And the Indian government weighed in on the side of Hindus.
But Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) is unrepentant, saying it never intended to offend anyone with its campaign launched this month.
The ads have actors portraying Jesus, the Hindu god Ganesh, scientology founder Ron Hubbard, Buddha and others sitting at a table and tucking into Australian lamb.
One scene depicts Jesus turning the Greek goddess of love Aphrodite’s glass of wine back into water after she tells him she will be driving.
Australian Anglicans have joined Hindu organisations in Australia in criticising the advertising.
Even the theologically expansive head of the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne, Bishop Philip Huggins, says the MLA campaign is “cleverly disrespectful” and that many Anglicans share the disappointment and anger of the Hindu community.
“[The ad draws on the narrative of] Jesus at the last supper before his crucifixion and then resurrection; it seems to be using that wonderful, deep and mystical event as something they are just appropriating to their sell their sheep,” he told SBS World News.
Huggins says he’d had extensive feedback from the community that people were “hurt” and that the ad was ready to ridicule people’s religion just to make a profit and promote eating more lamb than cows, pigs or chickens.
“The advertisement is cleverly disrespectful. It seems that for an ad to stand out there has to be some bizarre or shocking component. Otherwise the fear is it will not be noticed,” he says.
Hindu Council of Australia spokesperson Balesh Dhankhar said they were “very hurt and angry about this ad campaign because the Hindu community cannot imagine their deity, Lord Ganesh in this case, eating meat,” he told SBS World News.
Dhankhar said most people who follow Hinduism were vegetarians and seeing Lord Ganesh in this manner was “very insulting”.
But Meat and Livestock Australia said it had never intended to offend anyone with its new campaign.
“Lamb is the meat that brings people together. Our ‘You Never Lamb Alone’ campaigns have promoted the value of unity and inclusivity. This latest campaign instalment is no different,” MLA group marketing manager Andrew Howie says.
Howie says the new campaign continues under the ‘You Never Lamb Alone’ banner and this time around shows that no matter what your beliefs, background or persuasion are, the one thing we can all come together and unite over is lamb.
