I’m sure many of you have heard about this story already, but I definitely find it worthy of discussion.
In Sudan, British schoolteacher Gillian Gibbons has been arrested for the most heinous of crimes. Gibbons has been accused of insulting the great Muslim Prophet Mohammed. This vile act could cost Gibbons up to 6 months in jail, 40 lashes with a bamboo stick, or a fine.
But what exactly did Gibbons do that has brought upon the full wrath of the Muslim community? Maybe she made caricatures like the ones we saw in the Danish newspaper. Or maybe she spoke negatively about Mohammed by calling him a false prophet. There are any number of actions that could be construed as an insult to the Prophet Mohammed. But much to my surprise, Gibbons appears to have found a new one!
She organized a class project for her students to learn about bears. Pretty harmless so far :) Gibbons then had a student bring in a teddy bear and allowed the class to name it. Now here’s mistake number one. Allowing children to vote can be construed as fostering democracy and thus imposing western culture on these Islamic children. Fortunately for Gibbons that went unnoticed.
The children eventually decided on Mohammed as a name for the teddy bear. Mohammed is a very common name in Muslim countries and millions of people are named as such. Other names that were tossed about were Addullah and Hassan. But 20 out of 23 kids liked Mohammed and thus the decision was final.
Gibbons made diaries for each child that had a picture of the teddy bear on the cover. The plan to have each kid take the bear home for a weekend and write about what they did. Seems rather harmless to me, but here comes mistake numero dos. Gibbons carelessly labeled each diary, “Hello, My Name Is Mohammed.”
Now obviously I find this whole story to be absolutely insane. Gibbons was clearly not insulting the great Prophet Mohammed by depicting him as an animal. The teddy bear’s name was Mohammed… a very common name is Islam. Even some of the students are named Mohammed. Should they too be seen as insulting the Great Prophet? Now if the diary was titled, “Hello, My Name Is the Prophet Mohammed” then yes I guess could see a potential issue. But that’s not what it says. Muslims just assumed that’s what it meant. The only reason for this to me at least is either blind ignorance, or just fundamentalists looking for any excuse to start trouble. Either way, having Gibbons arrested is inexcusable and speaks volumes on how archaic and ignorant some of these Muslim countries are with respects to law enforcement.
Related posts:
- Police Foil ‘Religion Of Peace’ Plot To Erase Cartoonist
- Muslim Bugs Bunny Snacks On Jews, Not Carrots
- Nun Slain, Churches Burn–Muslims Demand Sincere Apology
- Fight Islamic Pressure To Censor Wikipedia
- Muslim Mickey Mouse Preaches Hatred To Kids
November 28th, 2007 at 1:41 pm
I now have a name in mind for my next dog!
Here Mohammed! Come here Mohammed! Gooooood Mohammed, Good dog! Whos-a-good prophet? Who is? You are! That’s right, you are, Mohammed!
Now I’ll just sit back and wait for the ignorant hate to poor in! Maybe I’ll even get a few death threats! But, sadly, since I live in a progressive country that respects rights, even the right to do stuff some disapprove of, there will be no arrests. If only I lived in a theocracy!
November 28th, 2007 at 2:30 pm
You forgot “Bad Mohammed! Bad! We do that outside Mohammed!”
November 28th, 2007 at 3:18 pm
Isn’t Mohammed a really common name, like Bob or Matt? What if the kid is a complete disappointment, do they punish the parents?
November 28th, 2007 at 3:18 pm
first: Woohoo, a real article.
second: Woohoo, another place for huge piles of arabic spam.
third: Actual postage.
I’d like to know who the retard police officer is who actually approved the arrest. I expect nothing less from religious nutcases, they’re required to be outraged at every other word someone says. But someone, presumably the first person to hear this, should have laughed in the complainers face and inform him that there is no law against naming a fictional animal “Mohamed”
November 28th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
To me this Mohammed hysteria is starting to seem all too similar to the old question whether a non black-skinned person can use the infamous N-word. (which, I refrain from using due my lack of dark pigment.)
Muslims can and will use the word Mohammed as they please but the moment it is uttered, used or presented by non-muslim the riots are on, cries of trying to mis-portray islam start and some one is going to be hurt.
On both cases, the intent is ignored and worst possible connotations are instantly dreamed up by people just waiting for a reason to act out.
November 28th, 2007 at 6:21 pm
First, hats off for Ms Gillian Gibbons or should i say turbans off to her.
“In Sudan, British schoolteacher Gillian Gibbons”
If Sudan authority, should be congratulating this teacher for indoctrinating kids into Islam of a prophet or should I congratulate the Sudan Authorities for putting her in jail, for allowing false teaching of a god?
If Sudan, would see her motives, they would just say “we have a really good teacher which our kids love”
What she did are not mistakes. what she did is what teachers do best, teach!
Gasmonso said,
“Stop #1: VeggieTales–A computer animated Christian series produced by Big Idea, Inc. VeggieTales is the definition on how vegetables can be used to indoctrinate kids in to Christianity”. (i rather have my kids watch this than other cartoons that are disrespectful to parents and authority, for we are the parents, we want obedient kids, so that, what they are taught does not depart from them- that’s all:) )
Hey, Gasmonso, Ms Gibbons should have called this teddy bear “Jesus”… I would purchase all the bears for each kid if they named it “Jesus”. i wonder if they would still areest her?
“Either way, having Gibbons arrested is inexcusable and speaks volumes”
November 28th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
So glad to see you back and posting again! It helps recovering fundamentals like myself stay off the straight and narrow. :)
November 28th, 2007 at 10:31 pm
Love the cartoon, Gasmonso. Got an information that Mohammad and other variants it is the most common name in whole world.
“Blasphemy is a victimless crime.”
November 29th, 2007 at 11:31 am
I’m sorry–Did you say she was arrested? WTF? The muslim community is obviously uneducated about the ways of the Western infidels! The teddy bear originated in America as a tribute to a great President–Teddy Roosevelt! If the muslim’s had half a brain, they would take it as a compliment to have a bear named after them in the great American tradition! If they were even smarter, they would use it as a way to infiltrate Western culture. Name a popular cuddly child’s toy Mohammed and start brainwashing those little impreshionable minds now!
November 29th, 2007 at 11:40 am
Theres not a lot to say here, it is just yet another element of proof that the muslim believers are even more insane than the christians. I feel sorry for her, but she lives in a dangerous area, surrounded by dangerously insane people. She had to expect something.
November 29th, 2007 at 1:23 pm
elo. im muslim and i gotta say, those sudanese are freakin out a bit. i dont think she meant to cause so much trouble and besides it was the kids who thought of the name, not her, why is she getting punished. if those dumbass parents were so bothered they shudda told her “blah blah blah, this is not good”.
November 29th, 2007 at 1:46 pm
Thanks, Michaelll. It’s good to know that some Muslims sees the ridiculousness of this woman’s punishment.
Perhaps you can give some insight. Why do so many Muslims get bent out of shape for perceived insults to their religion? I really can’t figure it out.
November 29th, 2007 at 5:08 pm
For so much of the Muslim world, Islam is the be all and end all of life. Unfortunately, it is the end-all of life for LOTS of other people, especially non-Muslims. Do anything that could possibly be perceived as a slight against their delusional beliefs, and they clap you in irons if you are extremely lucky. I’m surprised she hasn’t been beaten to death with rocks yet, since we’re talking about the SUDAN! SUDAN, people, SUDAN!
November 29th, 2007 at 5:17 pm
She has been found guilty and given 15 days prison, followed by deportation. For those Islamic folks amongst us, do you feel the honour of your faith has now been restored?
Dave
November 29th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
Blasp. say’s
“I’m surprised she hasn’t been beaten to death with rocks yet, since we’re talking about the SUDAN! SUDAN, people, SUDAN!”
I feel her safety is still a concern until she is out of sudan heads back to England. i can only offer her my prayers for her safe return home.
Ms Gibbons according to cnn.com, “since August, after leaving her position as deputy head teacher at a primary school in Liverpool, England, this summer, Boulos said”.
This people, shows volumes for her love to teach. she went from a high poistion to a the bottom of the teaching chain, teaching 7th grade kids only to be jailed and deported and could have faced a sentence of 40 lashes.
I have to say, as a Christian, would there be anything good come of this? As a Christain, i believe something good will come of this, which i don’t expect most of you to understand- that’s all.
November 29th, 2007 at 6:43 pm
i love hyrockets typo ‘chriSTAIN’ ~ kind of apt really.
though sid nailed it with the dog-naming thing. lol. i’d love to name my dog jesus for similar reasons, but i think the humour would be lost on too many, and the thought of having someone mistake me for someone who loves jesus so much i’d name my dog after him, is too much to bear, if you will. bad mohammed, bad! lol.
November 29th, 2007 at 6:55 pm
I agree with Michael, except for being crazier than Christians; at least Muslims are conscious of their effect on government and country.
I however, do not feel sorry for someone who goes into a foreign country ruled by morons and expects to be treated with a HUMANE morality and/or dignity. I also dislike teachers and the education system, because both usually create a dependancy of relying on others for information. That’s wrong. People should be taught to think for themselves, how to use Google, ask questions etc. BUT THAT’S IT.
hyrocket:
Glad to see you stayed around during our great leaders’ exodus; prepare to have your values attacked and questioned. I read back through your posts to find something worthy of commenting on, but I didn’t see anything that resembled intelligent thought. So how about this:
If you beleive in god, you’re wrong.
November 29th, 2007 at 8:06 pm
Shaze, i like your response… “I also dislike teachers and the education system, because both usually create a dependancy of relying on others for information. That’s wrong”.
and
“but I didn’t see anything that resembled intelligent thought”.
Gasmonso, I am glad you are a dad. When you put your son to bed and look into his eyes, who do you see? How beautiful is you face, your eyes… who do you thank for such a beautiful son? When your son looks at you, do you see the love he has for, dad?
can i share this verse with Gasmonso…
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
November 29th, 2007 at 8:46 pm
Howdy all,
Hyrocket, your point here is emotionally based as comes accross as being closer to emotional blackmail. It draws it strength from the emotional ties between family members and social conditioning. Whilst this can be effective it is more of a manipulation than an expression of the truth. Is it your intention to emotionaly balckmail someone into a forced, shallow and possibly negative belief in God? I don’t think from your previous posts that is your goal. Most of the regular posters on here will read your post and see that it doesn’t contain any logical points and fail to be swayed. If you wish to have any effect on this forum I would recommend appealing to peoples intelects rather than to their emotions.
Cheers
Simon Bond
November 29th, 2007 at 10:40 pm
“Most of the regular posters on here will read your post and see that it doesn’t contain any logical points and fail to be swayed.”
This is true, hyrocket. Your points are difficult to follow, and though I can’t speak for others, I tend to stop reading when it’s obvious you’re just quoting verse. Many of us are looking for interesting debate. You should go for something “more”. You certainly have a lot to say, but there’s not been much to address (a different way of saying what Shaze said).
November 29th, 2007 at 11:39 pm
i really dont get what hyrocket is on about when he starts with the ‘im glad youre a dad’ kind of crap. its got zero relevance to the post.
still, as much as baiting god botherers can be fun, im glad at least RRock is ghost. what a one eyed nutbag.
November 30th, 2007 at 2:05 am
Guys, my post,comments, feelings are related to the article that Gasmonso posted and what Shaze said. I offered my feelings and beliefs to Gasmonso concerning the article and shaze comments to me. Shaze was talking to me and not you guys, did he not say hyrocket? Did, I not direct my comments to the persons by mentioning their names?
I offer my beleifs to Gasmonso and wish to help him and to say that I want to blackmail him is really sad. What are you trying to say that Gasmonso can be blackmailed?
Gasmonso, is an agnostic and I don’t think that he can be blackmailed into anything. If he rejects what I say, so be it. What concern is it of yours that he accept or deny, what i just said. My response comes from my heart because it is true and not yours.
How do you describe a fathers love for his son or a sons love for his father?
You are telling me that I can blackmail Gasmonso?
Guys, my post #18 is my feelings to shaze post #17. “i like your response” quoting his post #17.
“but I didn’t see anything that resembled intelligent thought”
guys, his talking to me… he is sharing his feelings, come on guys.
Guys, really, look at the Gasmonso article and the news articles out there.
Now, look at what Shaze say’s about teachers! come on guys, here is what he said,
“I also dislike teachers and the education system, because both usually create a dependancy of relying on others for information. That’s wrong. People should be taught to think for themselves, how to use Google, ask questions etc. BUT THAT’S IT”.
“see that it doesn’t contain any logical points and fail to be swayed”
Guys, look what Gasmonso wrote on this article(and in the news). “Now here’s mistake number one. Allowing children to vote can be construed as fostering democracy and thus imposing western culture on these Islamic children. Fortunately for Gibbons that went unnoticed.”
Gasmonso calls it “a mistake by fostering democracy” , Shaze calls it ” being dependent on other is wrong”
Guys, look at my point now, Gasmonso, I am glad you’re a dad. what are teachers? what dads?
Gasmonso, is a single dad, how difficult was his situation?
Guys, i just want to help Gasmonso and his son. I believe in something that Gasmonso once believed and to say that I can emotionally blackmail Gasmonso not speaking highly of a person you care about.
Why would say this… “‘im glad youre a dad’ kind of crap. its got zero relevance to the post”.
Why do you call my post to Gasmonso crap? Are you not glad for Gasmonso for being a dad?
My friends, Gasmonso, Shaze and my post has relevance to each other. I know when you post here anyone can respond to it. I have tried to be direct to the person I want to talk to and leave post to the general posters.
“Your points are difficult to follow”
Like Shaze said, “I didn’t see anything that resembled intelligent thought. So how about this:
If you beleive in God, you’re wrong.”
I like what Alcari says, my friend… replace that with logic and science you get the same way i feel.
I hope this makes sense, because i have no idea what i just said… ahahahaha, guys just laugh! ahahaahha!
November 30th, 2007 at 3:56 am
Why not tell the Sudanese people and government your feelings about this?
You can email the Sudanese Parliament: info@sudan-parliament.org,
or leave your comments on the Sudan Forum: http://www.sudanforum.net/
Remember; do not insult Allah, or in any way defame the Muslim Faith. ; )
November 30th, 2007 at 10:17 am
[...] Religious Freaks » Hello, My Name Is Mohammed! [...]
November 30th, 2007 at 10:44 am
This whole story makes me twitch, for the very reason you wrote it. The teacher didn’t pick the name, allowed the students to use a common name from their culture, and made no reference to the bear being named for the Prophet. There was nothing said like, “Mohamed is a poopyhead” or insults to his followers. In fact, the title was something any one of her students might have said introducing themselves. Seriously ridiculous.
November 30th, 2007 at 1:49 pm
Makes me want to start naming the turds I crap into the toilet, Mohammed. How stupid it all is.
November 30th, 2007 at 4:10 pm
hyrocket:
It’s not “what” you’re saying that we see as blackmail; it’s “how” you’re choosing to say it. The comments you made to Gasmonso regarding his son were not taken out of context. You chose words that indicated you think that birth is somehow a miracle; while it’s clearly just a biological function. You don’t see educated people being blown away by farting or taking a shit, so why pregancy. We know exactly why, and how it happens; and we know a LOT about why it doesn’t, in most cases.
Nothing is a miracle. And it is worthless to explain something using that term, because it basically means you don’t know. It’s a Magical Miracle! Magic, something that people who don’t understand Science, have been/are getting fooled by constantly for centuries. (And still are apparantly)
There is no way for your ideology to exist in a world of logic and answers, in the same way you are having trouble expressing yourself on this forum.
November 30th, 2007 at 4:12 pm
What I have to ask is, are they really moronic enough to think by pulling an asinine stunt like this, people will actually “respect” their so called prophet, or religion? What good is forced respect, which is no respect at all.
Hey asshats, respect is earned, and you aren’t earning ANY with barbaric garbage like this.
November 30th, 2007 at 4:32 pm
It just got a whole lot more ridiculous.
There are mass protests in the streets of Sudan demanding a harsher sentence, even death, for allowing kids to name a stuffed animal ‘Mohammed’.
What’s in a name? That whom we call Mohammed by any other name would be worth murdering over…
Only religion could inspire such abandonment of all proportion and reasonable human interaction on a mass scale. Only religion can cause a deep-felt desire for the death of another based on three syllables being applied to a small, plush, anthropomorphized bear.
November 30th, 2007 at 6:26 pm
I just read the linked article Sid. My mind got blown the hell away. I can’t imagine anyone even thinking 15 days in jail is anywhere near appropriate for “what she did” (quotes meaning no matter what nut job country you live in, that shouldn’t be considered a crime anyway), but actually wanting MORE? I do not say this lightly, but the sheer stupidity of that makes me think a well placed bunker bomb in the middle of the “protesters” might be a bomb well spent. It is about time natural selection makes a reappearance, damn it.
November 30th, 2007 at 6:43 pm
I’ve since heard speculation that the protest was fueled by misinformation fed to the masses by the Imams at morning prayer. Accurate information is much more difficult to come by in Sudan than other parts of the world.
If this is true, it has two effects. First it restores my hope for humanity. These people reacted to lies. Second, it makes me distrust religious leaders and despise the undeniably high levels of hypocrisy they are capable of.
November 30th, 2007 at 7:07 pm
Michael:
I have fanatasies where I play a anti-religious Robin Hood. Basically it’s me travelling the world fighting the devout, blowing up the Vatican, and educating the public on the immoral values that makes up most religion. (If you guys stop hearing from ME for a while, I’m off doing this)
December 1st, 2007 at 4:47 am
The sudden start of the riots right after the friday prayers do sound like agitation. It fits a set of actions presented in all riots of this kind.
People are unaware or do not care of the situation, even the naming of the teddy happened already in the September, so it was not a new thing, people knew of it, but none reacted. Then some one saw a suitable reason for agitation but it did not cause enough uproar on itself so the local clergy is called in to fan the flames and voila, we have a riot.
The end result most likely will be even more pandering of religious minorities in the western world, where criticism is no longer as large part of freedom of speech as it used to be.
I do wonder, how many of those rioters know that the teddy was named by Muslim children and not by the teacher.
December 1st, 2007 at 4:59 pm
The more emotional part of me hopes this will finally trigger a full-blown war between the ‘mostly’ secular west and the fiercely ignorant Muslim nations, or at least a statement from the UN(worthless as that would be) that enough is enough, and propose a global condemnation of Islam.
The more rational part of me knows that such action is essentially inevitable itself. A huge majority of world crises today have their roots in Islam and its followers. Though the form of the action may likely vary a great deal from what I myself might suggest, action itself is inevitable. Whether this is a widespread recognition that it is Islam itself and not ‘cultural misunderstandings’ that pose the problem at hand, or the Muslim nations finally posing enough of a threat to world stability that action is taken regardless of national religious tendencies, I cannot say.
The UN is essentially useless, hell they couldn’t even agree that one tribe engaging in mass slaughter of another tribe is genocide. Still, a declaration, condemnation, ANYTHING would at least be a start.
It’s a fucking toy. Anyone who would suggest a death sentence for ANYTHING involving a toy short of using to sexually violate a child or as an instrument of murder should be executed themselves. Painfully.
Here’s how I’d go about executing these sorts of people were we to decide to engage in such an activity:
Among the rational peoples of the world, we distribute polling letters asking them to describe both the most horrifyingly painful and the most efficient method for killing them. Then we take the results and take the top ten types of response from each category (firing squad and unceremonial gunshot to the head would go under one, burning at the stake and flamethrowers under another, drowning and stranding in the middle of the pacific with no flotation device in yet another, etc.), and put it to a world vote to decide the preferred methods. Then you take the condemned and roll a dice. Even, they die painfully. Odd, they die efficiently. Repeat process. I do not suggest any particular method, though I feel this process should be applied to lobbyists and the majority of politicians as well. Of course, this is only if we decide capital punishment were appropriate and decided to add an element of pain and suffering as well.
I’m personally adverse to inflicting pain and suffering on others, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be entertained by the though of it happening to those I dislike. Shutting off all cultural, economic, and political contact with such nations and watching them implode under their own widespread inadequacies would be my preference.
DEATH TO AMERICA….oh shit they stopped buying our oil….*boom* Huzzah.
Whatever. Either way these people are morons.
December 2nd, 2007 at 5:29 am
“Among the rational peoples of the world…”
Who, can I ask, is to decide what is “rational” and what is not? Surely such any such decision is inherently biased, and therefore flawed. The entire point behind secularism/freedom of expression is that you don’t force your opinion on someone else about what (you personally believe) is rational and what is not.
By suggesting that you should judge people in such a fashion you lower (or raise…) yourself to the level of those protesting for her death on the streets. On the other hand, if you took a properly balanced cross-section of world opinion on such matters, you might find you yourself are rolling a dice on a great many of your own “rational” opinions.
Dave
December 3rd, 2007 at 12:21 pm
Why not tell the Sudanese people and government your feelings about this?
Good idea, be sure to check the extradition treaties in your country first, and check if Blasphemy is legal.
For me it was “No treaty, yes” So I decided to vent some frustration. It worked, and it didn’t bother anyone I care about (like random forum readers i’ve never met.)
Makes me glad I live in the sane world, where we tell people to take their invisible-sky-fairy-law and shove it.
December 3rd, 2007 at 8:04 pm
Skyclad, isn’t it obvious?
Everyone who disagrees with me is insane, it’s as simple as that.
On a more serious note, I think Blasphemaster’s comment was meant mostly in parody. At least, his comments are usually more well thought through.
December 3rd, 2007 at 8:36 pm
Just for fun, let’s secretly move Mecca so Muslims will be praying in the wrong direction
December 4th, 2007 at 4:15 am
Seems like she got out of jail free:
Gibbons set free by Sudanese president
British muslims to the rescue.
December 4th, 2007 at 9:17 am
I read that today as well. That’s great news, Apeman!
December 4th, 2007 at 11:14 am
http://www.tshirthell.com/store/product.php?productid=1011
It doesn’t change the fact that I’m still gonna buy one of these shirts.
December 4th, 2007 at 3:34 pm
does anyone know why she was there in the first place? missionary work? in either case, if you’re dumb enough to find yourself in one of these bat-shit crazy countries, don’t be surprised much if bat-shit crazy things happen. i know people who go to muslim countries for tourism. not only is one supporting these lunatics with tourism money, but also exposing oneself to all kinds of danger.
December 4th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
She was working in the Unity High School, I believe it was giving schooling comparable to the English schools so it is no missionary work but plain old teachers job.
The school has its own website at http://www.unityhighschool.org/
December 4th, 2007 at 5:45 pm
I support missions that spread the Gospel of my Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus.
they need me now… later-*gone*
December 4th, 2007 at 7:12 pm
“On a more serious note, I think Blasphemaster’s comment was meant mostly in parody.”
Indeed it was.
Glad she’s out. Want that T-Shirt!
December 4th, 2007 at 8:06 pm
the Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.
December 5th, 2007 at 11:27 pm
Well, the teacher is going home now. Guess why?
Because of pressure bought on by Britain-based Muslims.
Not all Muslims are insane.
December 17th, 2007 at 5:04 pm
“Not all Muslims are insane.”
We’ll have to agree to disagree on that one. Any person who believes in a religion that itself claims that passing up an opportunity to kill an infidel would be a sin is insane by definition. Maybe not dangerously or violently insane, like a sociopath, but insane nonetheless, like the harmless nuts who never kill anyone and live under bridges.
December 28th, 2007 at 5:02 am
In answer to # 48. Hi there Kotoro, there is something in what you write. Perhaps Mohammed WAS a harmless nut who liked living under bridges, saw some rats, named them his new faith and henceforth introduced his style of peace into the world. The bubonic plague did the same thing, but
in a far subtle manner.
Happy new year.
February 25th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
[...] Muslims: Where to begin…. teddy bears? Cartoons? Hanging teenage kids? [...]