Facebook will not be adding any Christian-themed emojis, such as a cross, even though several Christian groups have been demanding one ever since the social media giant temporarily added a rainbow-flag, gay pride emoji last month.
As The Metro reports , Facebook got thrown into the contentious social issue of LGBTQ rights on June 9, when the social media outlet temporarily added a rainbow-flag emoji, meant to exemplify the gay rights movement. The temporary emoji was intended to “celebrate love and diversity,” according to its creators. What’s more, it was temporary; it is no longer one of the reaction options available on Facebook.
At the time, the flag emoji was met with hostility from some Christians, who wondered aloud why the social media company would allow a button that seemingly made an anti-Christian statement (at least, according to those Christians who believe that being LGBTQ is a sin).
In fact, as the The Inquisitr reported at the time, one Facebook group — Warriors For Christ — was so upset over the gay pride emoji that it threatened to ban anyone who used the emoji on their page.
However, user Hikmat Hanna took things a step further: on June 24, Hanna created and posted his own meme, asking Facebook to add a cross emoji. That meme was then picked up and shared by Arizona-based evangelist Joshua Feuerstein. Feuerstein shared the image with his own followers — all two million of them.
https://www.facebook.com/joshua.feuerstein.5/posts/1060498464052835:0
However, as you’ve probably guessed from the title of this article, Facebook is having none of that. In an email to Huffington Post , a Facebook spokesperson said that there is no cross emoji , or any other kind of Christian-themed emoji, coming to the social media platform anytime soon.
“This reaction is not actually available on Facebook, and is not something we’re working on.”
However, as Gizmodo explains, there are far more emoji options for Facebook users than just the six — Like, Love, Haha, Wow, Sad, and Angry — that are available now. All you have to do is use either Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox for your web browser. Then, install the Reaction Pack add-on (or extension), go to Reaction Pack’s website, and download the ones you want. You can choose from Game of Thrones -themed emojis, Pokemon-themed emojis, or even Donald-Trump themed emojis.
Or, you can create your own — including one with a cross. The downside to creating your own cross emoji is that it will have to take the place of an existing reaction icon, such as Love or Wow; you can’t add a seventh “cross” reaction.
Do you think Facebook should install a cross reaction emoji? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
[Featured Image by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images]
