Last week, Microsoft released their new advertisement for the holiday season. The video was meant to call for the celebration of Christmas season. However, some viewers say the company intentionally omitted God in a song performed in their latest holiday ad.
The tech giant used the popular song "Let There Be Peace on Earth" in the video, performed by Microsoft employees and a children's choir. Interestingly, it was presented in front of an Apple Store.
The video hints that even though the Microsoft and Apple have been long-time rivals in the tech industry, Christmas is the perfect season to give love to each other.
However, the rendition of their song omitted the line that calls to God. Some Christians it took as another "War on Christmas."
The ad omitted the line "With God as our Father, brothers all are we / Let me walk with my brother in perfect harmony."
Instead, the singers jumped from the line "the peace that was meant to be" to the line "Let peace begin with me," which proceeds to the next verse.
In a video description, it says Microsoft employees, who selected from different parts of the country, met for the first time to "celebrate the holidays" and "spread some holiday wishes."
Microsoft's Christmas video was uploaded on Dec. 1 to YouTube. It also appears occasionally in ads in other videos on the YouTube site.
As of 2:00 am this morning, the Youtube video garnered 1,529,028 views, as well as more than 3,600 likes, but also has more than 150 dislikes. By looking at the comment section, most viewers denounce the omission of the song's religious aspect.
"Instead of cutting God out of this song, couldn't you have just used a different song?" Youtube user MsJapanino said.
"GOD was blatantly omitted from this song for the commercial. Highly disappointed," Jane Moore, another Youtube viewer, said in the comment section. Her comment received a couple of replies from other viewers, saying they also want to point out the deleted line of the song.
"Let There be Peace on Earth" was written by Jill Jackson-Miller, together with her husband Sy Miller, in 1955. Jill worked on the lyrics while her husband composed the melody. The song is widely used and performed across the United States. It also appeared in some hymnals.
Previously, we reported on Starbucks' alleged "War on Christmas." The controversy brewed when the coffee shop revealed their annual "red cup," which was meant to signify that the holiday season is coming.
From Christmas symbols, this year's design is simplistic. It only features the famous mermaid logo of the coffee shop and dark cranberry background color.
"Starbucks removed Christmas from their cups because they hate Jesus," said Joshua Feuerstein, a former television and radio evangelist with more than 1.8 million followers on Facebook.
