System blocks sites to do with witchcraft, Satanism, occult practices, atheistic views, voodoo rituals.… Read the rest
What’s the difference?
Jul 28th, 2008 12:15 pm | By Ophelia BensonThe Cairo Declaration differs sharply from the Universal Declaration overall in its emphatic rejection of universalism, in rejecting the UD’s ‘without exception’ in favour of firm, decided exceptions. In the detail, the CD differs from the UD in its avoidance of clarity, precision and openness and hence accountability and reliability. The Cairo Declaration injects exceptions into its concept of human rights, without spelling out exactly what they entail; this introduces a whole new element of doubt, uncertainty and fear into what is supposed to be a human rights document. Worse, it presents itself as a human rights document (of sorts) when in fact it puts anyone who subscribes to it in the position of (perhaps unknowingly) endorsing laws, restrictions … Read the rest
MP Views Homosexuality as an Abomination 
Jul 28th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Iris Robinson said as a Christian she viewed homosexuality as an abomination.… Read the rest
‘Divisive’ Study on Muslim Attitudes Dismissed
Jul 28th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Findings have outraged Muslim students’ leaders; they have dismissed the research as flawed. … Read the rest
NUS President Criticizes YouGov Poll
Jul 28th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Just another report by a biased, right-wing think-tank…wilful misrepresentation of the views of Muslim students.’… Read the rest
New Humanist Newsletter
Jul 28th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Trevor Griffiths on Tom Paine, Kenan Malik on culture, Mark Juergensmeyer on religious violence.… Read the rest
Islam on Campus: Opinion Survey [pdf]
Jul 28th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
32% of Muslim students polled said killing in the name of religion was ever justified. … Read the rest
Hudson Inst Report on Saudi Textbooks [pdf]
Jul 27th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Unbelievers – everyone except Wahhabi Muslims – are hated ‘enemies.’… Read the rest
The Saudi Guide To Piety
Jul 27th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
You have to hate unbelievers. No excuses.… Read the rest
Alternative Therapy for Evil Homeopaths
Jul 27th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Health shops were an obvious hiding place for genocidal maniacs. Remember all that talk of cleansing impurities?… Read the rest
Are Non-violent Islamists the Solution?
Jul 27th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Depends on whether you want to live in a caliphate or not.… Read the rest
Smoking Ban Inspires New Religion
Jul 27th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Café owners in Netherlands are joining religious movement ‘the One and Universal Smokers Church of God.’… Read the rest
Pharmacists Urged to Tell Truth
Jul 27th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Pharmacists are selling homeopathic remedies without saying they are no more effective than sugar pills.… Read the rest
Egyptian Film Director Youssef Chahine Dies
Jul 27th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Made his first film in 1950, tackled authoritarianism and religious fundamentalism. … Read the rest
To be a moderate
Jul 27th, 2008 | By Carl AndersThere are only so many areas in life where it is possible to be moderate. In fact, the term “moderate” has the feeling of an insult implying a less than desirable condition. Even Dante seemed more annoyed with the Agnostics than with homosexual clerics and corrupt politicians. However, in socio-political circles it is possible to be moderate and get away with it.
If you don’t subscribe to any political party it gets even easier. You can believe in free trade, feel that there are significant benefits to globalisation, and that this can be achieved without compromising fundamental worker rights. The two are not mutually exclusive.
You can feel that there has to be a system to retain and encourage entrepreneurs … Read the rest
Cheap at twice the price
Jul 26th, 2008 4:02 pm | By Ophelia BensonA Vatican spokesman in the shape of a priest (a celibate male, in other words) called the open letter to the pope ‘paid propaganda to promote the use of contraceptives’. Well, yes: it was paid in the sense that it was a paid advertisement in the Corriere della Sera and it was propaganda in the sense that it was an attempt at persuasion – but nevertheless calling it that is 1. somewhat tendentious and 2. a bad joke coming from the not exactly unpaid Vatican which spends quite a lot of time and effort on its own propaganda, well backed up with commands which are in turn backed up with threats of excommunication and burning in hell for eternity. … Read the rest
Is Either Amis Any Good?
Jul 26th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Neil Powell thinks the first is better than the second.… Read the rest
Patriarchy Makes Men Crazy and Stupid
Jul 26th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Sometimes men sulk until women give up the debate.… Read the rest
Islam and Apostasy
Jul 26th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The main traditions of jurisprudence in Islam draw on Hadiths to argue in support of death for apostates.… Read the rest
Where Religion and Authority Mix
Jul 26th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Conversion tends to be a no-no.… Read the rest
