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Pineapple named Mohammed sparks row at Freshers’ Fayre

By Linda Fort
October 10, 2012

A pineapple named Mohammed sparked a row at The University of Reading’s Freshers’ Fayre.

Students from the Atheist, Humanist and Secularist Society were asked to leave the fair for including the offending fruit on their stall. Muslims believe it is deeply insulting to depict the Prophet Mohammed.

According to organisation Student Rights, staff at the university and a number of Muslim students objected, saying “either the pineapple goes or you do”.

The pineapple was also labelled: “To celebrate the fact that we live in a country in which free speech is protected and where it is lawful to call a pineapple by whatever name one chooses.”

Student Rights said: “We feel that freedom of expression is not absolute and that the extremes of free speech should be limited to ensure that they do not become hate speech.

“However, students do not have the right to impose their religious sensibilities among others, and they must accept that they may be offended by those who do not share their convictions.”

James Fletcher, president of Reading University Students’ Union (RUSU), said: “Reading University Students’ Union is dedicated to promoting an environment in which all students feel welcome and included in all of our activities, while at the same time being committed to our members maintaining a culture of free speech.

"Our Equal Opportunities Policy and our Behavioural Policy (which all clubs and societies agree to be bound by), state that RUSU will create a culture based on the principles of fairness, respect and of valuing difference. The actions of the Atheist, Humanist and Secularist Society did not comply with these ideals and we took the action we felt necessary to maintain the culture that we exist to promote.”

RUSU and The University of Reading are independent of each other but work together on projects that benefit students.

Freshers’ Fayre on October 3 brought together RUSU sports clubs, societies and volunteer programmes to encourage people to join.

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I can't believe people waste they're lives believing in all of this.

Dog Leg
10/10/2012 at 18:53

Hi John Bull, I take it you believe in a god? I hereby mock you, simpleton.

The catholic church hierarchy (a bunch of particularly mad, bad and downright sad individuals) abandoned limbo in 2007, but not so far mumbo and jumbo.

The modern history of christian religions particularly, is one of constant retrenchment as the most idiotic ideas become eroded by knowledge. At least the tooth fairy gives you money, and santa give you presents.

N Tropy
10/10/2012 at 18:25

I'm suprised nobody at Reading college has been killed and the place burned to the ground over this. Not that it would be an over reaction or anything....

Thank god nobody drew a cartoon!

Hugh J, Reading
10/10/2012 at 17:28

Hello Jon, nice of you to join us. I certainly do not think I am morally superior to many religious people.

I do think I am morally superior to some, like Mitt Romney or Sarah Palin for example, who claim to support 'the right to life' whilst at the same time supproting capital punishment and I am certainly morally superior to their deities.

I can prove that simply by stating that if it had been me I would have forgiven adam and eve, given them forgiveness and let them stay in the garden. I also would not have inundated the world with a (mythical) global innudation because a few people were being naughty. I wouldn't have destroyed 2 cities because the inhabitants enjoyed a bit of sexual experimentation and I certainly would not have sent 2 she bears to rip 42 children to pieces just because they called someone baldy. None of those actions I would describe as especially moral, would you?

And I don't mock a non existant deity, I do criticise the creduilty of the believers however.

whitespirit
10/10/2012 at 17:14

Bahumbug, a point here. Islam is not a race, it is a religion. Imo we should stop refering to islamaphobia as racism.

Religion is something that the creduilous can chose to believe or not. Race is not something that can be chosen. I was born caucasian and will die caucasian. In between I can chose to believe in relgion or not.

whitespirit
10/10/2012 at 17:09

Atheists like whitespirit below think they are morally superior to those that have a religion, yet they mock something they don't believe exists. How moronic is that ?

John Bull
10/10/2012 at 17:08

Strange that calling a pineapple mohamed causes such uproar when you consider that most muslims are called muhamed. who is to say it was not named after muhamed Bloggs or Jones.

However it seems a strange religion that has more respect for its prophet than for its God. Richard Dawkins (That great master of knowlege of all things) wrote a book called "The God delusion". By inference this is a clear statement that God is a delusion therefore all his followers must be so. It therefore follows that Dawkins considers Mohamed to be deluded but that's OK.

Before you start writing that The Muslim God is Allah. Christians, Jews and Muslims are all the sons of Father Abraham (It even says so in the Koran) and his one God.

parlovero, reading
10/10/2012 at 17:06

Point taken tony but and here is the but this country is not or should never be a islamic country. Second point here and most immportant and relevant to this piece this is a free speaking and democratic country. Or rather that is what the population of this country fought for in two world wars and countless mini wars since. Anybody objecting to those 2 points should have serious doubts as to why they are still living in a western democratic country. One small point though I do not agree with calling a pineapple mohammed as it was not really named to highlight religeon but a thinly veiled racist ploy. Plus calling the thing by any name remotley connected is offencive to believers of any faith, who are atheist to mock any believer. Freedom of speech works both ways as does censure.

bahumbug, Reading
10/10/2012 at 17:01

This is so last week's story.

And it fails to mention that the pineapple was returned to the offending student group, after which it was rechristened Jesus.

Jenny Tailyer
10/10/2012 at 16:30

This has demonstrated we don't have the freedom to call a pineapple by whatever name one chooses even though it is lawful to do so.

NotJohn, Reading
10/10/2012 at 16:27

Tony, you don't have to read comments by me anyway. You can always run of back to your cottage and talk to your friends there.

Problem solved as I assure you that whichever cottage you frequent I have not written any comments in it. Or any other toilet for that matter.

whitespirit
10/10/2012 at 16:16

Or this message board.

Dong-Ding, 3rd world slum
10/10/2012 at 15:55

Wouldn't be many pubs either, Jason !

I Ron
10/10/2012 at 15:45

I am absolutely disgusted at the anti-Islamic comments being posted below/above. There is nothing wrong with following Islam. Just think; if the UK an Islamic state we wouldn't have to read comments by Whitespirit or his kind. Every cloud eh?

Toilet Tony
10/10/2012 at 15:39

However - secular atheist societies can be equally oppressive e.g. China in the cultural revolution.

Snowdrop, Twyford
10/10/2012 at 15:26

whitespirit,

I have the same opinions as you regarding freedom of speech and religion being incapable of existing hand in hand.

Dong-Ding, 3rd world slum
10/10/2012 at 15:21

Do you live near xchurch Road, whitespirit ?

Damn you to hell, infidel.

Mark Miwurdz
10/10/2012 at 15:10

Ding-dong. xianity doesn't tolerate freedom of speech if they get a chance either. It is nothing to do with islam or xianity, it is to do with the deluded ones wanting their particular special kind of fantasy man to have special protection.

High time they got over their medieval myths and began to live in the age of rationalism all round.

whitespirit
10/10/2012 at 14:33

Dunno m8. When are Pineapples in season?

~Dangermouse~, Baker Street
10/10/2012 at 14:33

Does this mean there will be an Arab Autumn uprising in Reading or will they wait until Spring?

love buddha, Berkshire
10/10/2012 at 14:29

Slanted Saltpot,

"I'm all for healthy debate. In fact I'm all for healthy debate about the frictions between islam and western culture but doing things like calling a pineapple mohammed is just baiting people and doesn't add to the debate."

I disagree. We have freedom of speech which Islam generally doesn't tolerate. As such, these students were perfectly entitled to call their pineapple whatever they wanted and it has shown how intolerant some Muslims are towards freedom of speech in this country. The same Muslims who complained about this might well have encouraged the burning of poppies on Rememberance Day for all we know.

Dong-Ding, 3rd world slum
10/10/2012 at 14:05

Damn, that is what I was going to call my pumpkin at the end of the month!

bigking, The Moon
10/10/2012 at 12:59

@Dangermouse - well said and an informative link

Hobogeddon, Reading
10/10/2012 at 12:56

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INll6Y5iqbM

~Dangermouse~, Baker Street
10/10/2012 at 12:54

"Yet again I've found myself looking at the comments on this website and and being concerned by some people's lack of tolerance."

What's the view like up there on Pious hill?

Is it lack of tolerance or merely tolerance fatigue?

Constantly being asked to tolerate the indoctrinated sensitivities of something that itself refuses to tolerate anything or anyone else.

Free speech is the cornerstone of democracy. Just because something you say offends someone - even if the offence caused is wholly deliberate. it doesn't negate your right to say it. People do not have a right not to be offended. In this case, the pineapple was named to give a public demonstration as to just how ridiculously easy offence can be actually be caused. Job done, well done all of you.

Of course if all someone is setting out to do is repeatedly cause offence, all it would do is raise questions as to whether that person had anything to say that was worth listening to. But that is the choice of the person whose attention you are trying to get, and not something for someone to censor under the counterfeit guise of 'civility'.

Would you say it was civil to live in a society where women hold a lower social status than a donkey?

Or a pineapple for that matter.