil

    Case closed

    "The Apple 1, one of only a handful still in working condition, originally sold for $666.66"

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/06/15/apple_1_auction_sothebys/

    Forbidden knowledge always comes with a price tag.

    No guessing who Steve turned to for a 'little' help.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Case closed

      So it was about two thirds off the number of the beast then?

      WOOOOO!

  31. Mark Reed
    Coat

    Prior Art?

    It all depends if the patent office has a record of the first biting of an apple, and who filed it.

  32. badmonkey
    Devil

    In other news

    Fuck me, I just found my first reason ever to buy an Apple product!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: In other news

      I thought the entire reason that men under thirty bought Apple products was the idea that the cool shiny thing would make women want to have their babies.

      1. badmonkey
        Mushroom

        Re: In other news

        No, apparently it's to piss off Christians.

        My whole world view is rocked.

    2. Witts
      FAIL

      Re: In other news

      Says plenty about you if you're willing to go to such extremes just to piss people off :|

  33. Keep Refrigerated
    Stop

    I call bullshit

    If we were talking about Bible-belt America, I'd believe it. But I'd expect orthodox christians to be not only a little more smarter, a little more nuanced... I wouldn't expect them to get caught up in trivialities - especially those that don't actually feature in biblical semiotics.

    I suspect that this is an anti-orthodox campaign made to look like it's the orthodox church doing it whilst invoking Poe's law. Could be protestors, rival mobile makers, Apple marketing strategy, anti-theist activists or just trolls.

    To convey how ludicrous it sounds to an actual Christian; imagine Apple suing Samsung for copying the iPhone's ability to load a custom rom - it just doesn't make sense and is technically not supported by an facts.

    1. badmonkey

      Re: I call bullshit

      Well I'd say it could be an Apple effort at viral or astroturf campaigning.

      But don't underestimate just how stupid and ignorant the religious can be. Some of them really do believe this crap you know. And if you call yourself Orthodox, you're serious about it.

  34. thegrouch
    Thumb Down

    I just don't get religion

    I'm at a loss to understand why folk base all their beliefs on a book of legends, translated from different languages multiple times. In the Bible it states that those without beards should be put to death and that your children can be sold as slaves. You'd be hard put to find a Christian who supports those views but the bit about men not 'lying' with other men has to be adhered to without question. It's all hypocritical bullshit, all of it.

    I'm of the opinion that religion has done nothing to benefit the world at all, it has stunted our development as a species, been responsible for millions of deaths and even today is the cause of more conflict than any border dispute or sabre rattling. It's used as an excuse across the world to bring death and despair, the repression of women and persecution of minorities. I'm heartily sick of it, this apple bitten bollocks is just another example of why we're going backwards not forwards.

    1. Peter Johnstone
      Thumb Up

      Re: I just don't get religion

      @thegrouch

      This guy says it best; Matt Dillahunty.

    2. Witts

      Re: I just don't get religion

      And here was me thinking wars were primarily started due to land grab/commodity/natural resources, just as they were before the bible was even written...

  35. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Promotion.

    If we are born with original sin then we cannot choose to have or not to have it. We cannot commit more original sin, nor can we commit less of it.

    Therefore the concept of "promotion" of it is meaningless as there is no decision to be made.

    I would push it a little further and say that if there is something we have no control over like this then god is being a bit churlish if we wind up getting punished for it.

  36. Midnight

    If it's illegal to insult a religion in Russia, then I would think the Church of Jobs may have a few things to say about this.

  37. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Now you know why...

    ...the world has so many problems and wars. Religious nutcakes who see all sorts of things that don't actually exist.

  38. Steve Martins

    Why are you offended?

    It seems some people go out of their way to find things that offend them, or don't adhere to their view of the world. If you feel offended by something, as yourself this: is your faith or belief so weak that it is so easily threatened by such things? if so I suggest either you grow a pair and accept we all need a thick skin in life, such that we can coexist, or give up the religion you clearly have so little faith in that you need a government to defend your position.

    All i've ever asked of people who hold strong beliefs is acceptance and tolerance of those whose views of the world differ from yours, If your faith is strong this will be easy for you, if it is weak you will feel the need to attack those who don't agree with you.

  39. John Armstrong-Millar
    Happy

    The mark of the Beast

    Wow! who knew.. maybe it's not 666 after all ..

  40. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    But everybody knows that Steve Jobs was the snake that coaxed Eve to buy Apple products.

  41. mickey mouse the fith

    God is love, SMITE THE UNBELIEVERS, ALL OF THEM......

    Wtf is wrong with these stupid people?

    And why worship a deity who has promised to fuck us all up good n proper come the last chapter of his `training manual`?

    Anyone who see`s the bible as anything other than a set of parables and rules to keep a primative society`s ignorant populace in check is rather deluded.

    It was (is) also handy for giving believers an excuse to murder, rob and subjigate anyone they didnt like without any comeback or guilt.

  42. Martin Budden Silver badge
    Go

    What an awesome law that would be!

    "A new law currently working its way through the Russian Parliament in the wake of the case of the Pussy Riot punk rock group would make it illegal to insult religion in the country"

    Fantastic! I could invent a new religion and get anything I wanted banned!

    I might start by banning sobriety.

  43. cortland

    *Duplicate* sin; it's like duplicate Bridge, but more fun. Over too fast, though. Sigh.

  44. Winkypop Silver badge
    Trollface

    Blasphemy!

    The victimless crime.

  45. Anonymous Coward
    Devil

    Radical Christians?

    "Seemingly emboldened by upcoming national legislation on blasphemy, Russian Orthodox Christians have defaced the logos on Apple products"

    I don't see the connection between those two events ..

    "Pussy Riot band .. members staged an anti-Kremlin protest in Moscow's main cathedral"

    Why didn't they protest in the Kremlin, what has chicken molestation got to do with politics? Now if she had tried to insert the chicken into Putin, that would have been something to see ...

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