Sunday, December 02, 2007

Can a seven-year-old blaspheme?

From a BBC blog comes this:

Speaking as a father I do not feel this was a well thought out plan by the teacher. However, I feel that she has done nothing wrong. The children themselves should be punished for having chosen the name of our great Prophet for a lowly bear. The teacher was misguided, whereas the children were malicious. They must be brought to answer for their blasphemy.
Abdullah Al-Zawawi, Sudan


and also this:

The children voted as well. They should lock them up too, as a lesson to anybody who insults Prophet Muhammad.
K K Djibouto, Sudan


I don't think you need to be irrationally anti-muslim to point out that there are no other religions on earth where adherents believe that non-believers, acting in private, should be criminalized for words they speak. Or that seven-year-olds should be punished for their inadequate understanding of theology. The first gentleman distances himself from the mob, but both align themselves with the second view. The first gives his full name and evidently doesn't feel embarrassed to tell the entire world.

To repeat an earlier point, Islam is a self-insulting religion. It shouldn't worry about the impact of infidels on Mohammed's good name.

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