Religion Complicates Things For McDonalds

McDonalds has been around for ages. I grew up eating burgers filled with trans fats, and those mutilated chicken flesh they call McNuggets.

I remember when my parents refuse to take me to the golden arches, I would sit down on the pavement to cry and throw tantrums. I end up getting what I want that way. I was a brat.

But McDonalds seems to be a having a sort of like a fast food hiccup.

Singapore - Fast-food giant McDonald's on Friday apologized to Singaporeans and said it would bring a pig to its latest toy collection after the decision to leave the animal out stirred a controversy in the Chinese-dominated city-state.

Just ahead of the Chinese New Year in mid-February, McDonald's had released a set of 12 soft toys representing the animals of the Chinese zodiac calendar.

However, the fast-food chain left out the pig and replaced it with the love god cupid as Valentine's Day also falls in February, arguing that the company did not want to offend Muslims.

But the decision raised protests among Chinese Singaporeans who argued on internet forums that it would not make sense to collect the toys without the pig included because it was part of Chinese culture.

I visited the McDonalds India web site and saw some very fascinating stuff. From veggie burgers, to salsa wraps. McDonalds in India does not serve hamburgers with a quarter pound patties. As opposed to western culture where the cow is considered as nothing better than walking hamburgers, in India, they are sacred animals. They are pampered, and they can roam the streets as much as they want. Although they are not worshiped like gods, they are respected and sometimes sheltered in magnificent temples.

But, I wonder. Does the Indian people know how many cow McDonalds slaughter every year? That would really turn their stomach.

Speaking of hamburgers, you might want to try this game. It’s not recommended for Indian readers.