British Teacher Faces 40 Lashes for Naming Class Teddy Bear 'Muhammad'

news.bbc.co.uk...

not being released yet. it was only one set of parents who complained, and it was a kid in the class who named that bear after himself.

the school she teaches at has been closed for the year.

all over a freakin' teddy bear... shoulda named him osama the bear, hmm?

Originally posted by planetfall
news.bbc.co.uk...

not being released yet. it was only one set of parents who complained, and it was a kid in the class who named that bear after himself.

the school she teaches at has been closed for the year.

all over a freakin' teddy bear... shoulda named him osama the bear, hmm?

news.bbc.co.uk...

The Sudan Embassy in London said the situation was a "storm in a teacup", based on a cultural misunderstanding.

If it just a "storm in a teacup" why are some people pushing for harsh punishments and why does she need to be kept in custody?

Also, we shouldn't have told Brits to be more cautious in Sudan apparently. Surely helping to make people 100% sure that they know the law of the land is not a bad thing. Is it really that much of a diplomatic slight?!

www.guardian.co.uk...

The Sudanese foreign ministry today downplayed the significance of a British teacher facing blasphemy charges for supposedly insulting Islam.

In the first official comment on the case that threatens to become a diplomatic row, a foreign ministry spokesman, Ali al-Sadeq, said the case of a "teacher's misconduct against the Islamic faith" should not have provoked a British government caution to its citizens in Sudan.

Sadeq said this was particularly so after the school had apologised to the parents, pupils and the Sudanese for the teacher's "unacceptable conduct".

she'll be held a third night in custody, with NO charges filed...

ah, islam, kinda leaves a bad taste in your mouth, hmm?

"The teacher asked me what I wanted to call the teddy," the boy said shyly, his voice barely rising above a whisper. "I said Mohammad. I named it after my name," he added.

Justice Minister Mohamed Ali al-Mardi told Reuters formal charges would be leveled once investigations had been completed.

"(The charges) are under the Sudanese penal code ... insulting religion and provoking the feelings of Muslims," he said.


i wonder if that applies to christians, as well? can someone get lashed for offending a christian there?


news.yahoo.com...;_ylt=AqOkFVmYEhHv0MR0r7JXLdas0NUE

reply to post by FredT

Originally posted by FredT
Jso, did you just say that the United States of America is so evil that it is being used to prop up other nations records. Did you just say we are so evil that other nations can and are pointing to us to say "See we are NOT as evil as the US"

No, that's not what I said.

I said that's what others would like you to believe.

reply to post by FredT

Originally posted by FredT
Intrepid,

I think what you have an many of the nations is a situation you have here in the US. The GOP is run by a realtivly small group of religious right wing extremists. Many of which have ideologies that someone like an OBL would look at at recognize.: hard Core fundamentalism. No matter who you pray too all of these groups preach one thing: Conform to us or else.

Or else what? C'mon, Fred, you don't really hate Republicans that much, do you? That's not healthy.

Not to mention that it has nothing to do with the current thread...

Originally posted by planetfall
Justice Minister Mohamed Ali al-Mardi told Reuters formal charges would be leveled once investigations had been completed.

Ohhh. The irony of it all.

Originally posted by planetfall
"The teacher asked me what I wanted to call the teddy," the boy said shyly, his voice barely rising above a whisper. "I said Mohammad. I named it after my name," he added.

Ralphie's parents: "Tell us Ralphie, what was it that made you go blind?"

Ralphie: "It.......it was...........SOAP poisoning!"

*Violins playing in the background as Ralphie's parents loudly weep*

Peace

Originally posted by Dr Love

Originally posted by planetfall
"The teacher asked me what I wanted to call the teddy," the boy said shyly, his voice barely rising above a whisper. "I said Damn, I lost the bet. I bet he would be in the first reply post, but he actually lasted to the second.Mohammad. I named it after my name," he added.

Ralphie's parents: "Tell us Ralphie, what was it that made you go blind?"

Ralphie: "It.......it was...........SOAP poisoning!"

*Violins playing in the background as Ralphie's parents loudly weep*

Peace

Very funny

Now Christmas will never be the same, everytime I see that show I will think of Mohammad,

[edit on 033030p://bTuesday2007 by Stormdancer777]

It doesn't feel right make a joke of this.

1.3 - 1.5 billion Muslims in the world, 20% -25% of total world population and their silence is deafening.
Moderate Muslims?
Where?

I suspect there are plenty of "moderate" Muslims, they fail to speak out against such actions for fear of condemnation within their own communities.

Originally posted by Stormdancer777
It doesn't feel right make a joke of this.

No, just the quote about the little boy shyly speaking, barely raising above a whisper. Sounds like Mr. Rogers wrote it.

It's a media play on your emotions, that's it.

Peace

Originally posted by Stormdancer777
It doesn't feel right make a joke of this.

ah, its okay, she'll be let go soon, and more people will be aware of the nature of islam culture and be more wary

humor is a human coping mechanism

Originally posted by planetfall
ah, its okay, she'll be let go soon, and more people will be aware of the nature of islam culture and be more wary

What Islamic culture are you referring to? The one in Iran? The one in Egypt? The one in Afghanistan? The one in Turkey? Which one are you talking about?

Originally posted by Freeborn

1.3 - 1.5 billion Muslims in the world, 20% -25% of total world population and their silence is deafening.
Moderate Muslims?

Where?

I suspect there are plenty of "moderate" Muslims, they fail to speak out against such actions for fear of condemnation within their own communities.

heres what muslims who speak up get:

www.sundaymirror.co.uk...

theopinionator.typepad.com...

www.earthtimes.org...

afp.google.com...

www.westernresistance.com...

www.bangkokpost.com...

worldnetdaily.com...

well, there werent many articles i could find of anyone really speaking up much.... it doesnt happen very often at all

Originally posted by intrepid

Originally posted by planetfall
ah, its okay, she'll be let go soon, and more people will be aware of the nature of islam culture and be more wary

What Islamic culture are you referring to? The one in Iran? The one in Egypt? The one in Afghanistan? The one in Turkey? Which one are you talking about?

i am generalising, unfairly? not really.

i mean all islam culture in general.

any differentiation between say, palestine and the muslims in france is really not as significant as their similarities.

what common traits do muslims in somalia and muslims in lebanon all share? see a pattern at all?

Originally posted by planetfall
i am generalising, unfairly? not really.

i mean all islam culture in general.

Thank you. I believe you've just invalidated your arguments all together. You DO know that the Egyptian culture predates Islam, right? Be careful when you paint with a broad brush. You're apt to get paint on yourself.

Originally posted by Freeborn

1.3 - 1.5 billion Muslims in the world, 20% -25% of total world population and their silence is deafening.
Moderate Muslims?

Where?

I suspect there are plenty of "moderate" Muslims, they fail to speak out against such actions for fear of condemnation within their own communities.

I see them speak out on a daily basis, to friends, on TV etc, its just that people choose not to SEE that. And the media only like bad things

Originally posted by scepticsRus
reply to post by Freeborn

 

you may not see anything thats racist but others may find something. others may not even bother to read the entire thread but only pick on specific comments made as an example, its easy to misconstrued whats being said and change it to mean something different.

This kind of discussion is the type that people will pick up on just to make a point.

I agree, its getting like we cant express what we think in public anymore, everyones walking on egg shells around religious subjects because they are afraid of saying the wrong thing and thats not how it should be..... but at the minute, at this time ..... it does appear to be the case.

remember, to some people religion and racism are interchangeable and after a while loose there meaning.


[edit on 26-11-2007 by scepticsRus]

Well, you may choose to live in fear of the PC thought police, but I choose not to. I will even go so far as to suggest that anyone living in such fear has no business posting here.

Any person confusing religion with racism is either doing it purposely to try and deflect the meaning of a thread, or is hopelessly naive in their understanding of the words.

If i went to Saudi Arabia and suddenly uncorked a bottle of wine in public and started drinking it i would be arrested and probably flogged. But would i do it, no. i know that it is forbidden under islamic law to do such as thing in a country like Saudi, and so i would respect their beleifs and laws when i vist the country. But i would expect the same curtesty to be given back to anyone visiting my country and respect the laws of my country. I do think the teacher in question was naive and should have read up on the basic customs of the country she is visiting especially the islamic traditions. Having said that it seems there has been much over reaction in this particular case on all sides. A stiff financial penalty and a public apology should be enough in this case and deportation back to the UK. That way everyone wins and no face is lost.

reply to post by MGauntz


Very well said! Extremist religions (which is nearly all) are dumbfounding to say the very least. Religion can be like "training wheels" which are meant to be taken off once you have learned the basics of spirituality.

Whoopie Goldberg said best, "Religion is like a sanitary napkin...If it fits wear it".

Knowing that the Sudan is mostly Islamic is merely an invitation for an altercation should anyone elect to go there let alone live there.



[edit on 27-11-2007 by dk3000]