This thing with the kid naming the teddy bear Muhammad? Options

[Hartmann]

What do you think?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7121025.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7115821.stm

Yep. Islam is a religion of peace. "CHOP HER HEAD OFF!"

I think it's hilarious that the kid who named the bear is actually named Muhammad.

There was a woman on the radio this morning that called in and told the host he was out of his mind of insulting Islam and then she immediately went on a rant about how George Bush hates African Americans. This is what my home country is coming to.

[Testm0nkey]

ok she taught in the middle east? then she should have known better. dont run into a different culture and not take the time to learn its customs otherwise you get in trouble. the teacher was just dumb

for example, in Singapore a person could be put to death for minor drug charges. we dont do that in America and we dont "understand" that. but when you are there you have to respect their authority. to them that is an acceptable response

i also know when flying to singapore, while you are still on the plane, you have to sign a waiver stating you understand their rules and customs and they give you a Do not do list. id be curious if flying into the middle east if they do something similar. i think that they would/should

[Hartmann]

ok she taught in the middle east? then she should have known better. dont run into a different culture and not take the time to learn its customs otherwise you get in trouble. the teacher was just dumb

for example, in Singapore a person could be put to death/lifetime in prison for minor drug charges. we dont do that in America and we dont "understand" that. but when you are there you have to respect their authority. to them that is an acceptable response

I think those are two completely different ideas.

In Singapore it has nothing to do with religion, instead it has to do with keeping the country safe and clean. I have no problem with Singapore caning someone for smoking some dope because it's their law.

Flying pretty much anywhere you have to sign some sort of waiver. In Singapore though, they are adamant that you understand their drug laws. I'm not sure if when you fly into Khartoum in the little prop plane if you get a form that tells you 'By signing this you agree to not allow your students to name a teddy bear "Muhammad"'.

In Sudan, it isn't civil law that is being enforced, it's religious law and this is being done other places as well. Granted, she should have known what she was getting herself into when she went there, however, she didn't name the bear, she just allowed the students to. Why don't they cut the head off the little boy who named it?

[pebkac]

I think those are two completely different ideas.

In Singapore it has nothing to do with religion, instead it has to do with keeping the country safe and clean. I have no problem with Singapore caning someone for smoking some dope because it's their law.

Flying pretty much anywhere you have to sign some sort of waiver. In Singapore though, they are adamant that you understand their drug laws. I'm not sure if when you fly into Khartoum in the little prop plane if you get a form that tells you 'By signing this you agree to not allow your students to name a teddy bear "Muhammad"'.

In Sudan, it isn't civil law that is being enforced, it's religious law and this is being done other places as well. Granted, she should have known what she was getting herself into when she went there, however, she didn't name the bear, she just allowed the students to. Why don't they cut the head off the little boy who named it?

So extremism is ok just as long as it isn't religious extremism?

This is a pretty fucked up situation, but there are plenty of other situations around the world that are equally fucked up. Whether its religion, politics, or tradition, ideology is still ideology.

[Hartmann]

So extremism is ok just as long as it isn't religious extremism?

This is a pretty fucked up situation, but there are plenty of other situations around the world that are equally fucked up. Whether its religion, politics, or tradition, ideology is still ideology.

But it isn't extremism.

In Singapore, the punishment is probably excessive, but you don't see people in the streets chanting "Kill the drug user!"

[pebkac]

But it isn't extremism.

In Singapore, the punishment is probably excessive, but you don't see people in the streets chanting "Kill the drug user!"

Probably excessive? It's an extreme. Hence the term extremism.