Theologians puzzle over pope’s meaning *

Nov 24th, 2010 | Filed by

Catholic church opposed contraception because Protestant churches didn’t, and it wanted to be Special.… Read the rest



Little girls wearing hijab *

Nov 24th, 2010 | Filed by

Getting a little girl “used to” the hijab effectively obliterates the “free choice” element by the time the girl is old enough to think.… Read the rest



Martin Robbins on “rockstars of science” *

Nov 24th, 2010 | Filed by

Oh look, a scientist standing next to a rapper. That will make everyone think science is cool, right?… Read the rest



Unmarried women banned from using cell phones *

Nov 24th, 2010 | Filed by

They might use them to arrange “forbidden” marriages for themselves.… Read the rest



It is good to deplore, but you can do more

Nov 23rd, 2010 4:07 pm | By

I was thinking today about the famous split at CFI (it came up in my dispute with Nathan at Facebook), and I looked again at the Affirmations of Humanism. At the first two of them, actually, because I stopped there. Check out the second one.

  • We deplore efforts to denigrate human intelligence, to seek to explain the world in supernatural terms, and to look outside nature for salvation.
  • Well exactly. This is what I take gnu atheists to be doing! But exactly. Deploring efforts to seek to explain the world in supernatural terms is what we’re doing. So what’s the problem?

    I asked Nathan that, but more civilly this time, and got a very civil reply. We have different … Read the rest



    Panorama part 2 *

    Nov 23rd, 2010 | Filed by

    Islamic and Evangelical schools were allowed to opt out of the inspection system.… Read the rest



    Panorama on Islamic schools *

    Nov 23rd, 2010 | Filed by

    Note the muffled girls in primary school. Note hobbled girls trying to play football.… Read the rest



    Islamic schools in the UK *

    Nov 23rd, 2010 | Filed by

    Many use a Saudi Arabian government curriculum that contains anti-Semitic and homophobic views, not to mention subordination of women.… Read the rest



    A message about same-sex marriage *

    Nov 23rd, 2010 | Filed by

    Timothy Scriven notes: “This is not a small issue and we should not be patient.”… Read the rest



    When O’Hair smiles

    Nov 22nd, 2010 12:26 pm | By

    Ho hum. The “help help those god damn pesky atheists are ruining everything” campaign keeps rumbling along. Christopher Stedman covers the “interfaith” outreach branch, and we already know who covers the “how is this helping?” branch; now we have a new branch, the “skepticism isn’t atheism” one, courtesy of Jeff Wagg.

    I can see how Vic Stenger’s talk could be appropriate for a skeptics conference, but this really looks like an atheist conference to me…In fact, it looks like an anti-Christian conference.

    Aha – the ever-popular move from atheist to “anti-Christian” – the ever-popular insinuation that disagreement with religion and religions is actually hatred of and aggression against religious people. The ever-popular pretense of superior niceness while in fact making … Read the rest



    Oh noes! Atheists at a skeptic conference! *

    Nov 22nd, 2010 | Filed by

    Atheism is “harming the cause.”… Read the rest



    Nasim Zehra: time to repeal blashphemy law *

    Nov 22nd, 2010 | Filed by

    There is a long list, prepared by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, of unjust punishments handed down to Pakistani citizens.… Read the rest



    Ahmadinejad says girls should marry at 16-18 *

    Nov 22nd, 2010 | Filed by

    They stay out of trouble that way.… Read the rest



    Asma Jahangir on Pakistan’s blasphemy laws *

    Nov 22nd, 2010 | Filed by

    When the Lahore High Court has sentenced Aasia Bibi to death for blasphemy, under section 295-C of Pakistan’s Penal Code.… Read the rest



    Mary Kenny on the pope’s condom rulings *

    Nov 22nd, 2010 | Filed by

    Most people will see the pope’s New Idea as “sensible and compassionate.” No they won’t.… Read the rest



    Nothing more than feelings

    Nov 21st, 2010 6:04 pm | By

    I watched a bit of Eugenie Scott’s talk at the Secular Humanism party again, via a post on it by Jerry. I watched the bit where she talked about The Feeling of bonding with her infant daughter, and the fact that “it is the meaning of the experience that is important.” Science can’t – you know the rest.

    A commenter made a very good point about this idea.

    Tell you what; if accomodationalists feel (heh) that they must use emotions to show that science doesn’t know everything, and there is room for the supernatural, how about accomodationalists only use descriptions of other feelings such as post-natal depression, racism, bigotry etc. and point out that their benevolent, all-loving god gave

    Read the rest


    Religion a force for good? *

    Nov 21st, 2010 | Filed by

    Grayling: “Wherever religiions are on the back foot, they suddenly become very friendly, very concessive and very tolerant.”… Read the rest



    Where are you on the Great British Faith Map? *

    Nov 21st, 2010 | Filed by

    There’s a Sikh in Devon. There’s a Lutheran in Humberside. There’s a Pentecostal in Norfolk. There’s a Zoroastrian in London.… Read the rest



    Interfaith Week starts today *

    Nov 21st, 2010 | Filed by

    So get your interfaith costume on and let the fun begin.… Read the rest



    Doctors angry about drug price manipulation *

    Nov 21st, 2010 | Filed by

    Consultants claim current regulation allows pharma companies to tweak medicines and patent them as a new drug with a new price.… Read the rest