I wear a cross and would be quite put out if someone said that by doing so, I was supporting a cult. It is a part of my faith.

If someone wants to wear a Ganesh pendant, then let them. Why should the advertising agency have the right to decide which religion is ok and which is a cult.

If authorities are going to ban one religious symbol, they should ban them all. Or better yet, they should be tolerant of all religious symbols. Freedom of religion is a basic human right.

Wearing a Ganesh pendant is absolutely the equivalent of a Christian wearing a cross or crucifix. Of course, I've never seen a tv ad for religious jewelry in my area.

It outrageous that civilized western country would participate in blatant discrimination.

Well given that Ganesh is a well known deity in the Hindu Pantheon, I would agree that it is comparable to religious symbols in Christianity.

If you believe in Ganesha as a spiritual entity that will protect you and remove obstacles in your life, that's simply just Hinduism. But if you believe that wearing some pendant is going to make your life any better, you are simpleminded and superstitious. Please Yoga Journal, there is censorship in advertising and then there is making a big deal about something truly inane. Why waste your readers' time with this tidbit of information as something truly important, and especially important to those who study Yoga? For those who want to know more about this article, they should visit the ASA website and do a keyword search under Adjudications for: Ganesh Rudraksh and they will learn far more than the Yoga Journal website chooses to inform its readers. The URL to visit:

http://www.asa.org.uk/asa/adjudications/Public/TF_ADJ_43989.htm

Please choose to inform yourselves when it comes to news media of any sort, as most are wanting in information, much as Yoga Journal has just done to my dismay.

I understand the ad was aired on an Indian channel whose targeted audience was mostly of Indian decent. It is ridiculous that they banned the ad based on the conclusion that it encouraged 'occultism'. I think wearing a Ganesh pendant is comparable to Christians wearing a cross, if the person wearing it knows the meaning behind it. Since the targeted audience are of Indian descent or people that are familiar with it, I would think they are already familiar with the subject and it’s up to them whether they want to believe it or not.

I really don't mean to make my comments about religion but I am a Hindu and I wear a Ganesh pendant sometimes because it is sacred to me. I respect a Christian wearing a cross and a Muslim wearing their sacred pendants as much as I respect a Hindu wearing a Ganesh pendant. If I were to wear a cross, I would wear it because it means something to me not because of some ad. I give people credit that they are smart enough to make rational decisions.

It is absurd that ASA is challenging the subject and is asking if there is scientific proof that the pendant wards of evil spirits. If a Christian says he/she wears a cross because it wards of evil spirits, as an educated person I am not going to question it and ask for scientific evidence. It’s her/his belief just as I have my own beliefs and I respect them. It is as simple as that.

The ASA objected to the ad because it promised to ward off evil spirits, not because it was an ad for a non-Christian object. If there was an ad for Christian crosses that told the public that these crosses would keep vampires away, it would be the same thing and hopefully the ASA would have the same reaction.

It is fundamental right of a human being what to wear and what not to wear.
Let the viewers decide what they want and what they dont need.
Why should Advertising Standards Authority interfere?
Ganesh pendant is not sex, violence or crime !
The Advertiser should go for a legal battle until they get justice.

I think that a lot of the people responding to this are missing the point. The ad was banned because they promised that the pendant would "ward off evil spirits". As I said before, selling crosses is OK. Promising that those crosses will ward off vampires is not. Selling Ganesh pendants is OK. Promising that those pendants will "ward off evil spirits" is not. The problem is the promise that a product will perform an occult task that cannot be substantiated, not the sale of the product.