Life in a Theocracy: Update, Government Goes ‘Soft’ on Teacher, Crowds Call for Death

Great Reuters video summary of the story

Remember Gillian Gibbons, The 54 year old British school teacher who allowed one of her students to name his teddy bear “Muhammad”? She was sentenced by Sudanese officials today. She’s been in jail for five days, since she was arrested shortly after the incident. Her punishment could have been a year in jail, 40 lashes or a fine. In the end, the government decided fifteen days in jail was appropriate. Excessive, but at least she’ll survive without being killed or something. Right? maybe…

Blasphemer and Heretic

When the news that the British school teacher “only” got fifteen days in prison was announced, up to a thousand marched in Sudan’s capital protesting for her death. The BBC reports:

According to some agencies, some of the protesters chanted: "Shame, shame on the UK", "No tolerance - execution" and "Kill her, kill her by firing squad".

This kindg of surprised me… The government takes a lenient (by regional standards) approach to the problem, she’s only serving 1/24 the maximum sentence. But the people get upset? On one hand this could be a small group of crazies, unrepresentative of the population. According to Wikipedia, there are 2.2 million people in the city, and another 6 million around the city. Some reports are emphatically claiming the number was in the “thousands”, but BBC claims it was about a thousand. In a city of that size, this protest seems relatively minor. Given the government’s lenient action, and the extraordinarily small scope of the protest, this could all go away once she’s released from prison and deported.

On the other hand, it only takes one person to kill her. Widespread outrage isn’t necessary for an assassination attempt. With the Sudanese Government’s theocratic tendencies and their absolute corruption, I’m sure she doesn’t feel safe in prison from those thousand, chanting for her death. Let’s hope she is able to get out of the country in one piece.

Life in a Theocracy: Teddy Bear Subversive pt. 1

The BBC reports, A British Teacher in Sudan allowed one of her students to name a teddy bear “Muhammad” in a class activity. Authorities, enforcing an Islamic command against representing Muhammad, arrested and charged her with Insulting Religion, Inciting Hate, and Showing Contempt for religious beliefs. If convicted, she could face 6 months in jail, 40 lashes, or a fine.

This nice lady?

Why does the state have a role to play here? It’s insulting on multiple levels. First and foremost, I am offended by the states authoritarian endorsement of one specific religion, which would not surprise anyone familiar with Sudan. Another facet of insult lies in the states regulation of religious rules. It is one thing to endorse one religion over all others; it’s another thing to become the punisher of religious violations. And it is an unbearable thing

I am insulted because when a government promotes one religion above all others squelches the debate. No longer is there a marketplace of ideas where bad ideas collide with better ideas, not in Sudan. In Muslim Theocracies, Islam is the only game in town. When a government doesn’t allow ideas to compete, traditions go unexamined, centuries old religious regulation created in a specific set of historical circumstances (complete female subjection, scientific ignorance, etc) continue to hold sway over modern times that are devoid of the context the rules were written in. The result is that the religion does not match the time and many of these Muslim Theocracies are the worse off for it. They govern poorly, authoritatively punishing their populations, and they eschew contact and trade with the west, that could help their economy.

More next post!

Life in a Theocracy: Teddy Bear Subversive pt. 2

(This is a continuation of the Previous Article)

Don't call him "Mo"

This event reminds me of Salman Rushdie’s article, “Yes, This Is About Islam". In it, he makes the point that in the west, religion has faded into our private lives, we have individualized it. While in Islamic countries, religion is not private, it is public, it’s not only important what you do, and it is important what your neighbor does. He claims, and I agree, that this is the fundamental flaw with Islam that must be reformed if they are to enter the modern world.

These “Islamists” are using this event to whip up anti-west sentiment

"What has happened was not haphazard or carried out of ignorance, but rather a calculated action and another ring in the circles of plotting against Islam," the Sudanese Assembly of the Ulemas said in a statement.

We’ll see how it turns out. Given their countries history with dealing with large problems, my faith in their capacity to deal with this small problem is shaken to say the least. This is Religious Politics in Sudan, and at any given time we are one election away from this.