Demand for execution?

[VenalWinfrey]

This is in no way intended to offend anyone, and I am very much hoping for a civil and serious response. I have just read, regarding the 'teacher in Sudan' issue, that some people are clamouring for her to be executed for insulting Islam. I have a couple of questions:

1. Can someone please explain to me how, in any way, the naming of a stuffed toy in a classroom translates as blasphemy/insulting a particular religion? I really would like a serious explanation. I have not read nor seen a single tangible reason offered as to suggest how this could be deemed by anybody to be offensive. And I do genuinely want to try to understand how someone could be offended by this. Could I also add that the naming was made by the children, not the teacher, and that one of the pupils defending the teacher also happens to be named after the prophet.

2. I am not religious. I do not care much for organised religion as a personal choice. But I simultaneously do not mock those that do choose to. Can people who follow and adhere to the tenets of Islam understand that, for those of us that do not, suggestions of lashings, imprisonment and the above-mentioned execution in this situation might possibly be construed as a little over the top?

[IggyB]

the name Mohammed isn't in itself outlawed or off limits to others, infact it is quite a common name and when given to a child etc it is normally seen as honouring the prophet - but if that name is given to a wild animal or inappropriate item of animal (e.g a pig for example) then this is seen as an insult - an insult against the prophet and the religion.

While a teddy bear is simply a cuddly toy here it should be remembered that they are a british oddity in creation - so may not be as widely known over there so it could just appear to be a wild animal e.g. something that shouldn't hold the name mohammed

In this case we in england can clearly see that there is no intended insult - i believe the bear was named after a child in the class - but in that country i think they would have expected the teacher to intervene and choose a more appropriate name.

in religions there will always be extremes - so its not all that suprising that this has brought out some extreme reactions from a minority - though i think it is a very small minority

[luckyman]

theyre cruel and inhuman race of people in my view and its just another way to get get a dig at us westerners and our culture.they cannot tolerate any other religions..they cannot live peacefully with us..they hate everything we stand for..it makes me sick to think that a man could dish out 40 lashes with a whip to any woman..think about it.!!! they are nothing better than animals...

[Billy Reid S]

Luckyman,,, your bang on! The civilised world knows this yet blxxdy idiot do gooders still go there and give these so called fundamentalists a never ending list of hostages.
Its not only their own lives they put at risk but the lives of
others that have to get them out of their self inflicted predicament.
Get this!! I heard on the news this morning that the stupid
b/ich wants to go back to the classroom, has she a brain in her head?

[squarebear]

You say that the naming was made by the children. That is correct but surely the teacher should have final approval. What would have happened if the children had wanted to name the bear "fu*kwit the bear"? I'm sure she wouldn't have agreed to that.

To blame this on a bunch of schoolchildren is ridiculous. The teacher is wholly at fault and if she doesn't understand or follow the customs of the country she is living in then she should get out.

[VenalWinfrey]

Thank you all very much for the replies, that has helped. After having read them, could I now say, thanks to IggyB, I do understand what the furore actually was. Additionally, to Squarebear, could I say that I was in no way suggesting we blame the incident on the children, rather than the teacher. My point was entirely that I could not in any way see that there 'was' blame to be apportioned to anyone.

However, I can understand the imagery involved now. And I am inclined to agree with the first chap's posting, that this was an extreme reaction, and most likely (well, hopefully at least) from a small minority.

Thanks everyone.