Designer denies ped xing God imagery

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- The Swedish designer of a symbol that shows pedestrians where to push a button for a walk sign said he was angered by implications of religious imagery.

Kenneth Osterlin said his design for the upward-pointing finger was meant only to refer to where the button to change the signal resides, and not a reference to God as claimed by the manufacturer, Prisma Teknik AB, The Local reported Friday.

"To make the conclusion that the finger is pointing to God is pretty far-fetched. It is pointing that way in order to direct people as to where to push the button," Osterlin said in a written statement.

His statement came after Prisma Teknik, which manufactures the signal boxes and pointing finger symbols for pedestrian crossings in Sweden, Ireland, Austria, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Finland, Belgium, Israel, the United States and other countries, said the symbol is a reference to God.

"We want to show that there is only one way to reach God and that is up and through Jesus," said Jan Lund, chief executive of the company.