A British teacher at a high school in Sudan, Gillian Gibbons, 54, was arrested on blasphemy charges for allowing her six- and seven-year-old students to name a class teddy bear "Mohammed," says the Telegraph. She was interrogated for five hours, according to the Daily Mail, and the teacher now may face forty lashes and six months in prison. Protests against Ms. Gibbons, a divorced mother of two, have broken out all over Sudan and the school has been closed through January to prevent retaliation. On one hand, you want to say Ms. Gibbons should have known to avoid the name, especially given the recent Danish cartoon debacle, which resulted in dozens of deaths. The Koran say, "[Allah is] the originator of the heavens and the earth... [there is] nothing like a likeness of Him." The ban is supposed to prevent idolatry.
But it's hard to make a case the class' teddy bear project, which involved students taking "Mohammed" the bear home and recording his "activities" in a diary, could be construed as deliberately insulting.
Hassan Aberdeen, a researcher at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, quoted in Sky News, says that the anger over this does indeed seem to be disproportionate, even given Sudan's strict Islamic Sharia law. He says, "It seems that the parents made an issue of the teacher calling an animal Mohammed. Calling him a dog or a pig is insulting, but this is just a teddy bear."
And who would think the teddy bear (whose name was voted on by the class; Assan and Abdullah lost to Mohammed) was actually intended as a representation of the prophet? And who would imagine he would turn the students into teddy bear cultists?
It just seems like a logical fallacy to say that calling a teddy bear Mohammed is the same as calling Mohammed a teddy bear. After all, Muslim children are routinely named Mohammed; no one thinks they're being cast as reincarnations of the prophet.
In the case of the Danish cartoons, the image was actually supposed to represent the true Mohammed. Suddenly, by comparison to this, the rage over those little sketches seems imminently reasonable.
(Photo of Gibbons is from her Friends Reunited account via Reuters)
Reader Comments ( Page 42 of 43)
616. Wasn't Mo Mo a child molester? That bear is the one who should be upset at being named Mohammed!!
Tom at 6:21AM on Nov 28th 2007
617. First of all, the woman is a Moron for even being over there as a Westerner, a woman - trying to teach those little cult worshipping heathens. Secondly, Islam is a Cult, not a religion. If anyone takes the time to READ any serious writings about Islam, it's origins etc..they would find that most scholars view this as a vile, hate filled bunch of trash - propagated by hate filled opium smokers as a way to keep the ignorant tribes of Arabia under there thumb. It is and always will be total garbage. As far as the woman goes - hey, the Liberal Feminist piglets here and in Europe will turn away and allow her to be imprisoned and "flogged" with a bullwhip - why? Because they hate our own Christian ideology, they hate our own nation and what it stands for MORE than they hate these pathetic, cult worshipping Jihadists.
Chuck at 6:30AM on Nov 28th 2007
618. If anyone wants to read the TRUTH about Islam and the hypocrisy, the hate, the death-cult that it truly is - go to www.JihadWatch.com
Chuck at 6:48AM on Nov 28th 2007
619. To me this is not at all about "Islam" per se, it is about tyranny pure and simple. There have been countless "Christian" dictatorships in the past that after seemingly endless struggles against slavery, for civil rights, etc. have become more benign dictatorships like the U.S., or have become socialist, atheistic dictatorships and more efficiently cruel and oppressive than their former "Christian" counterparts.
Most of the powerless masses suffering under the boot of a theocracy such as Sudan -- or any other dictatorship -- have from an early age learned very well how to keep their mouths shut and live very quietly, meekly, and passively for fear of causing the slightest offense to the tyrants both local and higher up. The tyrants keep the masses under control with extremely efficient and brutal police and military thugs and spies everywhere, encouraging neighbor to inform on neighbor, child on parent, etc. The masses live in fear of what could happen were they to cause the slightest offense, even completely unintended, from those who may drag them out of their house in the middle of the night and haul them off to prison, beatings or beheading. Even in the U.S. the government itself has often been very oppressive and there are plenty of smaller tyrannies. Millions of Americans who have grown up in abusive families and/or lived in areas with a large population of rigid religionists or have had a nightmarish job undermany Americans have suffered such a life. When a foreigner falls afoul of such rigid dictators, even those who are secretly sympathetic to her dare not breathe the slightest word of their sympathy to even a trusted friend lest they fall under the same horrific threats of prison and flogging.
The large patriarchal religions and their political, police and military tentacles have always been more or less oppressive. Power corrupts. People all over the world find themselves forced to go along with the tyrants in power over them, just in order to survive and pursue whatever bits of happiness they can hang on to in this life. Here in the U.S. the government is quietly and relentlessly eroding our liberty, dignity and privacy, and is pushing political-religious tyranny insidiously into our lives.
Quit being crude, petty, and full of hate. Oppose all tyranny, wherever it is found.
Dorothy Ellen Whitsell at 9:02AM on Nov 28th 2007
620. Watch what happens when these idiots vote Obama into the White House. Children in school will be praying 7 times a day. I can't wait to see the "school outfits" that the girls will be required to wear. Don't you think it will be cute when your little girl has to wear a veil to go to school and have to pray to a picture of alla hanging on a wall.
Mike at 9:12AM on Nov 28th 2007
621. A STRICT CONSTRUCTIONIST JUDGE! Everyone who appreciates this kind of justice should be sure to vote Republican in the presidental race. America needs more strict constructionist judges like thewe who will make decisions strictly in accordance with their religious beliefs.
Charles Orsburn at 10:20AM on Nov 28th 2007
622. so what are you thinking about?
what have your thoughts made an ideal?
when you've answered these questions you will know what you worship.
Bow down before the one you serve
You're going to get what you deserve
EVA at 12:30PM on Nov 28th 2007
623. good or not
that is it
EVA at 12:46PM on Nov 28th 2007
624. If Allah is so all powerful, why doesn't he just strike her dead? I mean c'mon why does't he defend himself and Mohammed and why does he need those Muslim fanatics to do it for them?
Did you ever notice that Mohammed has the word 'ham' in it? I thought Islam was strictly anti-ham? I think that they are a bunch of pig-headed slop-eaters for biting into that Koran's hate-filled propoaganda.
kevin h. at 5:28PM on Nov 28th 2007
625. reply To STEVE at 3:41PM on Nov 27th 2007
247. I think this is ABSURD ! It seems that only the one true GOD ...and I am NOT writing about ALLAH...but our LORD and Savior JESUS CHRIST, God the Father and the Holy Spirit ...all in ONE Deity...GOD, is the only acceptable target today ! It seems these radical Moslems do not mind ( at all) killing anyone who might decide to convert to a religion in which they find real love and acceptance and hope, and are so fearful of allowing anyone to have a choice...because a free choice will result in hundreds of millions of Moslems investigating the REAL GOD and His SON, Jesus Christ and abandoning a religion of persecution, death, no REAL hope of salvation and eternal life and HATRED ! I am disgusted and I completely understand why so many Moslems convert to Christianity when they live in a free society...even in their own countries ...under fear of torture and DEATH ! I love the Moslem people BUT HATE there intolerance and ideology and ask them to STOP their hatred and learn a lesson of love from Jesus Christ ! MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!!
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Wow, another brainwashed christian!!!!!! No better than a muslim. In fact, I believe born again christian are more dangerous in the world than anyone else as they cannot think for themselves.
Suzie at 6:19PM on Nov 28th 2007
626. So, who voted no and I'm not sure?
Kathy at 9:48PM on Nov 28th 2007
627. Some of you folks writing online are no better than the Sudanese government..Really how ignorant some of you guys are.. Don't you guys know this all political and has nothing to do with Islam or the Quran..? I am Muslim and I was pissed when I read about this Story because there is absolutely nothing wrong in naming'a teddy bear after prophet Muhammad(S.A.W.).. This infact just shows the affection that these kids have for Prophet Muhammad(S.A.W.). The Sudanese government due to the dislike they have for the U.S. and Great Britain have decided to take advantage of the situation and divert attention from more important issues( Like Darfur). Please, Please, people let us all be rational in this issue and don't let your emotions take over you. The Sudanese government are being very silly, petty,and Un-Islamic in this matter. This whole drama had nothing to do with the beautiful religion of Islam.And for those of you doubting whether Islam is for real or not , I urged to go check-out You Tube (Islamic Miracles) and see and judge for yourselves. Honest to God, most of you are lost and you will soon live to regret it unless you repent to God. Don't think insulting Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) or Islam or Muslims will stop this noble religion because this religion is from the Almighty God and nobody can stop it...Both Jews and the Christian Crusaders have failed in their attempts to stop this religion but to no avail...Don't some of you ever wonder Why Islam is still flourishing and shining and with more converts than ever before..? This is because it is simply the religion of God the almighty and not an invention of Man as some of you lost ones think... Wake up people and seek the truth before it is too late... Most of you will be surprised I bet if Jesus(P.B.U.H.) was to come back to earth today and align himself with the Muslims..And with God's permission, that is going to happen soon...Yes, many of you will be surprised that day because Jesus(P.B.U.H) will not align himself with a religion that worships him and calls him God(Subhanallah). Instead, he will be with the righteous believers(Muslims) and set the record straight( all the Mis-conception that Christians have about him) and deliver final justice. I am sincerely urging all of you Muslim-Haters out there to research and read What Islam is all about and find out the truh before it is too late...Jesus Christ(P.B.U.H) was sent to the Children of Israel only; who in their ignorance did not recognised him as the Messiah. I challenge any Christian out there to dispute this fact and I will prove to him or her in your very own Bible. I found it very ironic that Christians are always aligning themselves with the Jews when they don't accept Jesus as the Messiah as Muslims do. Why is this the Case..? Does this has to do with racism...because Prophet Muhammad(S.A.W.) is an Arab.. For those of you who don't know, you are not considered a Muslim if don't believe in Jesus(P.B.U.H.) or any of the Prophets of God. Peace.
Moe at 8:36PM on Nov 30th 2007
628. Which religions is in favor of Gay Marriages and Ordaining Gay people as Bishops..?
Which religion allows their so-called Men of God to molest and abuse kids..?
Which religion worships and has more reverence for Jesus than God, the Almighty..?
Which religion is responsible for killing thousands of Africans during the Slave Trade..?
Answer....Christianity...You White Supremacists should Shut the Fuck Up because your ancestors and you have done more evil in this world than anybody else..PERIOD!!!!
Moe at 5:23PM on Nov 29th 2007
629. #620, do you want to know what religion allows gay Bishops and allows gay people to marry? A tolerant one, Moe! Also...the church does not "allow" their priests to molest children. Admittedly, some of it was swept under the rug and/or ignored..but it is not sanctioned. Sorry, but from what I've observed, Islam is the LEAST tolerant of all religions.
April at 5:59PM on Nov 29th 2007
630. This is a prime example of what happens when you combine church and state.
a born atheist at 7:40PM on Nov 29th 2007