Getting schools to obsess about religion.… Read the rest
Independent suspends Johann Hari 
Jul 12th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
He is accused of lifting quotes from elsewhere without attributing the source, is suspended pending the outcome of an internal investigation.… Read the rest
Chris Mooney interviews Rebecca Watson on PoI
Jul 12th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Hmmm.… Read the rest
Everybody is exactly the same
Jul 11th, 2011 3:41 pm | By Ophelia BensonMore precision needed. There should be a stamp for that. MPN should be like LOL or TMI.
It is essential, therefore, that those wishing to criticise the excesses of Islam avoid making generalisations about the two million Muslims living in the UK. “I don’t have any problem with people critiquing some of the things that are done in the name of Islam,” says Tarry. “Some horrific crimes against humanity are committed in the name of religion, but that doesn’t mean every Muslim walking down the streets of Britain thinks that way.”
Of course it doesn’t, but it also doesn’t mean, for instance, that only a tiny minority of Muslims think that way. It doesn’t actually tell you anything about … Read the rest
His blood type made him do it
Jul 11th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Japanese minister resigns, saying his blood type made him a more abrasive personality and accounted for his rude remarks.… Read the rest
Gaps are closing
Jul 11th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Creationists’ room for manoeuvre, when citing the evidence, continues to diminish.… Read the rest
Cult leader accused of killing child for being “gay”
Jul 11th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The kid was four years old.… Read the rest
Statements and actions in Support of International Day against Stoning
Jul 10th, 2011 | By Maryam Namazie and many othersLATEST STATEMENTS AND ACTIONS, Updated 10 July 2011
AUSTRALIA
Statement from Russell Blackford, author and philosopher, Australia: It is unacceptable that the barbaric punishment of death by stoning continue in the twenty-first century. I join with many others throughout the world in calling for an end to the practice of death by stoning, condemnation of any government that uses or condones the practice, including the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the immediate release of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani and others currently sentenced to death by stoning.
BELGIUM
Ann Brusseel of the Flemish parliament: will issue a resolution for 21 July (Belgian National Day) urging the Federal government to take action on violations of human rights and crimes against humanity of the … Read the rest
Canadian Public Schools Must Remain Secular
Jul 10th, 2011 | By Homa ArjomandThe Toronto District School Board (TDSB) is promoting segregation by adopting a policy that allows religious influence within the school system. TDSB recently permitted students at Valley Park Middle School on Overlea Blvd to have prayer services in the cafeteria. This is another attempt of political Islam to recruit youth. It will not take long before other religious leaders push for their own space in schools.
Homa Arjomand proclaims that“schools will become a battle ground between various religious groups. Segregation does not stop here. Soon under the influence of religious leaders with political agendas, there would be a huge confrontation between students of so called one faith with the children of another faith, undermining the enforcement of the secular school … Read the rest
Toronto: public schools allow formal prayer services
Jul 10th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Complete with dirty menstruating girls sitting apart at the back.… Read the rest
The one thing needful
Jul 10th, 2011 12:39 pm | By Ophelia Benson“David” (in quotation marks because we have lots of Davids, so it might be confusing if I just said David, as if you would know which one) asked in a comment the other day
Ever wonder what your “sacred cow” is? I have no idea what mine is.
No idea? Really? I can think of several at least semi-sacred cows of mine. Egalitarianism for one; separateness of persons for another; human rights for another.
He said that wasn’t quite what he meant, and did I mean just irrational and personal and impossible to articulate. I said no but
… Read the restI know they are basic commitments that are at least somewhat immune to disagreement, and that the reasons I can
Faith healers who claim they can cure cancer
Jul 10th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
ThetaHealing have about 600 practitioners in the UK who charge up to £100 per session. … Read the rest
Why innuendo
Jul 9th, 2011 4:33 pm | By Ophelia BensonVia Jean Kazez via a commenter with a squiggly name, Steven Pinker explains how “do you want to come to my room for coffee?” keeps knowledge individual rather than mutual and thus saves face.… Read the rest
Waldorf Steiner schools and low vaccine uptake
Jul 9th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
In anthroposophy, disease is seen as an often necessary event in life and as an opportunity for development and maturation. … Read the rest
Faith leaders
Jul 9th, 2011 12:11 pm | By Ophelia BensonBBC BBC BBC – get it right, will you? You don’t ever get it right. You need to learn to get it right.
(No not how to pronounce “Houston,” the one in Texas. They need to learn that too, but this is not that.)
They don’t get it right yet again.
Religious education in schools is under threat, faith leaders have warned.
Leaders representing Christians, Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists said
they were “gravely concerned” about the “negative impact” that current
government policies were having.
There are no such peoples. There is no such thing as “faith leaders.” They don’t “represent” anyone. “Representing” people requires some kind of process by which the people represented appoint or elect or consent to … Read the rest
“Faith leaders” say RE lessons are at risk
Jul 9th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“Leaders” “representing” Christians, Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists said they were fraffly worried about it.… Read the rest
Support Nadia El Fani and freedom of conscience
Jul 9th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
A Tunisian woman who dares to unbelieve in god.… Read the rest
Hundreds protest Islamists in Tunis
Jul 9th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Demonstrators voiced concerns over the influence of the Islamist movement Ennahda which they accuse of speaking “a double language.”… Read the rest
Ex-archbish will miss News of the World
Jul 9th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
It was a nice little platform for his reactionary views.… Read the rest
