Mohammed Teddy, golden chance??

[Loosehead]

Is this a golden opportunity for moderate Islam to show their credentials? Lets see some Imams and others protesting on the streets about how the Koran has been misinterpreted etc, and the mis treatment of this woman. Like that's going to happen.

[Gromit]

Please read and learn.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idolatry

[ludwig]

I'll summarise to save you the bother - Idolatry is a crap concept invented by religious nutters to control people.

[jno]

why should they? I don't think there's a ban in the Koran itself on misusing the prophet's name, but there's a strong cultural taboo, and she broke it. There is a ban in the Bible on taking the lord's name in vain - which would surely cover calling a teddy bear Jehovah - but just because Christians can't be bothered enforcing it is no reason why Muslims should do the same. In effect, you're suggesting 'moderate' Muslims are the ones who don't take their own religion seriously. Moderate Muslims ought to (and do) oppose terrorism; that doesn't mean they shrug off casual insults to their religion.

I feel sorry for the woman, especially as Mohammad is a common name for people there - but that doesn't make it a proper name for toys. As a teacher she should have been teaching the kids this, and explaining to them that it was not an appropriate name. She is after all living in a country where Islamists and animists are at war. She should have known better.

[Gromit]

I do not believe in idolatry, and am not a muslim.

I do believe in you go to live or work in a country you should obey their laws and customs. I am surprised to find that people on this thread apparently do not share that view.

To us this belief is stupid, but we cannot decide which laws we like and do not like when we live under another country's jurisdiction. We wouldn't want the muslims here deciding they didn't like our laws and obeying sharia law instead.

She was ignorant of the law she was breaking, so let's hope that commonsense prevails.

[Kos]

I have to agree with you Gromit- as much as we may think other country's religions and laws are stupid, they most probably think the same about ours. E.g Supermarkets not being able to sell items before 10 am on a Sunday. Equal rights for women etc....
As the saying goes.....'when in Rome.......'

[Supernick]

I have no doubt that she'll be spared after political pressure, and then the Sudanese AB will be up in arms about preferential treatment for immigrants, and political correctness gone mad.

[brionon]

RAGGY ROMAN
Tue 27/11/07
11:32 Commonsense and Muslim idealogy, not words that go hand in hand.

A definite oxy MORON;I should say.

[ludwig]

The silly cow deserves everything she gets - imprisonment, beheading, flogging whatever. Hopefully the flogging will be administered by the moderate muslims - they're the ones that let you kneel on a soft cushion while they administer it. The hardline ones make you kneel on the floor and scowl at you while they're doing it.

[MrBen5]

Hmmm, i cant believe someone would be in that country in the first place, trying to help the backward people there.
I see loads saying that she is a teacher and should know better, but at the same time, what is the point of a western teacher going to a place like that.
If time stood still for 300 years, they wouldnt catch up to our civilised ways.
The government should step in and make sure she doesnt get any lashes...

[Ethel]

There has been several Muslim's on today's Jeremy Vine show condemming the treatment of this teacher.

[Ice.Maiden]

I think the woman acted in innocence and ignorance. She should've known better, but I imagine she gave the teddy the Muslim name, thinking it'd be more appropriate to the children (many who also share the prophet's name), instead of calling it a meaningless "Pudsey" or something similar. I don't imagine for one minute that she used the name with the intention of insulting anyone, so surely a deep apology should be enough?

[youngmafbog]

When in Rome ...... Exactly so when are we going to adopt the same here. That'll wake a few muslims up

[MrBen5]

I dont think she needs to apologise.
I think it just goes to show that no matter how much money we 'pump' into these rogue places, and all the help we give, that its all a waste of time.
This woman was a teacher, helping people in another country.
I think the government needs to look at if it is worthwhile sending and funding a western teacher in these places...

[anotheoldgit]

I do believe in you go to live or work in a country you should obey their laws and customs. I am surprised to find that people on this thread apparently do not share that view.

Yes I totally agree with this, but I am afraid it only works one way.

We wouldn't want the muslims here deciding they didn't like our laws and obeying sharia law instead.

Isn't this exactly what the Muslims do?

Why do these liberal thinking teachers and religeous do-gooders, bother to go into these backward countries to help them out, when they can finish up becoming a hostage, banged up in prison, lashed or even beheaded.

Leave them to it and let them wallow in their primitive life style.

[anderlee]

LUDWIG- I wonder if you would say the same thing if this lady was your wife/ sister/aunty etc. Very harsh.