The constant nagging from ‘faith leaders’ about their neglect does seem to be having an effect on politicians.… Read the rest
All entries by this author
Australia: Muslim ‘Leader’ Wants a Bit of Sharia
Mar 8th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘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 Ophelia BensonBishop 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 Ophelia BensonOver 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 Ophelia BensonTempleton 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 Ophelia BensonTaner 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 Ophelia BensonMost 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 Ophelia BensonSome of it is ugly stuff.… Read the rest
Home-schoolers Respond to Jerry Coyne
Mar 7th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThou shalt not say that creationist textbooks are garbage.… Read the rest
Home-school Textbooks Dismiss Evolution
Mar 7th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘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 Ophelia BensonThe church says defectors are ‘apostates.’… Read the rest
Another vituperative demand for civility
Mar 6th, 2010 12:35 pm | By Ophelia BensonJosh 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 Ophelia BensonChaplain 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 Ophelia Benson‘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 Ophelia BensonWhen 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 Ophelia BensonDenver 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 Ophelia BensonContrary 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 Ophelia BensonIt’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 Ophelia BensonMonash University Professor Gary Bouma says people without a specific faith fuel sectarian conflict.… Read the rest
George Carey Says Politicians Bully Christians
Mar 5th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonIt’s the other way around.… Read the rest