Jeremiah 10:2

[jmwhalen]

http://start.earthlink.net/article/nat?gui...0325-1435835684

Chocolate Crosses Move Into Mainstream

March 25, 2005 10:21 AM EST

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A symbol of Christianity that sits atop church steeples, dangles from necks and hangs on walls is now ending up in the mouths of the faithful, over the objections of some religious officials.

A mass-produced chocolate cross is being sold this Easter by Russell Stover Candies Inc. in about 5,000 stores nationwide, which experts say is apparently a first for a major American company.

"Obviously they've seen that there's a market for chocolate crosses at Easter," said Lisbeth Echeandia, a consultant for Candy Information Service, which monitors candy industry trends. "I don't see it growing tremendously but I think there would be growth in the Christian market."

However, not all Christians are happy about it. Chomping on a chocolate cross can be offensive to some, said Joseph McAleer, a spokesman for the Roman Catholic diocese in Bridgeport, Conn.

"The cross should be venerated, not eaten, nor tossed casually in an Easter basket beside the jelly beans and marshmallow Peeps," he said. "It's insulting."

Nonetheless, Kansas City-based Russell Stover, the third-largest American chocolate manufacturer, said it is targeting some of the most devout Christians - Hispanic Americans.

Pangburn, which Russell Stover bought in 1999, has long had a hold in that market. The milk chocolate cross is about 6 inches high, adorned with a floral bouquet and filled with caramel made of goat's milk, popular in Mexico and Latin America. Its packaging features Spanish more prominently than English.

Russell Stover President Tom Ward doesn't expect the chocolate cross to overtake the chocolate bunny, but he does expect it to bring in new customers who "wouldn't buy rabbits."

"I think it's a market that's potentially overlooked," said chocolate expert Clay Gordon, who runs the chocolate Web site Chocophile.com.

Ward said Russell Stover considered making other traditional images out of chocolate but eventually opted not to.

"A molded Jesus, for example, would not be a good call and a cross with Jesus on it wouldn't be a good idea either," Ward said.

Copyright 2005 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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"...every man did that which was right in his own eyes." Judges 17:6, 21:25

"...flee from idolatry." 1 Corinthians 10:14

"...come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing...." 2 Corinthians 6:17

"...Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good." Romans 12:9

This is indeed an "...evil world...."(Galatians 1:4)- "...the days are evil...."(Ephesians 5:16).

In Christ,

John Whalen

[Ovedya]

I'd eat a chocolate cross.

[Trinity]

ill take 2 please

[yomotalking]

I don't know.....but I don't think it would be right, Christians eating it like an ordanary sweet, and not thinking:

"A cross symbolizes Christ's Death on the Cross to save ME. This symbolizes something reverent, and I'm just eating it like..........it's just another something made of chocolate"

But if someone offered me one, and as I LOVE chocolate.................

[Ovedya]

Yes, the cross symbolizes something very real to us. But we should always be careful not to lift that symbol up as something to be revered. That would constitute idolatry.

So for me to eat a symbol like that would have no affect. It can't be blasphemy because it's just a symbol - something that represents a spiritual reality to me. The Lord has died upon the cross - THAT'S the most important thing, and He has made all that He has accomplished and attained through His wonderful death and resurrection available to us in spirit. This should be our reality, not the symbol itself. See what I mean?

We have a song that we love to sing with the young people. Part of it goes like this:

"It's no statue that I call, not a picture on the wall, but a Person who lives His life within me."

The Lord Jesus is a real and living Person who is living within us. His desire is to be lived and expressed through us.

Now I'm not sure where I'm going with this point. I've suddenly lost my train of thought........

[bukeye2745]

IMO it's all idolatry. I choose not to take part at all. Not that I judge anyone who does, it's just not for me anymore.

Blessings,

Jen

[eric]

Well I love toasted hot cross buns and I'm a bit of a chocoholic,sooooo....yyyyyum.

eric.

[Ovedya]

Well I love toasted hot cross buns and I'm a bit of a chocoholic,sooooo....yyyyyum.

eric.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good point, actually! Historically people have baked crosses into loaves of bread for probably centuries. Check it out: http://www.stgeorgegreenville.org/Images/M...o-Images/17.jpg

[Yahsway]

Ovedya is right. They were baking hot cross buns many years before Yeshua was even born.

[Matthitjah]

Praise God,

What a wonderful way to spread the Message to a Nation that thinks it's about the Rabbit.

I heard this morning on Fox that people are thinking of changing the Easter Bunny to the Holiday Rabbit?

Peace,

Dave