Thursday, November 29, 2007

A Bear called Mohamed


I bumped into a Sudanese refugee briefly today. I allow part of my little house to be used for an ecumenical project called Voices in Exile , which helps support some of the huge number of refugees in Brighton. The man who I met had rung the wrong bell a few weeks ago, since then we meet quite often. He is a good Muslim, but doesn't go to the Mosque, I nag him as I do lapsed Catholics. He seems to enjoy that.
Today, before I had the chance to say much he asked me what I thought about the teacher and the teddy bear, then proceeded to tell me what he thought.
He said that one of the charges was "disrespect for religion", he told me that when he was in the Sudan everyone thought that being English and showing disrespect seemed to be the same. No-one expects the English to have respect for any religion, not even Christianity. Being English and having a contempt for religion seem coterminous.
Sad how others see us isn't it?

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

is this the same one thats on ebay ?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330193980849

gemoftheocean said...

Yeah, but these are the same people who think all western women are whores because some of us wear trousers rather than be burka clad.

Just because they have a perception doesn't mean it's right.

As for naming a bear Mohamed...if the name is so special, why are they naming their kids after him? Mohamed is supposedly the most popular boy's name on earth. I shudder to think of the percentage of Mohamedans 20 years from now if the demographic trend continues. Forget your neighbor going to mosque, invite him to Mass if there is to be any hope in the next century.

Personally, I wouldn't name a teddy bear after Mohamed. I like Teddy bears.

nickbris said...

Belittling the Prophet is what it was all about.Belittling faiths is what we have to be aware of.It only requires a modicum of "common sense" to be aware of other peoples feelings.The people who sent her should also be locked up.The secularists will not stop their nonsense until we make a stand.The Turkish authorities are prosecuting the publishers of Dawkins'rubbish so these are lessons we should all learn.Muslims now have their backs to the wall and we must also stay alert.

fr paul harrison said...

not quite the same but:
a priest I know was talking to a Polish couple who didn't come to Mass. When asked why they simply said "We are in England now"...

fr paul harrison

Fr Ray Blake said...

anon
It could be, I don't buy bears myself. I just googled "teddy bear" and found this one.

gemoftheocean said...

Fr. Ray, his link is semi-broken but you can check it out here.

Unknown said...

See the story at ANGELQUEEN.org news blog.

British teacher faces blasphemy charges over "Muhammed" teddy bear

http://angelqueen.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17416

on the same subject.

Anonymous said...

I think that there is long history of 'England' being very far from having true respect for religion, except for that linked to what in politically expedient at the time.

Have we forgotten the reformation and what it did to the Faith across the British Isles? Wasn't quite the same anywhere else. Cromwell? The later flourishing of appalling philosophy and all the dodgy science which has infected everything? Even the Victorian rise of religious fever and freedom, respect or politics?
I suspect rationalist (with some bad nationalism) politics at play again and again.

Adulio said...

Couldn't agree more gemoftheocean.

The Turk shows no tolerance to anyone other than its own (and that doesn't stop them from killing each other).

Anonymous said...

Turk?

I was in Egypt when Campbell's "We don't do God" press release on Blair was made, it was second on the News with back up coverage of Gerry Springer the Opera and Crucifix in urine.

Perfidious Albion indeed!

Anonymous said...

Has anything changed amongst the majority in Islam since the 16th Century? The Christian West defeated them and then ignored them, whilst the Post-Christian West tolerates this sort of agression, in the name of multiculturism. Woukd you kill or imprison someone if they named their Teddy Bear 'Jesus'? What about 'Aloylisius' (sic) [Waugh]. Even Gladstone would have despatched a fleet and an army under Kitchener. Today, as evidence of 'progress' we express 'strong regret'. How about turning Khartoum into the world's largest single level car park, after a suitable warning, even discounting their genocide in Darfur. If you don't fight, you lose.

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