Recently in Commentary Category
In the western world the situation is described as minute yet in Sudan the naming a teddy bear Muhammad has caused a British teacher to be arrested. While she may find herself free the experience must be horrific for her. She faces jail time or forty lashes for her obvious disrespect for the Prophet Muhammad.
This raises an even larger question. Why would a classroom agreeing upon naming of the teddy bear as Muhammad cause such anger in Sudan? Is it truly that sacred? These are not the questions being raised, no doubt, in Sudan. The question there is how harsh should the punishment be for such an insolent infidel.
Religion, no doubt, is the cause of this. Secularism in their society has a very weak hold and blasphemy, even in the weak case as this one, is found to be a punishable offense. One wonders if such a large outcry would occur if a classroom decided to name a teddy bear "Jesus" in the U.S. Undoubtedly very little.
Even so, the U.S. has had recent battles regarding the display of the Ten Commandments in federal buildings, and it is easy to forget the slippery road this could lead to. While I won't go as far as to say that we could become a full-fledged theocracy, it is easy to forget that the separation of church and state is a vital piece of American secularism and stability.
It is easy to look at countries like Sudan and criticize their backwards intolerance to alternative belief systems. Their rhetoric however rings true to the same rhetoric used by the most religious in the fiery evangelist circles and it is evident those that wish to see their religious beliefs mandated by law must not gain power or more influence in this country. They guise imprisonment as freedom for their beliefs, while secretly trying to overshadow the freedom of others.
The Sudan incident should serve as a reminder of the power religion can have over unsuspecting populations. We should take the warning and look at ourselves before we find ourselves looking into a very grave and dark mirror with a reflection we find all too eerily familiar to the very nations we scoff at.
This raises an even larger question. Why would a classroom agreeing upon naming of the teddy bear as Muhammad cause such anger in Sudan? Is it truly that sacred? These are not the questions being raised, no doubt, in Sudan. The question there is how harsh should the punishment be for such an insolent infidel.
Religion, no doubt, is the cause of this. Secularism in their society has a very weak hold and blasphemy, even in the weak case as this one, is found to be a punishable offense. One wonders if such a large outcry would occur if a classroom decided to name a teddy bear "Jesus" in the U.S. Undoubtedly very little.
Even so, the U.S. has had recent battles regarding the display of the Ten Commandments in federal buildings, and it is easy to forget the slippery road this could lead to. While I won't go as far as to say that we could become a full-fledged theocracy, it is easy to forget that the separation of church and state is a vital piece of American secularism and stability.
It is easy to look at countries like Sudan and criticize their backwards intolerance to alternative belief systems. Their rhetoric however rings true to the same rhetoric used by the most religious in the fiery evangelist circles and it is evident those that wish to see their religious beliefs mandated by law must not gain power or more influence in this country. They guise imprisonment as freedom for their beliefs, while secretly trying to overshadow the freedom of others.
The Sudan incident should serve as a reminder of the power religion can have over unsuspecting populations. We should take the warning and look at ourselves before we find ourselves looking into a very grave and dark mirror with a reflection we find all too eerily familiar to the very nations we scoff at.
Out
