Our Teddy Bear is called Muhammed

[Alpha]

Unfortunately it's offensive to call a toy teddy bear Muhammed, as a UK school teacher working in Sudan soon found out.

BBC NEWS | Africa | 'Muhammad' teddy teacher arrested

[t-v]

I was reading this earlier. She could be sentenced to 60 lashes or imprisoned... all for calling a teddy Mohammed.

It's a fucked up world.

[Zombie Mastermind]

That bear must be beheaded!

[Earl]

What a set of arseholes. It's just a name for fucks sake.

[anancientrace]

The way I heard it via BBC was the name was chosen by the teachers child charges - the kids chose the name and forgive me for using the D word but isn't that is what she is meant to do if she asks them to vote for a name? Were they Sudanese young ones too? Oh my. Unradicalised?

I wished the religious zealosts were not in charge of our world. It isn't just Sudan.

A teddy bear? Sigh!

[Jobless Oddball]

If you want to live in someone else's country then you must adhere to their way of life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Unless "they" come to Britain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Earl]

It's still a stupid way of life, but I agree she should never have gone there.

[anancientrace]

So the Sudanese authorities have decided to press charges? The authorities note.

I listen to the background of stories too - much more instructiive than headlines I find. And this Teddy Bear naming happened in September 2007 - so the crime was so obvious it took two months to shock anyone who cared.

And anyone naming a toy Mohammed is assumed to be naming it after the prophet? A young boy claimed he was the role model for the name. But that spoils the story for the stupid.

And the humans called Mohammeds before the prophet and the millions of humans named Mohammed after his lifetime?

The Teddy Bear is a depiction of an animal - and naming such Mohammed is also offered up but can be shot down equally effectively.

The general public in Sudan have only just been informed of this business - in no doubt an inflammatory way and the general consensus if it was a mistake - forgiveness is merited.

So kind. So kind. And completely sensible as I would expect from - the general public of the world. All too often we see arranged reactions and bemusement and hatred is spread. But I don't hold the stupidity of certain Sudanese authorities against the Sudanese. Imagine if some of our politicians were held against those of us in Great Britain!

No - I assume someone on high in Sudan is pissed of with us in Great Britain or elsewhere for some reason and this hapless teacher is being made an example of.

[THE V0NZ]

I heard the Sudanese ambassador on Radio Four yesterday saying while the prison sentance, fine and whipping were possible penalties if charged and subsequently found guilty, she still hadn't even been charged yet and he thought it would all be settled amicably.



He also said that while the teddy bear was regarded as a cute toy in the UK, in Sudan bears are considered wild and dangerous animals, and naming an effigy of one after the Prophet is considered the highest blasphemy.



I get the impression from the amount of time this woman has spent in police custody that far from apologising and showing regret she's probably arguing the toss with them, like some of the ignorant sods you seen on forums from time to time.



To be teaching there and not be aware of even the basics of their culture is really fucking poor - I hope she gets the fucking lashes - stupid bitch! If they want I'll fly out there and do it for them!

[karnautrahl]

It's all very silly. It's all very political.

For me it's a little bit of evidence that says mankind made a mistake coming up with religion as a way to venerate his creator*.

Mohammed I hear is one of the most common names on the planet.

It's quite simply a form of propoganda and provocation. There's no genuine insult, it's made up, to serve a different purpose.

Of course Mr Vonz, would take the contrary view-otherwise...well he wouldn't be the Vonz would he.

I don't blame her for arguing. She's dealing with pigheaded stubborn narrow idiotic beliefs-at least at the coal face there. Higher up the chain of command there's a whole different game being played.

Why should she show regret and apologise? Just because her innocent kids make a choice and she doesn't go along with some nonsense that some idiot believes.

In the end, it's showing that there are facets of our world that are truly sick.

We'll kill for some rubbish we have written and unproven in various books. We'll commit mass murder. We'll torture, rape and maim.

In this facet of our humanity, we are at our very worst. As a race.

What will make us extinct won't be our envirnmental greed. It will be fighting about who's religion is right.

We've not grown up, and humanity may not get the chance if we cannot fight past this bullheaded, thick, narrow nonsense.

There...my turn to rant :-).

*Ignoring whether a creator exists/existed here!!