And she would be right. Islam is not the problem, it is the perversion of it that pertains in Sudan. Stop trying to demonise a billion people with silly sweeping statements. It is racist and it makes you look very stupid.

You have to get over your bigotry. Fenians, Muslims etc. are about the place and going nowhere.

Based on everything I've read so far (including this), I think she will still tell us how much she respects Islam when she comes home. I'm also impressed that the moderate Muslims in Britain have criticized the Sudanese imprisonment of Ms Gibbons.

Muhammad Abdul Bari, secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain, accused the Sudanese authorities of "gross overreaction."

"This case should have required only simple common sense to resolve. It is unfortunate that the Sudanese authorities were found wanting in this most basic of qualities," he said.

The Muslim Public Affairs Committee, a political advocacy group, said the prosecution was "abominable and defies common sense."

Sorry, Def. Islam IS the problem: a wicked, autocratic creed that seeks world theological domination.

I saw a pile of dog shit today. I've named it 'Mohammed'.

"Islam is not the problem, it is the perversion of it that pertains in Sudan."

And in Egypt and Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and Iran and Algeria and Nigeria and Mauritania and so on.

Andrew McCann. You go around naming piles of dog shit? You really need to find a girlfriend dude... or maybe nobody will have you.

Ross. The point is it's wrong to demonise a billion people. There are some crazy Muslims but they are a minority, generally the elites in the countries you mention.

Because of the West's record in the Middle East, more people have turned to the crazies. That's a pity but it was inevitable.

Andy Mac thats weird I prefer to call pieces of shit ....wait for it.....ANDREW MCCANN......wait for the delete!!!!!

Andrew

I saw a pile of dog shit today. I've named it 'Mohammed'.

If you follow it home it might keep you.

Shame to see that the scum who plagued this site when I was a regular contributor are still very much alive. Oh well....

I'd like to find something I could name after you Q, but to date I haven't found anything that foul.

Henry

If I follow it home I'll probably find you've already occupied my space.

What a banal reply, Andrew. Hop along now and let the grown-ups discuss the issues.

Def

I'm naming everything Mohammed at the moment: bus stops, toilets, teddy bears.....anything that will annoy and infuriate the followers of this sick and twisted 'religion'.

Annoying Muslims could become almost as enjoyable a pastime as annoying republicans. They occupy the same low plain of humanity.

Calls my reply 'banal', yet says nothing about the trolls who instigated the insults.

Speaks volumes.

'let the grown-ups discuss the issues'

If I identify any on here I'll let you know.

2 quick pissed off replies. The only person annoyed here is yourself Andy lol. In fairness you always give me a bit of a laugh.

'The only person annoyed here is yourself Andy...'

Not annoyed, just disappointed.

'In fairness you always give me a bit of a laugh...'

...and judging by the quality of your responses on here, I'm sure you've seldom given anyone either fairness or laughter.

You know me so well Andy ;-)

'You know me so well Andy'

One of the burdens of the web.

There are times when I just think that too many people in the Arab/Muslim world have too much time on their hands. Look at the size of those crowds of protesters. I can only think (a) that these people are being organized by the government (not that unlikely) or (b) that they simply have too little to do.

I actually find it impossible to understand why so many people would come on to the street to protest the naming of a teddy bear. I could at least understand the cartoon protests because that was intentional. I just don't think that there's any chance what this woman 'did' was intentional.

Alan Frost-McDonald:

Do you really think that the Muslim Public Affairs Committee UK are "moderate Muslims"? This is a group of people who routinely indulge in anti-Semitism (for example, at the 2005 election, they distributed literature attacking a Labour MP for being Jewish - even though she wasn't), and conspiracy theories (usually featuring "Zionists", although they've recently published an article on their website claiming that the 9/11 and 7/7 attacks were "false-flag incidents"). Commenters in their (moderated) forums have also made death threats against SIOE activists.

If these are "moderate Muslims", then I think that tells you all you need to know about Islam!

And the Muslim Council of Britain is not much better, either...

Sorry Def, this may be an extreme example and it may have given the likes of Inayat Bunglawala, Abdul Bari et al the chance to come over all moderate but Islam is still *a* problem and always will be.

One obvious point, that apparently has to be laboured relentlessly, is that Islam is a religion so criticism of it is not and never can be 'racist'. You seem to have succumbed to the Marxist thought police brainwashers.

There's nothing to 'respect' about Islam. Sure there are Muslims out there who manage to either be unaware of or ignore the murder, rape, underage sex, intolerance, torture, looting, misogyny, lying and deception but the very fact that all of it is there in the Koran, Hadith and Sira means Islam will always remain a problem. If it's the fear of being labelled a racist or a bigot that prevents you from founding out the deeper truth about Islam can I suggest Faith Freedom as a source of very good information. It's written by ex-Muslims who aren't 'white' or 'British' so you can relax.

http://www.faithfreedom.org/index.htm

Founding? That should, of course, read finding.

"Those Fuzzy Wuzzies...they don't like it up em you know".

Take that back, Colm, you swine!

Ooops... .he has'nt posted yet.

>There are times when I just think that too many people in the Arab/Muslim world have too much time on their hands

Spot on mate. Ever go to one of these places, you'd be astonished at the numbers of leisured people that sit around smoking all day.

Mostly men

"Islam is not the problem, it is the perversion of it that pertains in Sudan."

OK, pop quiz. Name a single Islamic country in the world that you dont consider to be a 'perverted version'.

"Stop trying to demonise a billion people with silly sweeping statements."

Such as...? A two-sentence post and you've already found a sweeping statement? Wow...

"It is racist and it makes you look very stupid."

Islam is a RELIGION. Calling criticism of it racism shows who the stupid one is pretty damn clearly...

"You have to get over your bigotry."

What, slagging off people calling for a woman to be shot for naming a Teddybear is 'bigotry'? Oh my...

"Fenians, Muslims etc. are about the place and going nowhere."

Fenians? What in the name of the Prophet's furry tail do the Irish have to do with this subject?!?

Islam yet again demonstrating its weakness as a religion.

I'm serious. A religion that can't bear (ahem) to have a soft toy called after its founder is surely a religion without cojones. Christianity can shrug off any number of insults and keep going strong. There's a lesson in there somewhere.

Peeps in European and other Western societies are going to wake up sooner or later to the very real dangers Islam poses. You'd need to be very dense not to see that this is a religion that despises weakness. And that, I'm afraid, is the quality shown time and again by our leaders whenever the Muslims confront us with an atrocity, be it already perpetrated -- or planned as in the Gibbons case and the revolting "court" decision to flog a victim of gang rape.

Every time we blink we send out the message that we're nearly ripe for the plucking. And history shows us that the plucking is inevitable: try finding a Christian church these days in a Muslim land.

Eagle.
Life is utterly tedious in these middle eastern countries with 50% unemployed and no alcohol or available women to break the monotony.
But go to non-muslim India and see that it is nothing to do with poverty; everyone is on the move and turning a shilling as best they can.

David Miliband has spoken to the Sudanese Ambassador over this matter! I bet "his excellency" is quaking in his sandles! Who can blame them for acting in this posturing way. They like everybody else saw what a soft touch we are earlier this year, when our sailors "illegally entered Iranian waters". For youre average Sudanese and Iranian diplomats London must look like paradise compared with Tehran or Khartoum. If certain Embassy staff had thought their cushy number in the UK was up and they would have been on the first plane home, they might have put some pressure on! No the FO is too weak to contemplate even mild sanctions! Give scouse Gillian the benefit of the doubt, shes kept her dignity longer than some of our professional Sailors did! Its not unknown on a friday night for Scouse teachers to be out on the lash! If you didnt laugh youd cry!

''One obvious point, that apparently has to be laboured relentlessly, is that Islam is a religion so criticism of it is not and never can be 'racist'.

You are right, I think the only exception to that is the Jews, since Judaeism and the Jews have always been protrayed as a race.

''There's nothing to 'respect' about Islam. ''

I think you are wrong there. There is much to respect about Islam, its the literalists and those who wish to politicise the religion who do it a disservice. Moderate Islam with its core beliefs of family and how to live a holy life in this world is to be respected, as those values should be respected within Christianity.

This lady is going to make quite a lot of money from the tabloids regarding her experiences so when it is over she won't care a monkey about the Muslims....I don't suppose she will be thinking of going back. Afterall there are masses of schools in the UK filled with the like she can teach.

ABC, I think you miss the point. I'm not denying that there are moderate Muslims. They're the one who seem able to ignore the worst aspects of Islam. They appear to concentrate on the early, peaceful, teachings. These were made by Muhammed when he had little power or influence. After his move to Mecca his teachings changed and became more violent and intolerant and all the rest. Islam resolved this by the method called naksh or abrogation. Hence all the worst parts of Islam supercede the earlier 'nicer' stuff. This is why Islam is the problem.

'There is much to respect about Islam, its the literalists and those who wish to politicise the religion who do it a disservice'.

Quite the reverse actually and this is the crucial point. It's the 'literalsits' or the 'Islamists' who are following the true teachings of Islam. Politicise the religion? Islam is and always has been a complete way of life. It's always been much more than a religion. Sharia lwa is an example of this. I suggested reading some of the articles on Faith Freedom to Def. Perhaps you should do the same?

It's all 'them' and 'us' Maggie isn't it. Bigots like you make me sick.

ABC. You are absolutely spot on.

DSD. Demonising a billion people of various races is indeed racist and it is crass and stupid in the extreme.

Nobody has answered the question: why do Republicans have worldwide support while "unionists" are an international joke, to the extent that anyone is even aware of their existance. Any takers?

The Fenians and the Muslims are in Ireland to stay. If you don't like it much, you can always clear off!

Solidarity with the Palestinians.

Islam is a fascist political/religious system, it is not moderate and in it's eyes we are either believers or bound for hell.
half the population of the planet are second class citizens and if you're gay or transgenderd then you might as well be dead.
under a worldwide islamic caliphate we would have three choices, convert, submit to second class status or die.
there may be peaceful people that follow islam but unless the written word of their god can be changed the religion will never be peaceful.

and don't mention Darfur, it's racist arab muslims trying to exterminate black muslims.

and disturbing that the only political leader in britain who realises this is the leader of the BNP.

Guardian Apostate. You make a good argument in a respectful and calm way. I respect you for that although I disagree with you. That's what us grown-up do, unlike so many others. Also, I'll be glad to read the website you recommend, I am open to all views and I'll take it onboard. Slán.

Exactly DEF .... bigots, idiots whatever, it was a teddy bear for god's sake. Wake up and join the real world. I wasn't the one bouncing up and down wanting the death of this women. Jerks like you make me sick.

Frakked. Are you on drugs. The BNP????????

Racist scum!

oh dear I've made you angry...go and lie down for a while - you'll get over it.

Oh nice one Maggie. I'm glad I illicit a reaction!!! You demonise Palestinians, calling them a death cult. They're people, good people, they have children the same as us. They laugh and cry the same as us. Do you have a heart?

Mags. Do you know the first thing about the BNP? They are an openly racist party.

Bouncing up and down you should try it DEF then you wouldn't be such a tight ass. Relax the BNP isn't coming to get you.

and it's not just my opinion....

"Ever since the religion of Islam appeared in the world, the espousers of it...have been as wolves and tigers to all other nations, rending and tearing all that fell into their merciless paws, and grinding them with their iron teeth: that numberless cities are raised from the foundation, and only their name remaining; that many countries, which were once as the garden of God, are now a desolate wilderness; and that so many once numerous and powerful nations are vanished from the earth! Such was, and is at this day, the rage, the fury, the revenge, of these destroyers of human kind.

John Wesley (1841)

Islam is a fascist political/religious system, it is not moderate and in it's eyes we are either believers or bound for hell.
half the population of the planet are second class citizens and if you're gay or transgenderd then you might as well be dead.
under a worldwide islamic caliphate we would have three choices, convert, submit to second class status or die.
there may be peaceful people that follow islam but unless the written word of their god can be changed the religion will never be peaceful.

and don't mention Darfur, it's racist arab muslims trying to exterminate black muslims.

and disturbing that the only political leader in britain who realises this is the leader of the BNP.

"Relax the BNP isn't coming to get you"

Yes I'm white.

That is nonsense Frakked.

DEF

just because they're considered racist doesn't mean they don't occasionally talk sense... after all islam is not a race.

''Afterall there are masses of schools in the UK filled with the like she can teach.''

What like is that maggie?

GA

I'll take you up on that offer and have a read later when I have more time and get back to you.

Islamic non-english speaking foreigners ABC. Or were you trying to score rhetorical points on our Maggie? So hard to tell with you soppy serious liberals.

"Yes I'm white"

Oooh. So are the Eastern Euros. They hate them too.

"DSD. Demonising a billion people of various races is indeed racist and it is crass and stupid in the extreme"

Oh don't worry about that. He hates all sorts. You'll get used to it. Maggie on the other hand sees a bunch of pricks jumping and down about a teddy bear and calls it for what it is. Good.

''Islamic non-english speaking foreigners ABC.''

Guffaw!! You are a true racist. If these ''Islamic non-english speaking foreigners'' are legal British or US citizens, they have every right to be taught in school.

Hard cheese right winger. Squeese up, theres more on the way.

If these ''Islamic non-english speaking foreigners'' are legal British or US citizens, they have every right to be taught in school.

Exactly you moron. Nice to see you got the point.

Is racist right winger the best you can do? Yawn......

Hey Frank O'Dwyer, you lurking around, come school this boy/girl on the art of insult and rebuke.

"Hard cheese right winger. Squeese up, theres more on the way."

Raise you your Primula with a nice hard block of Parmesan.