‘In sharia the punishment is not in the force of the whipping but to bring shame,’ said ‘whipping officer.’… Read the rest
All entries by this author
Geology and the Evolution of Understanding
Aug 22nd, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia Benson17th and 18th century geology shows how views of the world evolved not by ideology but by the growth of a body of evidence.… Read the rest
Atheist Teacher Shock-horror
Aug 22nd, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia BensonAn inquisitor at the ‘Illinois Family Institute’ is frantic that an actual atheist is teaching math.… Read the rest
The tyranny of the prevailing opinion and feeling
Aug 22nd, 2009 11:41 am | By Ophelia BensonOften, when one cites Millian views on liberty, open discussion and the like, it emerges that people think Mill was talking only about legal rights. He wasn’t.
The fourth paragraph of On Liberty:
… Read the restLike other tyrannies, the tyranny of the majority was at first, and is still vulgarly, held in dread, chiefly as operating through the acts of the public authorities. But reflecting persons perceived that when society is itself the tyrant–society collectively, over the separate individuals who compose it–its means of tyrannizing are not restricted to the acts which it may do by the hands of its political functionaries. Society can and does execute its own mandates: and if it issues wrong mandates instead of right, or any
Wot’s it matta?
Aug 21st, 2009 4:46 pm | By Ophelia BensonWhat does it all matter? I’ve been engaging in a couple of blog discussions of that question – about why people get so riled about Mooney and Kirshenbaum, what’s at stake, whence comes all the heat. (I’ve also lost a friend over it, a price I resent paying.)
One way of explaining is to quote a little of the preface to The God Delusion. It starts with Lalla Ward’s misery at school and her parents’ asking why she never said she wanted to leave and her reply: ‘But I didn’t know I could.’
Lots of people don’t know they can, and it is worth letting them know: you can. (You can even invoke ‘Yes we can’ if you want … Read the rest
Debunking YouTube Hit ‘Muslim Demographics’
Aug 21st, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia BensonPopulation projection is an inexact science. Making up statistics doesn’t make it more exact.… Read the rest
‘More or Less’ Checks Statistics
Aug 21st, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia BensonRadio 4 and the Open University ask a lot of questions.… Read the rest
WHO Warns: Homeopathy Not a Cure
Aug 21st, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia BensonHomeopathy does not protect people from, or treat, TB, infant diarrhoea, influenza, malaria and HIV.… Read the rest
Kenya: Prayer Enlisted in War on Corruption
Aug 21st, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘The Church in Kenya is actually very corrupt,’ says evangelical group, but offers Bible guide anyway.… Read the rest
Jobeda Ali on Sex Segregation and Sexism
Aug 21st, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia BensonGender segregation maintains that society is the domain of men, and women are just visitors in it.… Read the rest
Mediawatchwatch on Kerkar, Threats, Ganesh
Aug 20th, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘They told me that they will chop off my fingers for indulging in such acts.’ Or Ganesh might sit on him.… Read the rest
Swedish MP Challenges Irish Blasphemy Law
Aug 20th, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia BensonA law against blasphemy is an obligation to live your life according to the religious beliefs of others.… Read the rest
Tariq Ramadan Cites ‘Islamophobia’
Aug 20th, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia BensonHe argues for a ‘European Islam’ but also speaks of the supremacy over secular law of the Koran and sharia.… Read the rest
Afghanistan: Threats, Anger, Empty Polling Stations
Aug 20th, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia BensonOne universal theme was the low turnout by women. At one station in Kabul, no women had voted.… Read the rest
Tariq Ramadan Fired From Rotterdam Jobs
Aug 20th, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia BensonCity of Rotterdam and Erasmus University dismissed Ramadan as ‘integration adviser’ and professor.… Read the rest
Boko Haram Introduces Itself
Aug 20th, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘Western ways’ are forbidden, first example being ‘the rights and privileges of Women.’ How do you do.… Read the rest
Modern radical theology
Aug 19th, 2009 5:20 pm | By Ophelia BensonFrom David Lodge’s novel Paradise News. The protagonist is a theologian who was once a believer but is not any more.
‘He sat at his desk and took out his notes on a book about process theology he was reviewing for Eschatological Review. The God of process theology, he read, is the cosmic lover. “His transcendence is in His sheer faithfulness to Himself in love, in His inexhaustibility as lover, and in his capacity for endless adaptation to circumstances in which his Love may be active.” Really? Who says? The theologian says. And who cares, apart from other theologians? Not the people choosing their holidays from the travel agent’s brochures…It often seemed to Bernard that the discourse of … Read the rest
An ideal world
Aug 19th, 2009 4:55 pm | By Ophelia BensonMichael Rosch at Examiner suggest that Mooney and Kirshenbaum suffer from a problem he calls ‘the paradox of paradise’:
… Read the restThey call for a non-confrontational approach to things and desire an ideal world where everyone just gets along, but they themselves create conflict with their own critics because they realize their ideal world can’t co-exist with dissenting views. So those most advocating non-confrontationalism pick fights with those who disagree with their philosophy and see merit in certain conflicts. Hence the fact that in addition to criticizing Dawkins, M&K go after their other favorite targets, PZ Myers and Jerry Coyne, each of whom wrote scathing reviews of M&K’s book. So they gave your book bad reviews because they found your conclusions
Veto power
Aug 19th, 2009 1:04 pm | By Ophelia BensonAnd here we go again.
… Read the restCowing under pressure from the Hindu Janjagruti Samiti (HJS), the police on Monday served notice on reputed Goan artist Subodh Kerkar to “desist from getting involved in such activities which may insult religious feelings or religious beliefs”. SP (North) Bosco George said Kerkar “should keep in mind the sentiments of the community and avoid creating a law and order problem. We will soon take a decision on whether or not the artist’s graphics hurt sentiments. If it is found to hurt religious sentiments, we will initiate legal action against him,” he said. HJS had petitioned the police last week alleging that Kerkar had published “drawings of Lord Ganesh in various positions”, thereby insulting religious
Kerkar Going Ahead With Exhibition
Aug 19th, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘Radical groups do not have the power of attorney over Lord Ganesh,’ Kerkar told reporters.… Read the rest