Teacher Arrested for Blasphemy in Sudan

Kitmitsu · Nov 30 2007, 01:16 PM

Not sure if many of you have heard this but a British teacher has been arrested for blasphemy in Sudan. Her class of 7 year olds had to name a teddy bear for a project and they named it "Mohammed". She's now in prison for 15 days. How the hell is naming a bear Mohammed blasphemy?

Worst thing is that there's protests outside the prison asking for her to actually be shot...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/le...26_sudan.shtml

deceptacon · Nov 30 2007, 01:31 PM

what. . the . . hell.
the students are the one that named the bear !

Whiplash · Nov 30 2007, 01:40 PM

I was wondering if anyone would bring this up; at least she escaped the public flogging. It probably wasn't the fairest of trials and I heard an interview with some prominent British muslim (can't remember his exact position) who was very upset with the verdict because he didn't think she should've been arrested and neither did any muslim he knew and feared it would cause relationships between them and non-muslim British people to deteriorate further. A damaging political incident, but at least it can be argued about without the risk of her losing her life.

Ringlets · Nov 30 2007, 05:13 PM

Surely its only blasphemous if the teacher was a Muslim? I mean, come on. Its like saying that only Christians can say "Oh my God" (even though they're not supposed to), and if anyone else says it, its blasphemous to a religion they dont follow.

Neal · Nov 30 2007, 05:33 PM

Edit: Fine.

Their government is bollocks and that is well unfair. Religious fanatics do my head in.

Thefutureisnow · Nov 30 2007, 05:40 PM

Every religion has its fanatics, the protests were probably started by a fanatical muslim sect

Ringlets · Nov 30 2007, 05:51 PM

Insert related /b/ post here.

Kitmitsu · Nov 30 2007, 05:58 PM

You can't hotlink to 4chan. Also this thread is in serious discussion. Let's all be serious about it.

Ringlets · Nov 30 2007, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kitmitsu

You can't hotlink to 4chan. Also this thread is in serious discussion. Let's all be serious about it.

He says having sneakily edited Dantes post. Ive said my part, you cant be blasphemous to a religion you arent part of.

Kitmitsu · Nov 30 2007, 06:25 PM

Wtf!? I didn't edit his post o_O. Not sure why it did that.

Well surely you could be blasphemous in their eyes when you insult their religion. In any case they have gone way overboard with actually sentencing her.

Lifrasthir · Nov 30 2007, 10:54 PM

I was gunna post about this yesterday but decided not to in the end.

What surprised me was the article I read said that people burst into her house (I think), saying they wanted to kill her...Couldn't it have been a big misuderstanding?

BlueOni · Nov 30 2007, 11:11 PM

She should have known better. That's what happens when cultures clash.

Sundance Kid · Nov 30 2007, 11:20 PM

I was watching this on CNN past couple of days, and they were reading emails about what the people thought (the people being all American) they were pretty much insulting the Islamic religion...and that's ignorance to me, because like what Whippy said there were Islams who were upset about the whole thing....not all Muslims are like kill obsessed, I know they're not.....But I wonder what Halfmetal will say about this....I mean he is Msulim and may be able to shed some light on this whole situation....

Alice · Dec 01 2007, 12:29 AM

What this woman did was a simple mistake. She is a human being and human beings make mistakes. I understand that it is different in other cultures but she wasn't aiming to insult anyone. What is wrong with this world? People are using religion as a tool of fear and control. Shouldn't religion be peaceful and rightious?

Sundance Kid · Dec 01 2007, 12:40 AM

I wouldn't say religion as being peaceful and righteous honestly
ANY religion not just Islam

Alice · Dec 01 2007, 02:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elephant_lost

I wouldn't say religion as being peaceful and righteous honestly
ANY religion not just Islam

Well, you are right about that actually but it does give most people (that I know) "peace of mind". :/ I'm also not exactly a very religious person so I sort shot off some random words because I'm a little upset about reading this article. It's not right what they are doing to her. Then again, it is another country and what she did was considered blasphemy in their eyes. The woman wasn't even a Muslim...it's just not fair.

Sundance Kid · Dec 01 2007, 03:46 AM

I don't think it matters to those who wanted to persecute her whether or not she was Muslim or any other religion if she is of any...
From my understanding she isn't going to be punished like they wanted her to be...
If I'm not mistaken she is getting 15 days in jail
Not unless I am confusing it with another story
If not then she has 11-10 days left

Whiplash · Dec 01 2007, 04:37 AM

No, 15 days in jail then immediate deportation back to the U.K. was her sentence.

It's such a common name in that region of the world and the children were the ones suggesting it so she probably thought it would be okay.

Sundance Kid · Dec 01 2007, 04:46 AM

Oh yeah that's right she is being deported :/
They said this morning she has I think 11-10 days left now

Devious · Dec 01 2007, 04:52 AM

I don't get it. What's wrong with Mohammed?