Poor innocent teddy bears
28 11 2007 - 23:45
It’s no good. I can’t contain myself. I’ve just watched, on BBC Newsnight, a fellow from the Sudanese embassy defending the actions of the Sudanese authorities in arresting a British teacher working in the Sudan for insulting the Prophet by allowing her class of primary school children to name a teddy bear Mohammed
He was confronted by a moderate British muslim. This person accepted that the teacher could have made herself more aware of Sudanese (Sharia) law and of local religious sensitivities. But he suggested that it was fairly obvious that no offence was intended and that the authorities response was too heavy-handed. He said that this kind of action brought Sharia law into disrespect.
The man from the embassy then made the amazing statement that it was nothing to do with Sharia law. This Sudanese law was made to protect all religions including Christianity.
It’s a pity that nobody asked this embassy fellow if that meant that if the teddy bear had been named Jesus the teacher would still have been arrested.
The fellow from the embassy was quite inscrutable. I couldn’t make out if he felt he was defending the indefensible or if he really believed what he was saying.
I would like to say much more about this topic and but I fear I must say no more in case I give offence.
