Science and Rationalists’ Association of India goes to villages and performs tricks that the swamis perform.… Read the rest
All entries by this author
Church of England Provides Fiscal Prayer
Oct 27th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonLord God, prices rise, debts increase, banks collapse, jobs are taken away. Loving God, be a tower of strength amidst the shifting sands.… Read the rest
Atheist Billboard in Philadelphia
Oct 27th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘Don’t believe in God? You are not alone.’… Read the rest
Denver
Oct 27th, 2008 11:57 am | By Ophelia BensonI was struck by this picture on the front page of the Times (New York) this morning.
It’s a good picture. It kind of gets it all in – the blue sky, the autumn trees, the capitol in the distance, the huge crowd in front, the bare stage, and the single slight figure outlined against it all. The hundred thousand people facing us, and the one guy facing them frozen in a wave or a benediction. If you hate him, of course, it’s of no interest, or it’s portentous and irritating. If you like him, it’s pretty affecting. For a lot of reasons. There’s some echo of that other senator from Illinois – and doubtless some kind of secular echo … Read the rest
What is fundamental value?
Oct 26th, 2008 12:14 pm | By Ophelia BensonGiles Fraser rebukes the godless.
Humanists (and by that I mean secular humanists for now) would do much more to persuade me of their world-view if they took more seriously the idea that the human is of fundamental value.
Of fundamental value – what does that mean? I suppose the fact that I have to ask means that I won’t be persuading Giles Fraser of anything – but then, he probably won’t be persuading me of anything either.
I don’t think ‘the human’ is of fundamental value – if by that Fraser means of value independent of, say, other humans, or the (human) past, or future. I think the human is of contingent value – and that that’s enough. … Read the rest
Stephen Law Replies to Giles Fraser
Oct 26th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonFraser says ‘the value of human life is down graded by those who call themselves humanists.’… Read the rest
Stephen Law Invited to Meet Harun Yahya
Oct 26th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonNot going. The guy is involved in some dubious activities.… Read the rest
Petition for the Release of Esha Momeni
Oct 26th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe activities of the Campaign are aimed at reforming Iranian laws in areas that discriminate against women.… Read the rest
One Million Signatures Campaign
Oct 26th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonIncludes petitions for release of Momeni, news, articles, more.… Read the rest
Momeni Has not Been Allowed to Meet Lawyer
Oct 26th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonAuthorities have not said why she is being held; may be related to One Million Signatures campaign.… Read the rest
US Student Arrested in Iran
Oct 26th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonEsha Momeni went to Iran to do research on the Iranian women’s movement, is now in Evin prison.… Read the rest
Mr Greenspan finds a flaw
Oct 25th, 2008 5:19 pm | By Ophelia BensonAlan Greenspan is funny too.
[A] humbled Mr. Greenspan admitted that he had put too much faith in the self-correcting power of free markets and had failed to anticipate the self-destructive power of wanton mortgage lending. “Those of us who have looked to the self-interest of lending institutions to protect shareholders’ equity, myself included, are in a state of shocked disbelief,” he told the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
A state of shocked disbelief…that people who ran lending institutions were more excited about their own bonuses and profits than they were attentive to shareholders’ equity. Is it just me or does that seem ever so slightly naïve?
Not quite just me; Henry Waxman had a similar thought.… Read the rest
Some people have all the fun
Oct 25th, 2008 5:00 pm | By Ophelia BensonThose atheists – what are you gonna do – they’re such a pain. They’re almost as bad as earmarks, or fruit flies, or pally terrorists, or socialists. Atheists are such dreary depressing dismal boring tedious gits that – you’ll hardly believe me when I tell you this – even their funerals are no fun. Can you believe it? Now that takes some doing, to turn a funeral into a gloomy occasion. I could see it if it were weddings or dinner parties or trips to Paris, but funerals? That’s pathetic. When you think what the funerals thrown by normal people are like – well it just makes you sorry for atheists, that’s all. Normal believing people have the … Read the rest
Mary Warnock Urges: Legalize Assisted Suicide
Oct 25th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonWe have a moral obligation to take other people’s seriously reached decisions with regard to their own lives equally seriously.… Read the rest
HRW Expelled from Venezuela
Oct 25th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonForeign minister explained: ‘Any foreigner who comes to criticize our country will be immediately expelled.’… Read the rest
Palin Mocks Scientific Research
Oct 25th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘Sometimes these dollars go to projects that have little or nothing to do with the public good. Things like fruit fly research in Paris, France. I kid you not.’… Read the rest
Simon Barrow Explains Mystery and Faith
Oct 25th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonNo thoughtful Christian or Muslim thinks God is a person, he tells us. Really?… Read the rest
Most Atheists Mary Kenny Knows are Miserable
Oct 25th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThey’re so gloomy and depressing that even their funerals are no fun. Bastards.… Read the rest
Tauriq Moosa on Being an Ex-Muslim
Oct 24th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘I attended seven madrassas. At each one, I was physically abused by the jaded jackals of god’s word.’… Read the rest
From Burke to Palin
Oct 24th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonConservative writers find that the anti-intellectualism their side encouraged has begun to consume their movement.… Read the rest