All entries by this author

Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood

Mar 9th, 2010 11:20 am | By

No, I don’t agree with Taner Edis, and I agree even less as he clarifies. This is all the odder in that he doesn’t even agree with himself – he prefers secular liberalism himself, but says he can’t defend it. Yes you can, Taner! Try harder! It can be done. It can’t be done absolutely, or permanently, or in such a way that no one anywhere will disagree – but it can still be done.

Meanwhile…

My political preference is very much the opposite. I would, personally, consider a multicultural regime a dystopia…My reasons for all of this, however, have almost everything to do with my particular interests and aspirations, and next to nothing to do with any

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Terry Sanderson on Religious Influence on Politics *

Mar 8th, 2010 | Filed by

The constant nagging from ‘faith leaders’ about their neglect does seem to be having an effect on politicians.… Read the rest



Australia: Muslim ‘Leader’ Wants a Bit of Sharia *

Mar 8th, 2010 | Filed by

‘We are not calling for the introduction of the penal system which calls for cutting off hands.’ Ah.… Read the rest



Pope Faces New Pressure to Meet Victims *

Mar 8th, 2010 | Filed by

Bishop cites public anger at pomp and ceremony when the Irish bishops knelt to kiss the Pope’s ring.… Read the rest



More Religious Slaughter in Jos, Nigeria *

Mar 8th, 2010 | Filed by

Over 500 dead, most of them women and children hacked to death by machete wielding gangs. … Read the rest



How Templeton Works: the Rod Dreher Example *

Mar 8th, 2010 | Filed by

Templeton creates a climate in which journalists who take a certain line can expect sizable rewards.… Read the rest



Liberalism can be defended

Mar 8th, 2010 11:38 am | By

Taner Edis thinks Gary Bouma is right about secularism and that Russell Blackford is wrong. I think Taner is mostly wrong that Russell is wrong that Gary Bouma is wrong. Still with me?

Note that, as often in the liberal tradition, the main pragmatic argument Blackford uses to promote a secular regime is that it helps keep the peace between rival sects…Such arguments tend to overlook how such reasoning is difficult to generalize beyond the context of Western European Christianity in the modern era.

Possibly. But then…this may sound crude, but the reality is, Western Europe is a pretty good place to live, and it and its descendants are better places to live than most of the rest of … Read the rest



Virginia: Public Colleges Cannot Ban Anti-gay Bias *

Mar 7th, 2010 | Filed by

Most of the state’s public universities have policies prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation.… Read the rest



The Home-schoolers Respond *

Mar 7th, 2010 | Filed by

Some of it is ugly stuff.… Read the rest



Home-schoolers Respond to Jerry Coyne *

Mar 7th, 2010 | Filed by

Thou shalt not say that creationist textbooks are garbage.… Read the rest



Home-school Textbooks Dismiss Evolution *

Mar 7th, 2010 | Filed by

‘If this is the way kids are home-schooled then they’re being shortchanged, both rationally and in terms of biology.’… Read the rest



Defectors Say Church of Scientology Hides Abuse *

Mar 7th, 2010 | Filed by

The church says defectors are ‘apostates.’… Read the rest



Another vituperative demand for civility

Mar 6th, 2010 12:35 pm | By

Josh Rosenau has an unpleasant and in places inaccurate post about Mooney and his critics. In places it’s also just badly thought through, like here:

…we’ve had Chris Mooney winning a grant so he can write a book. In this day and age, any science writer or journalist of any stripe who can stay employed and be funded to do research deserves praise and congratulations. But because Mooney’s funding comes from the John Templeton Foundation, a group dedicated to promoting a particular view on the compatibility of science and religion, that praiseworthy achievement has won opprobrium.

What, any science writer or journalist of any stripe who can stay employed and be funded to do research deserves praise and congratulations … Read the rest



Liverpool Post on Airportoons Trial *

Mar 6th, 2010 | Filed by

Chaplain was ‘insulted, deeply offended, alarmed, concerned.’ Oh well then, there’s no more to say!… Read the rest



Academic Challenges Priest’s Homophbic Rant *

Mar 6th, 2010 | Filed by

‘To justify its persecution of homosexual people the Catholic Church draws on just three brief texts.’… Read the rest



Hitchens on the Ten Commandments *

Mar 6th, 2010 | Filed by

When you hear people demanding that the Ten Commandments be displayed, always ask which set.… Read the rest



Catholic School Expels Toddler: Parents are Gay *

Mar 6th, 2010 | Filed by

Denver Archdiocese posted a statement: the parents are ‘living in open discord with Catholic teaching.’… Read the rest



Russell Blackford on Gary Bouma on Secularists *

Mar 6th, 2010 | Filed by

Contrary to Bouma, attempts to use political power to impose religious views are highly divisive.… Read the rest



Pesky pointy-headed pencil-neck geeks

Mar 5th, 2010 6:03 pm | By

It’s a funny thing, but there are people who think it’s worth pointing out that ‘atheists are no more rational than anybody else.’ Gosh, really? And here I was thinking that just by being an atheist, I automatically and indisputably occupied an Upper Level of humankind where the air is thinner and the rationality flows like wine.

No actually I don’t think anything so stupid, and I never have. I do think something much more limited and carefully phrased than that…but of course that wouldn’t be exciting to contradict, because if you make limited carefully-phrased claims then you’re probably not saying anything as obviously and risibly stupid as ‘atheists are more rational than anybody else.’ What would I say? That … Read the rest



Atheists Are the Source of Conflict in Society *

Mar 5th, 2010 | Filed by

Monash University Professor Gary Bouma says people without a specific faith fuel sectarian conflict.… Read the rest