All entries by this author

Pseudo-historian David Barton has a good week *

May 8th, 2011 | Filed by

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



“Progressive” Xian group rejects LGBT ad *

May 8th, 2011 | Filed by

Sojourners said “we don’t want to take sides.” Progressive my foot.… Read the rest



Apology for Spanish Inquisition executions *

May 8th, 2011 | Filed by

Thousands 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

Ah 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

A 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

Salafist groups have become more assertive in the post-Mubarak era.… Read the rest



BBC1: See You in Court *

May 8th, 2011 | Filed by

Simon 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

Superstitions 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

More bad uncritical reporting by Templeton “fellow” Barbara Bradley Hagerty.… Read the rest



Saudi Women Revolution

May 7th, 2011 4:51 pm | By

If 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.

Their 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.

Read the rest


Jackson Lears on Sam Harris and “positivists” *

May 7th, 2011 | Filed by

Positivist 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

What 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?

See?

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.

The 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

Read the rest


Alternative archaeology *

May 7th, 2011 | Filed by

It 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

Some people know a threat when they see one.… Read the rest



Stalemate on ‘mahram’ condition continues *

May 7th, 2011 | Filed by

Saudi 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

“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

Norway, 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

Afghanistan, 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

“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

He was right, Bush was right, torture was right, Obama owes them big time for all their rightness.… Read the rest