Mohammed the Pooh

[Topaz]

After reading some of the comments on here it just goes to show even more that west is west and east is east and we'll never understand each other or do we want to? I. too. think its too extreme but those people take their regilion very very seriously and maybe WE here in the west don't really understand that. I think the teacher should have know the culture and told the kids no and I hope she is allowed to leave the country alive.

[ScottSA]

No wonder this part of the world is plagued by illiteracy and ignorance.

Is this incident pure democracy, i.e. direct rule by the people, pure savagery, or the results of Zionism depriving these people of any hope? (vote here)

The answer to that is easy. The JOOOOOs did it.

[sharkman]

After reading some of the comments on here it just goes to show even more that west is west and east is east and we'll never understand each other or do we want to? I. too. think its too extreme but those people take their regilion very very seriously and maybe WE here in the west don't really understand that. I think the teacher should have know the culture and told the kids no and I hope she is allowed to leave the country alive.

Yes, of course the teacher is at fault for allowing the name to be used in vain or whatever. But she should not be whipped for it. That they have whippings and beheadings shows what a savage culture it is.

[Higgly]

Well there are probably some nuts who would care, but I don't think you'd see anyone arrested or any great demand for an execution.

You're right of course, but you are applying this issue to another culture. Consider the following....

1) Kitzmiller v. Dover

The Dover PA school board decided that creationism (Intelligent design) should be taught along side Darwin's theory of evolution. A number of board members voted against this, but it was carried by majority. A lawsuit ensued.

In a trial reminiscent of the Scopes trial, and in which many prominent witnesses for both sides were called, Judge John E. Jones III ruled that Intelligent design was not science but religion, and had no place in the 9th grade science curriculum.

Both Judge Jones and the board members who voted against the teaching of Intelligent Design have been subjected to numerous death threats.

2) Abortion

Abortion is now legal in both Canada and the US. In spite of this there have been a number of abortion murders in the past 15 years.

[jbg]

After reading some of the comments on here it just goes to show even more that west is west and east is east and we'll never understand each other or do we want to?

I suggest the following "global" deal with the "East"; if they tolerate Western religions in the East, we'll tolerate "Eastern" religions (read Islam) in the West. I suspect a few heads in Hamburg, Malmo, and the banleieus (sp) of Paris may come flying off under conditions of reciprocity.

Yes, of course the teacher is at fault for allowing the name to be used in vain or whatever. But she should not be whipped for it. That they have whippings and beheadings shows what a savage culture it is.

In vain? It was a Christian school. That's not taking the Christian G-d's name in vain.

I think the teacher should have know the culture and told the kids no and I hope she is allowed to leave the country alive.

The fact that teaching or for that matter doing anything in these countries is so dangerous is why these countires remain, by and large, illiterate, festering backwaters.

[bush_cheney2004]

Would anyone care if someone named a teddy bear "Jesus the Pooh"?

No more than caring about baseball player Jesús Alou. I am going to name my next canine "Mohammed", just because I can (without fear of beheading by the locals).

Allah Akbar!

[Wilber]

You're right of course, but you are applying this issue to another culture. Consider the following....

1) Kitzmiller v. Dover

The Dover PA school board decided that creationism (Intelligent design) should be taught along side Darwin's theory of evolution. A number of board members voted against this, but it was carried by majority. A lawsuit ensued.

In a trial reminiscent of the Scopes trial, and in which many prominent witnesses for both sides were called, Judge John E. Jones III ruled that Intelligent design was not science but religion, and had no place in the 9th grade science curriculum.

Both Judge Jones and the board members who voted against the teaching of Intelligent Design have been subjected to numerous death threats.

2) Abortion

Abortion is now legal in both Canada and the US. In spite of this there have been a number of abortion murders in the past 15 years.

1) The court found that religion had no place in the science curriculum, they didn't put anyone in jail or threaten them with lashes for teaching it. If the persons issuing those death threats are identified, they will be prosecuted. Think they will in Sudan?

2) The persons who committed those murders are either serving life terms, on death row or still being hunted by the authorities. Think they would in Sudan?

The only thing in common here is that both societies have religious wing nuts. How they are dealt with by society and the law is completely different.

[sharkman]

Yes, once again Higgly is comparing apples and oran... more like rocks. On one side you have State sanctioned murder and torture(whippings and worse) and on the other side you have none.

[aras]

Stop bashing Islam! Everyone has things that they hold dear. Culture of Honor in US, anyone?

Stop being egocentric and disrespectful of other cultures. Keep doing that and see more 9/11 type attacks. Islamic prophet is the most important figure in the lives of more than a billion people! Maybe you value money, or life, or whatever. Naming a toy after a prophet is considered disrespectful. For instance, if someone takes a dump on you dad's grave, you might go after the guy and throw him a few good punches...you really shouldn't, afterall your daddy is dead and taking a dump doesn't hurt anyone. But some people take offense to that. Some people don't. Similarly, in other cultures (aboriginals, e.g. with eagles), they have things that mean a lot to them....if you can't imagine that, then you confirm the Western egocentric view.

Edited December 2, 2007 by aras

[jefferiah]

Stop bashing Islam! Everyone has things that they hold dear. Culture of Honor in US, anyone?

Stop being egocentric and disrespectful of other cultures. Keep doing that and see more 9/11 type attacks. Islamic prophet is the most important figure in the lives of more than a billion people! Maybe you value money, or life, or whatever. Naming a toy after a prophet is considered disrespectful. For instance, if someone takes a dump on you dad's grave, you might go after the guy and throw him a few good punches...you really shouldn't, afterall your daddy is dead and taking a dump doesn't hurt anyone. But some people take offense to that. Some people don't. Similarly, in other cultures (aboriginals, e.g. with eagles), they have things that mean a lot to them....if you can't imagine that, then you confirm the Western egocentric view.

Grave vandalism is quite common. And yet we usually dont hear people holloering for executions over it. How do you know they named the toy after the prophet, Mohammed is a common name? And the most ridiculous part is the teacher did not even name the toy that, the children did. She was not disrespecting anything.

[jefferiah]

Stop being egocentric and disrespectful of other cultures. Keep doing that and see more 9/11 type attacks.

Ah...see it's because you say things like this that you get bashed. Stop criticizing Islam or we will blow you to bits. Nice!

Ok lets summarize. A teacher allows her students to name a teddy bear. A nice thing to do. Pretty harmless. The "kids" name it Mohammed (a common name). Teacher is arrested, and people call for her "execution". Now we are here criticizing this, and you think that criticism deserves another 9/11?

Well..... now

Edited December 2, 2007 by jefferiah

[Higgly]

1) The court found that religion had no place in the science curriculum, they didn't put anyone in jail or threaten them with lashes for teaching it. If the persons issuing those death threats are identified, they will be prosecuted. Think they will in Sudan?

2) The persons who committed those murders are either serving life terms, on death row or still being hunted by the authorities. Think they would in Sudan?

The only thing in common here is that both societies have religious wing nuts. How they are dealt with by society and the law is completely different.

You are right there. But the veneer of civilisation is thin. Make no mistake about it.There are forces in North America who would have this very same reasoning applied. Do not think for a moment that we are free of these ideological zealots. We have mullahs too.

[jefferiah]

. Do not think for a moment that we are free of these ideological zealots. We have mullahs too.

Nice of you to mention Cair and Can-cair

[bush_cheney2004]

Stop bashing Islam! Everyone has things that they hold dear. Culture of Honor in US, anyone?

Stop being egocentric and disrespectful of other cultures. Keep doing that and see more 9/11 type attacks. Islamic prophet is the most important figure in the lives of more than a billion people! ...

Tough titty....in THIS CULTURE...nothing is sacred...from Piss Christ sculpture to flushing the Qu'ran down a toilet. Islamic prophet is just another religious icon, and if we have to drag extremists into the 20th century the hard way, then so be it.

Directions to all tall buildings in N. America and Europe are available at Google Maps.

[Wilber]

You are right there. But the veneer of civilisation is thin. Make no mistake about it.There are forces in North America who would have this very same reasoning applied. Do not think for a moment that we are free of these ideological zealots. We have mullahs too.

I don't think it for a moment. The difference is we put them in their place, we don't sponsor them and we don't encourage or allow them to brake our laws. I don't think the veneer is thin at all in western countries. Our democracies have developed over centuries and have survived numerous trials without failing. They have survived on their own merits, not because they are imposed. From a domestic point of view they are quite secure IMO. I think the cultural diversity of our country now makes domination by one particular group all but impossible as the others will band together to prevent it.

[jbg]

Stop bashing Islam! Everyone has things that they hold dear. Culture of Honor in US, anyone?

I recognize that I am not really addressing this post to you, since your views are so far out that they are not something you'll debate in good faith.

However, the US and Canada have become great by the subordination of "honor" to a civil society. Back in the early days of the US, there was a tradition of settling disputes by dueling. It was "honor based". In most cases, though, the people shot into the air and "honor" was achieved by each person going back and doing work.

Stop being egocentric and disrespectful of other cultures. Keep doing that and see more 9/11 type attacks. Islamic prophet is the most important figure in the lives of more than a billion people! Maybe you value money, or life, or whatever. Naming a toy after a prophet is considered disrespectful. For instance, if someone takes a dump on you dad's grave, you might go after the guy and throw him a few good punches...you really shouldn't, afterall your daddy is dead and taking a dump doesn't hurt anyone. But some people take offense to that. Some people don't. Similarly, in other cultures (aboriginals, e.g. with eagles), they have things that mean a lot to them....if you can't imagine that, then you confirm the Western egocentric view.

The Islamic society seems to be based upon war and subjugation. The concept is that dhimmis will do whatever work is done, and the Muslims will rule. In practice, this means grinding poverty for most since there are not enough dhimmis or slaves to get all the productive work done.

Oil does not really solve the problem. Oil wealth can, to an extent, buy off restive rival leaders. Eventually, there are either too many takers with their hands out, a drop in oil's price, or both. Western democracy has produced unparelled prosperity and peace. I'd with the same for the benighted Muslim world.

[Guest American Woman]

The teacher has been pardoned and will be released thanks to intervention by two prominant British Muslims.

KHARTOUM (AFP) - Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir on Monday pardoned a British woman teacher jailed for 15 days for insulting religion and she will be released in an hour, a presidential advisor told AFP.

[jbg]

The teacher has been pardoned and will be released thanks to intervention by two prominant British Muslims.

KHARTOUM (AFP) - Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir on Monday pardoned a British woman teacher jailed for 15 days for insulting religion and she will be released in an hour, a presidential advisor told AFP.

Whiel the result is the best that could be hoped for in this matter, what about the effect that incidents like this have on business and education in Muslim countries generally?

[M.Dancer]

We are so lucky that in the west and in Canada we can be disrectful to any God, religious figure or personality without fear of the bogeyman coming at night to haul us away.....It is a right. Anyone can say Mohammed was a nice guy who really knew how to treat a 12 year old virgin, or Buddah was a morbidly obese enlightened one....Jesus was nauled by Mary M befpore Pilate got him....that Moses was just pissed at being passed over for promotion by Pharoh.....

[Wilber]

if we have to drag extremists into the 20th century the hard way, then so be it.

Only the 20th century? It's a start I guess.

[jefferiah]

We are so lucky that in the west and in Canada we can be disrectful to any God, religious figure or personality without fear of the bogeyman coming at night to haul us away.....It is a right. Anyone can say Mohammed was a nice guy who really knew how to treat a 12 year old virgin, or Buddah was a morbidly obese enlightened one....Jesus was nauled by Mary M befpore Pilate got him....that Moses was just pissed at being passed over for promotion by Pharoh.....

Well, actually Buddha is a term for any enlightened one not just for Siddharta Guatama. I think the big fat Buddha you see in the Asian restaurants is actually Hotei, or laughing Buddha, an enlightened Chinese street bum who carried a bag of treats and toys for kids, not the actual Buddha.

[M.Dancer]

Well, actually Buddha is a term for any enlightened one not just for Siddharta Guatama. I think the big fat Buddha you see in the Asian restaurants is actually Hotei, or laughing Buddha, an enlightened Chinese street bum who carried a bag of treats and toys for kids, not the actual Buddha.

Now all the criminals in their coats and their ties

Are free to drink martinis and watch the sun rise

While rubin sits like buddha in a ten-foot cell

An innocent man in a living hell.

Thats the story of the hurricane,

But it wont be over till they clear his name

And give him back the time hes done.

Put in a prison cell, but one time he could-a been

The champion of the world.

[DogOnPorch]

Ahhhh...Mr Zimmerman.

-------------------------

Oxford Town in the afternoon

Ev'rybody singin' a sorrowful tune

Two men died 'neath the Mississippi Moon

Somebody better investigate soon

---Bob Dylan