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Teddy Teacher Spurs UK to Kill Own Blasphemy Law

House of Lords strikes down statute questioned since Sudan teddy-bear case

By Jonas Oransky,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 6, 2008 2:12 PM CST
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(Newser) – Britain's House of Lords voted yesterday to abolish blasphemy laws after an international incident sparked debate over secularism and tradition, the Los Angeles Times reports. With the UK and Sudan at odds in November over the prosecution of a British teacher allowing students to name a teddy bear Mohammad, many pointed out the hypocrisy of having a similar measure on common-law books.

Said one legislator of the 148-87 vote, “It is crystal-clear that the offenses of blasphemy … are unworkable in today’s society." Responded an opponent, “The essential question is: Should we abolish Christian beliefs?” Indeed, the 19th-century law only applies to attacks on Christianity. A man who compared Jesus Christ to a clown was the last convicted under the law, in 1922.

Angry Sudanese protesters hold a newspaper carrying a photo of British teacher Gillian Gibbons, during a protest in Khartoum, Sudan, after Friday prayers, Friday Nov. 30, 2007, The protestors called for the execution of Gibbons, who was convicted of insulting Islam for letting her students name a teddy bear Muhammad....
Angry Sudanese protesters hold a newspaper carrying a photo of British teacher Gillian Gibbons, during a protest in Khartoum, Sudan, after Friday prayers, Friday Nov. 30, 2007, The protestors called for...   (Associated Press)
SUDAN-BRITAIN-RELIGION-DIPLOMACY-DEMO
SUDAN-BRITAIN-RELIGION-DIPLOMACY-DEMO   (Getty Images)
Gillian Gibbons, the British teacher jailed in Sudan for letting her students name a teddy bear Muhammad as part of a writing project, is seen shortly after arriving at London's Heathrow airport, Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2007. Gibbons, 54, jailed for more than a week, was freed Monday after two Muslim...
Gillian Gibbons, the British teacher jailed in Sudan for letting her students name a teddy bear Muhammad as part of a writing project, is seen shortly after arriving at London's Heathrow airport, Tuesday,...   (Associated Press)
Guardsmen changing the guard outside St James's Palace march past protesters holding placards and teddy bears outside the Sudanese Embassy in London, Saturday, Dec. 1, 2007. The demonstrators are protesting the 15 day prison term given to British school teacher Gillian Gibbons for calling a teddy bear Mohammed in a...
Guardsmen changing the guard outside St James's Palace march past protesters holding placards and teddy bears outside the Sudanese Embassy in London, Saturday, Dec. 1, 2007. The demonstrators are protesting...   (Associated Press)
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National Secular Society rejoices
National Secular Society

Massachusetts vies for a similar change
Associated Press

 
Islam • Christianity • Sudan • hypocrisy • Britain • blasphemy • teddy bears • Gillian Gibbons • Jesus Christ

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