The New York Times treated Barton and the world of scholars who’ve devoted their lives to disciplined historical analysis as though their analyses are of equal weight.… Read the rest
All entries by this author
“Progressive” Xian group rejects LGBT ad
May 8th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonSojourners said “we don’t want to take sides.” Progressive my foot.… Read the rest
Apology for Spanish Inquisition executions
May 8th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThousands of “heretics” were burned at the stake after Ferdinand and Isabella set up the Inquisition to root out remnants of Islam and Judaism.… Read the rest
Templeton buys whole Oxford colleges? Srsly?
May 8th, 2011 11:04 am | By Ophelia BensonAh Templeton Templeton Templeton, how it does creep in everywhere, like mildew.
There’s this Oxford professor saying why thenewatheists are stupid and wrong. Guess where he comes from.
While “new atheists” Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens have been grabbing headlines with their bold claims that modern science has killed off God, an Oxford professor has been quietly chipping away at the ground they stand on. John C Lennox, Professor of Mathematics and Fellow in the Philosophy of Science at Oxford’s Green Templeton College, has been popping up at debates around the globe to take issue with the most prominent new atheists.
At what? At Oxford’s what? Oxford’s Green what?
Can’t be, I thought. Must be just a coincidence of … Read the rest
Science hasn’t buried god so ha
May 8th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonA professor at Oxford’s Templeton-Green College (yes) finds lots of gaps for god to sit in.… Read the rest
Cairo: Salafists attack Coptic church; ten dead
May 8th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonSalafist groups have become more assertive in the post-Mubarak era.… Read the rest
BBC1: See You in Court
May 8th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonSimon Singh v the BCA. Nick Cohen, Ben Goldacre and Dara O’Briain on libel law and freedom to criticise bad ideas.… Read the rest
Ajita Kamal on women’s rights in India
May 8th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonSuperstitions such as goddess worship are cultural impediments to realizing true gender equality.… Read the rest
Massimo Pigliucci on NPR on the Rapture
May 8th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonMore bad uncritical reporting by Templeton “fellow” Barbara Bradley Hagerty.… Read the rest
Saudi Women Revolution
May 7th, 2011 4:51 pm | By Ophelia BensonIf you’re on Facebook – like the Saudi Women Revolution page. They want numbers, numbers, numbers. CNN reported the Facebook page likes.
The Saudi Women Revolution was started as a Facebook page and a discussion topic, or hash tag, on Twitter in February, by Nuha Al Sulaiman…The Facebook group now has more than 3,000 “likes” and a core of the women have met in person to discuss their campaign.
Well it’s more than 4,000 now; do your bit and make it more again.
… Read the restTheir chief aim is ending male guardianship, which means Saudi women often need permission from their husband, father, brother or even son to work, travel, study, marry, or access health care, according to Human Rights Watch.
Jackson Lears on Sam Harris and “positivists”
May 7th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonPositivist reductionism, reductionist positivism, positivistic fundamentalism, fundamentalist positivism – it’s everywhere. Be afraid.… Read the rest
One for you and three for me
May 7th, 2011 12:00 pm | By Ophelia BensonWhat was that I was just saying about beauty pageants for little girls and hyper-sexualization of girls and women and the way that plays out in gymnastics and ballet and ice skating where men usually wear clothes while women always wear bathing suit equivalents?
The Badminton World Federation has made a new rule that women players have to wear skirts or dresses. Yes really – to play a sport, women have to wear skirts. Queen Victoria would so approve.
… Read the restThe BWF has received feedback from various parties with regards to the introduction of Rule 19.2 of the General Competition Regulations which require female players to wear skirts or dresses for Level 1 to 3 tournaments. This specific regulation has
Alternative archaeology
May 7th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonIt is all too easy for political and religious extremists to appropriate the past and twist it to suit specific agendas.… Read the rest
Rainbows are god’s way of saying “not this time”
May 7th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonSome people know a threat when they see one.… Read the rest
Stalemate on ‘mahram’ condition continues
May 7th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonSaudi women who win scholarships to study abroad can’t use them unless their male “guardian” goes with them for the duration.… Read the rest
‘Saudi Women Revolution’ for equal rights
May 7th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia Benson“Our freedom is very restricted. I can’t move without permission, I can’t travel without permission, I can’t rent a flat without permission.”… Read the rest
Best and worst places to be a mother
May 6th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonNorway, Australia, Iceland, Sweden, Denmark, New Zealand, Finland, Belgium, Netherlands, France the best. The US is at # 31.… Read the rest
The ten worst places to be a mother
May 6th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonAfghanistan, Niger, Guinea-Bissau, Yemen, Chad, DRCongo, Eritrea, Mali, Sudan, Central African Republic.… Read the rest
John Yoo tells Obama what’s what
May 6th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia Benson“Mr. Obama would rather kill al Qaeda leaders—whether by drones or special ops teams—than wade through the difficult questions raised by their detention.”… Read the rest
John Yoo says torture got bin Laden
May 6th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonHe was right, Bush was right, torture was right, Obama owes them big time for all their rightness.… Read the rest