They are well explained by what we know about how brain function changes as it approaches death.… Read the rest
The wisdom of Bellarmine
Sep 19th, 2008 12:24 pm | By Ophelia BensonAnthony Grayling quotes Cardinal Bellarmine in 1615, in his reply to Steve Fuller’s reply to his review of Fuller’s Dissent Over Descent. Grayling quotes Bellarmine because ‘Fuller’s endeavour turns in important part on trying to show that science is the child of religion, that its styles of thought are religion’s styles, and that the very coherence of the scientific enterprise owes itself to the grand narrative of the religious world-view,’ and the Cardinal does quite a good job of showing why that is a ridiculous notion.
… Read the restAs you are aware, the Council of Trent forbids the interpretation of the Scriptures in a way contrary to the common opinion of the holy Fathers. Now if you will read, not merely
Austin Dacey Addresses the UN HRC 
Sep 19th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Rights belong to individuals, not ideas. Freedom of religion protects the person who believes (or disbelieves), not the contents of the belief.… Read the rest
Human Rights Council: the Resistance Begins
Sep 19th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
In what was probably a first for the UN, delegates to the HRC heard two Muslims reject Islamism.… Read the rest
The OIC Does Not Speak for Muslims
Sep 19th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Tarek Fateh at the UN HRC yesterday: the Islamists have brought their agenda to the UN.… Read the rest
Grayling: Connect Creationism and ‘Faith’ Schools
Sep 19th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The best solution is to put religion where it belongs: in the history curriculum of non-faith-based schools.… Read the rest
Alfano Rejects Prosecution of Sabina Guzzanti
Sep 19th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘I decided not to authorise it, knowing well the stature and capacity of the pope for forgiveness.’… Read the rest
Fighting Fashionable Nonsense: Beyond the Hoax
Sep 19th, 2008 | By Max Dunbar‘Though it may wound the amour proper of some postmodernist humanities scholars to discover that a mere physicist could learn their jargon well enough, in a few months’ library research, to write a half-convincing simalcrum of it, that is, alas, exactly what happened.’
A lot has been written on this site about postmodernism, and especially its stylistic hallmarks: ambiguity over clarity, irony over actual humour, the buzzwords and red flags of management-speak. Deconstructionist writers portrayed themselves as radicals, often purporting to argue against capitalism or to support oppressed peoples. But as Nick Cohen pointed out, all they really offered was a dull satire of the ‘hegemon’. He quotes an American philosopher, Martha Nussbaum:
… Read the rest[R]esistance is always offered as personal, more
EU Weakened in UN Human Rights Debates
Sep 18th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Support for EU is down, that of China and Russia is up. Not good.… Read the rest
Turkey Prosecutes Artist for PM Cartoon
Sep 18th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Michael Dickinson is charged under article 125/3: ‘insulting the prime minister.’… Read the rest
Michael Ignatieff on the Duty to Rescue
Sep 18th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
2001 UN report that advocated the ‘responsibility to protect’ was the high-water mark of the humanitarian faith.… Read the rest
Review of Books on Islamic Anti-Semitism
Sep 18th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Western liberals hesitate to tackle the subject of Muslim anti-Semitism, lest they seem anti-multicultural.… Read the rest
CFI: Austin Dacey on Islam and Human Rights
Sep 18th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Several Islamic states have challenged the UDHR and have penned ‘Islamic human rights’ documents in its place.… Read the rest
Turkey Blocks Dawkins Website
Sep 18th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Court order blocks access after complaints from Harun Yahya; Dawkins panned his ‘Atlas of Creation.’… Read the rest
Pew Report on Global Attitudes [pdf]
Sep 18th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
% of Turks, Egyptians, Jordanians, Lebanese and Pakistanis with favorable opinions of Jews is in single digits. … Read the rest
Not freedom of opinion but freedom of thought
Sep 17th, 2008 6:43 pm | By Ophelia BensonAlan Wolfe reads BHL on speaking truth to power.
It is frequently said that we ought to tolerate religious differences; whatever we might think of Islam, we should respect the rights of adherents to believe what they want. No, Levy responds, what the Muslim world needs is not tolerance but secularism.
‘No’? What do you mean ‘no’? That’s not a ‘no’. That is in fact a yes. We ought to tolerate religious differences; whatever we might think of Islam, we should respect the rights of adherents to believe what they want, and secularism is by far the best way to create such a state of affairs, because secularism puts religion aside for purposes of government, thus making it unnecessary … Read the rest
Christian Voice Makes New Grab for Attention
Sep 17th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
With cryptic remarks about Dawkins and the father of lies. Attention must be paid, or perhaps not.… Read the rest
Reiss Statements Open to Misinterpretation
Sep 17th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The Royal Society said this was not his intention but that it ‘has led to damage to the society’s reputation.’… Read the rest
Barton Gellman on Dick Cheney
Sep 17th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
What Dick Armey told him, and whether Armey is angry about it.… Read the rest
What Cheney Told Armey
Sep 17th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
That Saddam Hussein had personal ties to al-Qaeda and was close to miniaturizing nuclear weapons.… Read the rest
