Teaching evolution and dispelling creationism gives students a valuable lesson: it teaches them to think scientifically.… Read the rest
All entries by this author
If Science and Religion Are Compatible, Then
Apr 15th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia Bensonwhy did the Reformed Theological Seminary fire Bruce Waltke?… Read the rest
The Club of Friendly Inhibitionists?
Apr 14th, 2010 6:12 pm | By Ophelia BensonMichael De Dora is concerned again.
…our government — and thus our public schooling system — is supposed to remain neutral on matters of religion. Federal and state governments cannot aid one religion, aid all religions, prefer one religion over another, or prefer non-religion to religion. This means that while I agree with Myers that the Biblical creation story is a “myth,” the public school classroom doesn’t seem to be the place where our message should be pushed.
Federal and state governments cannot prefer non-religion to religion, therefore, according to De Dora, as long as a mistaken claim is religious, it is against the law for public schools to say the claim is mistaken. That’s interesting. I went … Read the rest
A mockery of the universality of rights
Apr 14th, 2010 5:36 pm | By Ophelia BensonGita Sahgal states the problem.
… Read the restThe senior leadership of Amnesty International chose to answer the questions I posed about Amnesty International’s relationship with Moazzam Begg by affirming their links with him. Now they have also confirmed that the views of Begg, his associates and his organisation Cageprisoners, do not trouble them. They have stated that the idea of jihad in self defence is not antithetical to human rights; and have explained that they meant only the specific form of violent jihad that Moazzam Begg and others in Cageprisoners assert is the individual obligation of every Muslim…Unfortunately, their stance has laid waste every achievement on women’s equality and made a mockery of the universality of rights. In fact, the leadership
De Dora on Creationism and Science Class
Apr 14th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonDon’t forget – science can’t reject creationism; that’s for theology or philosophy to do.… Read the rest
PZ Disagrees With Michael De Dora
Apr 14th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonWhen religious ideas directly contradict the scientific evidence, we must be able to point out that they are wrong.… Read the rest
Sahgal and Amnesty Part Ways
Apr 14th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe issue is whether whether women can be sacrificed to the Taliban if that is convenient for heads of state.… Read the rest
Can We Apply Science to the Supernatural?
Apr 14th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonIf the supernatural is defined as ‘that which science can’t investigate,’ then no. Otherwise, yes.… Read the rest
Stanley Fish Rejects ‘Secular Reason’ Again
Apr 14th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThere is still something missing, he moans.… Read the rest
PZ on Deep Rifts With the Skeptics
Apr 13th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonOh noes, trying to bust Ratzinger will ‘hurt the skeptical movement’!… Read the rest
Yes, the Pope Should Be Arrested
Apr 13th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonAnd it doesn’t matter who does it.… Read the rest
The Pope Should Stand Trial
Apr 13th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonWhy is the church allowed to get away with it, when anyone else would have to resign in ignominy?… Read the rest
Gita Sahgal’s Statement on Leaving Amnesty
Apr 13th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘Their stance has laid waste every achievement on women’s equality and made a mockery of the universality of rights.’… Read the rest
It can’t be both
Apr 12th, 2010 1:12 pm | By Ophelia BensonI want to try to figure this out. I could just conclude that I simply don’t know enough about it to figure it out, and I ought to either learn more or leave it to people who do know enough. That’s certainly a possibility, of course. I’ve been thinking when reading Sam Harris’s posts in reply to his critics that he just doesn’t seem to know enough about it, and it’s certainly possible that I don’t know enough about what I’m prattling about, either. But the difference is, it seems to me, that Sam’s critics have made a lot of good arguments, while the arguments I’ve seen so far from the ‘overt atheists are wrong and bad’ faction are not … Read the rest
Pope is Not a Head of State
Apr 12th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonMussolini declared the Vatican a state. No doubt, but Musso lost that particular fight.… Read the rest
Nick Cohen on Gita Sahgal
Apr 12th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonAmnesty has persuaded itself that Islamism is not objectionable as long as it does not threaten civilians.… Read the rest
Sahgal Case Proves AI’s Critics Are Right
Apr 12th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonCritics say AI has diluted its defence of universal human rights by allying with a group that rejects that principle.… Read the rest
Gita Sahgal Has Left Amnesty International
Apr 12th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonSaid her years of working for women’s rights had been a waste of time because of AI’s work with Begg and Cageprisoners.… Read the rest
Hitchens on the Pope and the Law
Apr 12th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonRatzinger and diocese were concerned only with one question: Can this hurt Holy Mother Church? … Read the rest
Connecticut Bishops Fight Sex Abuse Bill
Apr 12th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe proposed change to the law would put ‘all Church institutions, including your parish, at risk.’… Read the rest