The Murder of Chauncey Bailey *

Sep 3rd, 2007 | Filed by

The editor of the Oakland Post was killed last month allegedly for investigating Your Black Muslim Bakery.… Read the rest



Susan Jacoby on Teresa’s Narcissistic Doubt *

Sep 3rd, 2007 | Filed by

Both the psychonanalysts and the priests think Teresa is even holier because of her doubts.… Read the rest



The Social Impact of VVF *

Sep 3rd, 2007 | Filed by

Many of the women turn to prostitution to survive, and when they get older, they become beggars.… Read the rest



Nigeria’s Ostracized Women *

Sep 3rd, 2007 | Filed by

In Africa, c. two million women have Vesico Vaginal Fistula, a condition caused by prolonged labour. … Read the rest



Mild Yasmin Alibhai-Brown Chastises Atheists *

Sep 3rd, 2007 | Filed by

Brash – fanatic – know they are always right – zealots – hysterical – dishonest – militant – fundamentalist –… Read the rest



Addled Visitors Challenge State Park Naturalists *

Sep 2nd, 2007 | Filed by

After visit to Answers in Genesis’s Creation Museum they set the naturalists straight.… Read the rest



YouGov Poll on Religion *

Sep 2nd, 2007 | Filed by

Nearly half the British think religion is harmful; more than half believe in God ‘or something.’… Read the rest



Memorial for Magdalen Women in Galway *

Sep 2nd, 2007 | Filed by

Women of the Magdalen Laundry endured backbreaking work, grim living conditions, and ostracism.… Read the rest



Sciency ‘Study’ of Sexiest Walk *

Sep 2nd, 2007 | Filed by

‘We haven’t conducted the survey yet but we know what results we want to achieve.’ That’s the spirit! … Read the rest



‘Honour’ Killings in Iraqi Kurdistan *

Sep 2nd, 2007 | Filed by

Many of the murders are disguised as suicides or accidents with burning oil. … Read the rest



Polling Data on Science and Religion *

Sep 2nd, 2007 | Filed by

Should we ‘frame’ the discussion or should we just tell the truth as we see it?… Read the rest



Does it include the freedom to offend?

Sep 1st, 2007 3:22 pm | By

Much of the French press reprinted the Danish cartoons last year, no UK newspaper did; Jack Straw ‘called the Europeans’ decision “disrespectful” and said freedom of speech did not mean “open season” on religious taboos.’ Anthony Grayling thinks the UK press should have published the toons, to the shock of a journalist.

Free speech is not a secondary issue but “the fundamental right, from which all other rights flow. Without it, you cannot elect a free parliament or defend yourself in a court of law”. Does it include the freedom to offend?

What a farking stupid question. Of course it does. If free speech doesn’t include the freedom to ‘offend’ it doesn’t include very damn much, does it! If … Read the rest



Rampant scientism

Sep 1st, 2007 12:38 pm | By

You know, when They say there has never been a cover-up, that’s when you know there has been a cover-up.

The recent upsurge in measles cases in Britain is a sad tribute to the climate of irrationality. Despite all the paranoid conspiracy theories, there has never been a cover-up of the link between MMR and autism. In ten years those promoting this autism link have failed to produce convincing scientific evidence while numerous laboratory studies and epidemiological surveys have upheld the safety of MMR.

‘Convincing scientific evidence’ – ‘laboratory studies’ – ‘epidemiological surveys’ – don’t you understand? They’re all part of the plot! All that scientistic talk of evidence and studies and surveys is just the usual excluding hierarchical … Read the rest



Secular Turks Want a Truly Liberal Society *

Sep 1st, 2007 | Filed by

The danger is creeping Islamisation of social life, and a conservatism which puts pressure on secular Turks. … Read the rest



Interview With A C Grayling *

Sep 1st, 2007 | Filed by

If political views cannot be protected from a cartoonist’s pen, why should religious views?… Read the rest



Credulity Toward ‘Mavericks’ Can be Dangerous *

Sep 1st, 2007 | Filed by

The recent upsurge in measles cases in Britain is a sad tribute to the climate of irrationality.… Read the rest



EP Takes Up Pegah Emambakhsh Case *

Sep 1st, 2007 | Filed by

European Parliament will take up the case of the Iranian lesbian who risks expulsion from the UK to Iran.… Read the rest



No Let’s Not Make Science Easier *

Sep 1st, 2007 | Filed by

Athletes aim high; why shouldn’t students?… Read the rest



The Islamic Rules of Inheritance in the Quran

Sep 1st, 2007 | By Adrian Reddy

Introduction

Few people in the West can be unaware that the present period in our history is characterised by unprecedented access to Islamic ideas and attitudes. Such a state of affairs should be regarded not necessarily with trepidation, but as an opportunity to address such new concepts with of one of the West’s greatest assets: the spirit of analytical enquiry. This article discusses Islam but, in contrast to many books and articles covering this topical and controversial subject, it considers not whether Islam is good or bad, but whether Islam is true or false.

Muslims believe that, around the year 610 in what is now Saudi Arabia, Muhammad ibn Abdullah began to receive messages from the Biblical God and … Read the rest



Open Letter to the Home Office

Sep 1st, 2007 | By IRQO

Open letter to the Home Office,

The Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner
5th Floor, Counting House, 53 Tooley Street, London, SE1 2QN England

Telephone: 020 7211 1500
Fax: 020 7211 1553

indpublicenquiries@ind.homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

Copies to the UK media and Mr Richard Caborn,

MP for Sheffield Central cabornr@parliament.uk

Re: Pegah Emam Bakhsh

21 August 2007

Pegah is a young Iranian woman who faces deportation from the UK. She applied for asylum in the UK fearing her life in Iran as a lesbian. She was refused asylum by the British authorities. Last week she was detained without warning and sent to Yarlswood for deportation on 16th August. At the very last minute she was granted stay until August 27th so her MP … Read the rest