Gillian Gibbons, from Liverpool UK, was sent to prison after she allowed her class of grade-school children, name a class teddy bear ‘Mohammed.’ Gibbons was recruited to work in Sudan by QTS Worldwide. After asking her students what name they wanted to give the bear, one student suggested it be named after him, Mohammed. The class agreed, and the bear was named. An innocent act, now turned into an international fiasco. Under Sudanese law, Gibbons could face 40 lashes and/or 6 months in prison.

This is ridiculous enough, but here’s the topper. Several Sudanese citizens protested outside the presidential palace in Khartoum, demanding the death of Gibbons. They were requesting her be executed by a firing squad. All for what? Naming a teddy bear Mohammed. These people need to get over it. Although I have some pessimistic views of religion, I respect anyone’s beliefs. This had gone too far though. I can understand anger at a comic strip insulting Mohammed, but this? Even the most Evangelical religious ‘Right’ of our country, tucked away in the bible belt, wouldn’t demand the execution of someone insulting Jesus. Example: No one made a peep when the T-shirt labeled ‘Jesus was my homeboy’ was made. Jesus has been portrayed on Southpark, many times. Not to say that it isn’t insulting, I too have a grave respect for the man, but it shouldn’t be answered with death.

Islam is supposed to preach peace and love for fellow humans, right? The Sudanese are Muslim yet continue to allow a devastating genocide take place on their own soil. They have no respect for mankind, yet they expect others to respect their religious symbols? I could understand if Gibbons was reprimanded, suspended, even exiled back to the UK. But I cannot understand how any human being could want to see another dead because of an innocent mistake as this. What do you think?

Read more:

http://www.phillyblog.com/philly/spirituality-faith/47505-another-reason-why-religion-absurd.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7122323.stm

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=87173