Adebayor's started so well for Man City
Gillian Gibbons has been found guilty
I've just been listening to the news and the reaction - the British teacher in Khartoum has been found guilty after allowing her class to name a teddy bear Mohammed. We'll be talking about it on the programme tomorrow.
Most of you today simply couldn't understand why on earth she'd been charged with blasphemy - but then most of us don't necessarily understand the intricacies of sharia law nor are we particularly sensitive about religion in this country. 15 days in prison she's been given as punishment - I wonder what, if anything, the British government will be able to do anything to get her before the two weeks is up.
She made a mistake in a country where she was a temporary guest. That mistake violated a law which that country considers a serious offence. The court, in my opinion, because she was a non Muslim imposed a lenient sentence.
Where's the fault in that?
The biggest problem here is the influence of superstition (which believers call religion) on government. This applies in North America as much as fundamentalist Islamic states. All states should be secular because religion has no place in the control of a populace anywhere.
Why should I have any respect for a law based on any superstition? Religion is a matter of faith, not truth.
And it is no point Muslims coming on to the radio saying that this does not reflect true Islam. It is said that Pat Robertson does not represent tru Christianity, but it does not stop him and his ilk having a significant impact on North American policy development. Likewise, there are several states where Sharia principles dominate; Sudan is one of many.
The real fight is to remove the influence of superstition from all states and send it back to where it belongs, in the home and one's own personal space. Will the UK be able to do this by removing religious leaders from our own parliament and ensuring our education syatem is truly secular? Did you know that your tax money is being spent to support the establishment of faith schools? This is a backward step towards superstition based on the flawed idea that respect for religion means we have to treat it with reverence rather than disdain. Religion is a pervasive, divisive influence - always has been always will be.
It seems like there are a lot of people both Muslims and non Muslims alike that can't understand this situation. Who knows if the British government can do anything.
I hope they gave the diplomat which kept implying it would all be fine a talking to, because it does look like we were walked up the garden path at little bit from the earlier statements.
Hi
I have been listening to the ongoing debates on Five live regarding this woman.
Firstly the reaction from these fanatics in Khartoum just shows it all to the world how divided the islamic people are and how they use religion as a tool to brainwash people. They go from one extreme of common sense believing it is a genuine mistake to the extreme of wanting to executing this woman.
Howvever what they are failing to actually recognise in the big picture here is this woman out of her own kindness was trying to help this country and their people with her teaching and this is how they pay her back. I dont think there shall be many others volunteering to do this type of work.
I think we should impose the most extreme sanctions on this country and let them rot in the hell we and the western world were are all trying to get them out of with aid and kindness in the firsts place.
Lets see what Mohammed can do for them then.
It also shows how the west can deal with freedom of speech and democracy that we can actuall mock our religions without really meaning any harm to any individuals.
and what is happening in a uk school?
My son has to design a Christmas card, but the words 'Merry Christmas' are not permitted. 'Season's Greetings' must be used instead. Why? to ensure that the Muslims are not offended!
The lunatics have taken over the asylum.
Oh! and by the way, I don't think there is a single muslim in his school.
We may find this more than slightly ridiculous bearing in mind that hundreds of "dollies" will be cast in the role of "Baby Jesus" in Nativity Plays throughout the land. This is quite clearly a transgression against the Second Commandment (NO IDOLATORY !).
However we take a little more water with our religion here so we tend not to stone people to death for such transgressions.
In Sudan they take their religion seriously.
So, if you can't stomach their Medieval approach, best not go there.