Bearly believable

When I heard this story mentioned in a news re-cap on Radio 4’s PM programme this evening I thought it must be some kind of joke (the presenter Eddie Mair has a very wry sense of humour). Even I, well aware of the absurdities of religion and of the menace of political correctness, could barely believe what I was hearing. But it is true.

Make no mistake about it: this kind of religious word control is a direct threat to global freedom. Who predicted George Orwell’s totalitarian state would come in the form of a religion? You had better believe it has happened, and it wants to spread. Resist it vocally.

Nobody has the right to dictate what name a teddy bear has, for goodness’ sake, and nobody has the right to subject this poor woman to “40 lashes”. She has done nothing wrong. She didn’t even name the bear!

By being so paranoid, a religion only amplifies its own intrinsic weakness. The woman might have been forgiven for thinking it would be considered respectful to name the bear “Muhammed”, and in any case (and this is the most ironic thing) it is hardly surprising this name was the children’s first choice when one considers it is a name drummed into them from birth.

This story would certainly be funny were it not so very frightening. It is essentially a case of religion having shot itself in the foot, and if the Sudanese even lay a finger on that innocent woman the British government must come down on them with maximum force and defend her to the hilt. I will be utterly ashamed to be British if they do not.

Let’s be absolutely clear. We rational humanists do not want a military showdown with the forces of irrationality. Frankly we want nothing to do with them. But if they threaten us and our freedom (and thereby threaten civilisation itself), if they encroach on us (as they do already), if they threaten us by refusing to apply standards of reason, compassion and evidence to all areas of their lives without selectivity, we will take the necessary steps to defend ourselves, our families, and humankind itself, without any hesitation. And we will prevail.