It all started off with the reversal of the Swiss flag: the red cross on a white background. This was seen as a religious symbol by many, though - in particular Islamic countries said it reminded them of the crusaders and used a red crescent instead. These two symbols became internationally recognised as providing protection for personnel under the Geneva conventions.
But although Christianity and Islam the world's two most popular religions, there were parties who didn't like either symbol. One such was Israel, where medical rescue groups used a red star of David. The symbol never became officially recognised, though, because (1) the red cross association feared that proliferation of symbols would make them more difficult to remember, and adding any symbol would create a precedent which could lead to hundreds more being requested by countries with different religions/ideologies and (2) because Arab states would be insulted by their enemy's national symbol receiving such recognition.
So the association cut through the mess by introducing a third, last, neutral symbol: the red crystal, or red-square-rotated-45-degrees as it isn't generally known. Like the others, this symbol provides protection internationally, and within their borders, any country is free to place their own symbols inside the crystal.
Now that this option is available, do you think that countries which have separation between religion and state should adopt it instead of the cross or crescent?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5104680.stm
But although Christianity and Islam the world's two most popular religions, there were parties who didn't like either symbol. One such was Israel, where medical rescue groups used a red star of David. The symbol never became officially recognised, though, because (1) the red cross association feared that proliferation of symbols would make them more difficult to remember, and adding any symbol would create a precedent which could lead to hundreds more being requested by countries with different religions/ideologies and (2) because Arab states would be insulted by their enemy's national symbol receiving such recognition.
So the association cut through the mess by introducing a third, last, neutral symbol: the red crystal, or red-square-rotated-45-degrees as it isn't generally known. Like the others, this symbol provides protection internationally, and within their borders, any country is free to place their own symbols inside the crystal.
Now that this option is available, do you think that countries which have separation between religion and state should adopt it instead of the cross or crescent?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5104680.stm
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