One of the Taliban’s edicts in 1997 called for a nationwide ban on public education for all women and girls.… Read the rest
Launch of the Committee for Ex-Muslims
Sep 11th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonSimilar organisations have started across Europe; reps from the UK and Germany will join the launch.… Read the rest
Secularist Ignored by Academy Steering Group
Sep 11th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonSteering group for C of E-sponsored academy refuses to talk to secularist critic.… Read the rest
A C Grayling on Ghettoes of Superstition
Sep 11th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonGovernment’s desire for social cohesion will be negated by keeping children in competing ghettoes of superstition. … Read the rest
The Long and Noble Tradition of ‘Faith’ Schools
Sep 11th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe noble thing to do would be to stop taking public money for the purpose of indoctrinating children.… Read the rest
Ronald Dworkin on the Jacobin Supreme Court
Sep 10th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe revolution is proceeding with breathtaking impatience; it is Jacobin in its disdain for tradition and precedent. … Read the rest
Hussein Ibish on Sense, Nonsense and Strategy
Sep 10th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonWhy do some on the Arab left support the Muslim far right?… Read the rest
Arthur Danto on Richard Rorty
Sep 10th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe writing is a kind of performance, the purpose of which is to dramatize philosophy’s impotence. … Read the rest
‘Faith’ Schools Will Improve Cohesion
Sep 10th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonOr separation. One of those.… Read the rest
What Would Jesus Surf?
Sep 10th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonWelcome to the Jesus Surf Classic, for those who are into waves, God, baggy shorts, and crucifixes.… Read the rest
On fundamentalism
Sep 10th, 2007 11:18 am | By Ophelia BensonCurious about the latest rash of misrepresentations of Dawkins, I’ve been re-reading The God Delusion in order to compare what he says with what people like John Cornwell and Mark Vernon claim he says.
First of all there’s the ‘he ignores sophisticated theology’ complaint, the ‘God is not an old guy in the sky, God is the ground of all fzzzwrkklppp’ complaint. He says right at the outset that he’s not talking about the more rarefied or ‘sophisticated’ ideas of god. Page 20:
… Read the restMy title, The God Delusion, does not refer to the God of Einstein and the other enlightened scientists…In the rest of this book I am talking only about supernatural gods, of which the most familiar to
Militant tendency
Sep 9th, 2007 4:09 pm | By Ophelia BensonNot everyone who reads this page reads comments, so I’ll comment a little on Mark Vernon’s reply to He doubted doubt out here.
Did I ever say that atheists per se can’t do doubt? It’s the militant sort that apparently find uncertainty so offensive in relation to religion – hence, for example, the argument that a liberal faith is a cover for religious terrorism. But since, obviously, you won’t believe me, try Julian Baggini’s Very Short Introduction for a reference on why this matters to the state of atheism, let alone anything else.
I have tried Julian’s book (and have said good things about it here), and I’ve known him to use the modifier ‘militant’ of atheists in other places … Read the rest
Extremes meet – or not
Sep 9th, 2007 12:31 pm | By Ophelia BensonAs Jean Kazez mentioned in comments, Mark Vernon has an article in TPM about doubt and agnosticism. He does indeed, and I disagree with much of it, in some places quite strongly. I always did, but I kept it to myself.
First he was a priest, then he became an atheist. And then –
… Read the restI found I was actually becoming an agnostic. Over time, I came to feel that the triumphalism that too often seems to be part and parcel of atheism entails a poverty of spirit that is detrimental to our humanity. It tends to ignore or ridicule the “big” questions of life – those questions of existence that are natural to ask, if never finding conclusive answers –
Parody Dawkins Review on the Valve
Sep 9th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonDawkins cannot afford to entertain the possibility that Fascism fills a deep-seated need in people.… Read the rest
Swedish PM Meets With Muslim Ambassadors
Sep 9th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘Causing offence does not belong to the concept of freedom of speech,’ said Iran’s ambassador.… Read the rest
‘Embrace Islam’ Says Persuasive Mass Murderer
Sep 9th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonNo thanks.… Read the rest
Pope Demands Respect for Sunday
Sep 9th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonTuesday and Thursday are offended, Wednesday is an apostate, Monday has become a Mormon.… Read the rest
Stephen Law on Galileo and Bruno
Sep 9th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThey were hauled before the Inquisition for their scientific views as well as their theological views.… Read the rest
Battle of Ideas: The Resurrection of Religion
Sep 9th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonStephen Law, Frank Furedi, Ruth Gledhill. October 27, Upper Gilbenkian Theatre, the RCA, London.… Read the rest
He doubted doubt
Sep 8th, 2007 2:06 pm | By Ophelia BensonSo, my curiosity renewed about Vernon’s much-recycled trope that only theists doubt while atheists are full of certainty, I amble over to his blog and find an even more ridiculous example. He’s praising John Cornwell’s book on Dawkins:
It is a gently written, precision riposte to The God Delusion. Cornwell used to be an agnostic and so appreciates the place of doubt in life. He also ‘doubted his doubt’ and returned to the Catholic faith…
Ah – so he’s a doubly wonderful fella because he doubted not once but twice, thus returning to ‘the Catholic faith’ which of course as is well known is all about doubt and always has been. That’s what the pope is for, that’s … Read the rest