One for Jad Abumrad, the co-host and producer of “Radiolab,” a program on WNYC in New York that explores questions of science and philosophy, like the nature of altruism.… Read the rest
All entries by this author
Tom Martin on “whoriarchy”
Sep 21st, 2011 5:12 pm | By Ophelia BensonRemember our friend Tom Martin, the MRA who is suing LSE for being unfair to men? He just sent me a message to let me know he’s done an interview with two other MRAs so that I could listen to it if I wanted to. Nah, I don’t. But I looked around a little and found that after his chatting at my place he did some chatting at Cath Elliott’s place. Oh boy; treats.
I’ll give you some highlights.
… Read the restSo ‘male-dominant’ cultures, are more likely female-powerful.
It’s a skanky, whorish, back seat-driving type of power which leads to economic and cultural ruin and war – a whoriarchy.
We know for instance, that women
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Little indeed
Sep 21st, 2011 4:18 pm | By Ophelia BensonThe Massachusetts Republican party wants Harvard to stop paying Elizabeth Warren’s salary while she runs for the Senate. It doesn’t just want Harvard to do that, it’s trying to tell Harvard to do that.
“By restoring her to the faculty, even though she has now formed a federal
election committee and is actively campaigning, the university is establishing a
bad precedent for academic appointments,” Nate Little, executive director of the state GOP, wrote in a letter to Harvard President Drew Gilpin Faust.
As if that’s their business. As if they’re the boss of Harvard. As if Harvard were taxpayer-funded.
The Globe adds later, drily,
… Read the restDuring last year’s special election, [Republican Senator Scott] Brown continued to accept his taxpayer financed salary
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Libby Anne on the nostalgic iconography of Vision Forum
Sep 21st, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonMost of the 19th century wasn’t prosperous people gathered around a hearth, it was ragged people crowded into tenements.… Read the rest
Every night I would go to bed fearing the same god
Sep 21st, 2011 2:59 pm | By Ophelia Benson… Read the restFor me, the idea of “god” was incredibly confusing, even though I didn’t admit it (even to myself). When you’re a child raised in the church, you’re taught all of the fundamentals from an incredibly early age. Jesus loves you. God loves you. Jesus died on the cross for you. You have to accept Jesus into your heart in order to be saved. You repeat these things over and over and sing songs about them. They’re completely imprinted in your head before you’re old enough (i.e. emotionally and mentally mature enough) to even begin to understand what they mean. You accept them as fact because they’re taught to you by people you love and
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
One journey to atheism
Sep 21st, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonEvery night I would go to bed fearing the same god I had been taught loved me and “had the whole world in his hands.”… Read the rest
Psychic Sally accused of using hidden helpers
Sep 21st, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonShe wears a headpiece but she swears up and down it’s not two-way. That’s good enough, surely!… Read the rest
Darrick Lim on why atheists must not be silent
Sep 21st, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonReligious groups demand these pseudo-rights because they don’t want to compete with liberal, rational, progressive and humane ideas on equal terms.… Read the rest
Cooler than thou
Sep 21st, 2011 10:48 am | By Ophelia BensonThe Archbish of C is annoyed because the perceived coolitude of atheism is making it “difficult for the Church to convey its message.”
Well jeez, Rowan, I’m annoyed because the perceived wonderfulness of theism makes it difficult for atheism to convey its message – and your message has had it all its own way for quite a long time, please note.
… Read the rest…the coolness of atheism is very much in evidence. The problem is it’s become a bit of a vicious circle. Atheism is cool, so books about atheism are cool.
They get a high profile, and books that say Richard Dawkins is wrong don’t get the same kind of publicity because atheism is the new cool thing.
It’s difficult to
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Archbish complains of atheist coolness
Sep 21st, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonSays the popularity of Dawkins and Hitchens make it harder for church to convey its message.… Read the rest
No really, it’s all yours
Sep 20th, 2011 5:07 pm | By Ophelia BensonFrom David Futrelle at Man Boobz - some guy says feminism causes male violence. (Well sure it does – makes perfect sense if you think about it – if we just do what we’re told what’s there to get violent about?) Guy points out it’s a bad idea, because after all who can hit harder?
In other words, the fact that there are violent men out there is why women shouldn’t complain about violent men. Presumably the only marches women should be organizing would be “No, Go Ahead, You Keep the Night” marches.
Good one.
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Archbishop Smith of Southwark
Sep 20th, 2011 4:28 pm | By Ophelia BensonArchbishops say the funniest things.
Archbishop Smith said that although Sikhs and Muslims had successfully used the law to uphold a right to manifest their beliefs in such areas as religious attire and jewelry, Christians were denied the same right because the courts had decided that it was not essential to the practice of their faith.
“Why can’t Christians wear the symbol of the cross?” he asked in an interview with the American Catholic News Service.
“It is absolutely part of the Gospel,” he said. “Without the cross there is no salvation. It is at the heart of our faith because it is the symbol and sign of God’s unconditional love.”
That really did make me laugh aloud. A … Read the rest
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Watch your back
Sep 20th, 2011 3:02 pm | By Ophelia BensonReligion makes people better department.
Let’s say you lived in Giles County, Va., a rural enclave of about 17,000 people in the southwestern portion of the state. Let’s say you were a high school student and you were opposed to the school board’s decision to post the Ten Commandments in your school.
Would you be eager to be public about it?
Nope. I’ve learned too much about how a great many people feel about perceived attacks on their religion.
… Read the restAt AU, we know from experience that plaintiffs in church-state lawsuits can and do experience harassment. When we sued Judge Roy Moore, Alabama’s infamous “Ten Commandments judge,” the plaintiffs were named. That means people could track them down – and
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
When it’s a problem
Sep 20th, 2011 12:45 pm | By Ophelia BensonLibby Anne gets responses from people saying “yes but we home-school and we follow Jesus but we don’t fit your description.” She gently points out that if they don’t fit the description then she’s not writing about them…and goes on to provide a list of the genuine problems with “the various teachings of Christian Patriarchy and Quiverfull” [italics hers], not having a large family or homeschooling. Among them -
… Read the rest
- When parents teach their daughters to dream of nothing but homemaking and seek to kill any other desire or dream, that is a problem.
- When parents teach their daughters that boys are to go out into the world and take dominion while girls are to take dominion by doing laundry,
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
PETA promotes animal rights by crapping on women
Sep 20th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonIt paid for a billboard showing an obese woman with the message: “Save the Whales. Lose the Blubber. Go Vegetarian.” Now it’s launching a porn site.… Read the rest
BBC Newsnight on the trial in L’Aquila
Sep 20th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe prosecution team say they are questioning whether the six scientists and the official on trial, who constitute Italy’s Commission of Grand Risks, did their jobs properly.… Read the rest
Italy: trial of scientists has opened in L’Aquila
Sep 20th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonLast year, more than 5,000 scientists signed an open letter to Italian President Giorgio
Napolitano in support of the defendants.… Read the rest
Prizes
Sep 20th, 2011 10:56 am | By Ophelia BensonNever let it be said that Islamists don’t have a soft spot for children. Hell no – they’re as sentimental about the kiddies as Charles Dickens or the pope. They like nothing better than to give the wee ones a special treat during Ramadan.
A radio station run by Somalia’s al-Shabab Islamist group has awarded weapons to children who won a Koran-reciting and general knowledge contest.
Andulus radio, based near Mogadishu, gave the group which won first prize in
the Ramadan competition an AK-47 rifle and the equivalent of $700 (£450).The second prize-winners received an AK-47 and $500, while the third prize
was two hand grenades and $400.
Ahhhh – isn’t that sweet. Can’t you just see it? The … Read the rest
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Al-Shabab radio gives weapons prize to Somali children
Sep 20th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonFirst prize in Koran-reciting and general knowledge Ramadan contest: an AK-47 and $700; second prize an AK-47 and $500; third prize two grenades and $400.… Read the rest
One of these items doesn’t belong
Sep 19th, 2011 5:30 pm | By Ophelia BensonVia Metamagician, a piece by Brian Thompson of JREF on “diversity” at JREF.
we at the JREF do take diversity seriously, and it’s something we strive to achieve at our events. If the skeptics community is going to thrive and grow, it’s essential that no one feel unwelcome or excluded due to race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation.
I don’t understand that – it looks like a typo, or a thought-typo. It looks like grabbing an established category without taking the time to think about it and thus notice that it needs tweaking for the purpose.
There’s no sensible or substantive reason to cause people to feel unwelcome due to race, gender, or sexual orientation, but there can … Read the rest
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)