For recreation in the evenings I have been reading Appian’s Civil Wars of Rome in the original Greek.… Read the rest
All entries by this author
Centre for Islamic Pluralism on Domestic Abuse
Sep 26th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonImams are also accused of refusing to speak out against domestic abuse in their sermons.… Read the rest
The tip of the iceberg
Sep 26th, 2008 11:50 am | By Ophelia BensonLots of girls calling for help.
Hundreds of children fearing for their lives have called a new national helpline set up to assist victims of forced marriages since its launch four months ago…Many are seeking ways to escape parents and family members who are trying to force them into unwanted marriages. Others have said they fear becoming victims of so-called “honour killings”, because of social and sexual behaviour that their community disapproves of.
A small but nevertheless significant point – if a ‘community’ disapproves of various forms of innocuous social and sexual behaviour enough to motivate killing the people who engage in it, then that ‘community’ is not ‘their community,’ and it’s misleading to call it that. It sounds … Read the rest
Michael Dickinson Cleared by Istanbul Court
Sep 25th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonArtist was cleared after a judge decided the controversial collage of Tayyip Erdogan was art and not insulting.… Read the rest
Jan Egeland Wonders
Sep 25th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonFive million people have died in Congo since 1998; the population of Norway. Would we notice if Norway vanished?… Read the rest
Jesus and Mo Explain About Cults
Sep 25th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonCult members follow a leader who claims divine authority. Quite a different thing!… Read the rest
Critic to Undergo ‘Religious Rehabilitation’
Sep 25th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonMalaysia Today editor was detained for writing ‘malicious and seditious’ articles that ‘maligned Islam.’… Read the rest
Islamist Death Squads Executing Gays
Sep 25th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonAli al-Sistani issued a fatwa urging the killing of lesbians and gays in the ‘most severe way possible.’… Read the rest
Now we are six
Sep 24th, 2008 3:13 pm | By Ophelia BensonHey it’s late September – yet again I’ve forgotten to say Happy Birthday B&W until weeks after the date. Well happy birthday B&W – it’s six years old. More than that, since I’m late. Staggering, isn’t it? Still here after all this time.… Read the rest
What kind of honour is it?
Sep 24th, 2008 3:06 pm | By Ophelia BensonMr President, integrating the human rights of women throughout the United Nations system must start here in the Human Rights Council. No State should be permitted to hide behind tradition, culture or religion in order to justify any abuse of women’s human rights. This Council is the World’s primary institution charged with the promotion and protection of human rights, and has a sacred duty to fulfil. It must be possible here to freely exercise the right to freedom of expression in order to defend the human rights of all, including women, and to expose abuse, whatever the attempted justification.
Including women indeed; women most of all, since we’re the ones whose rights get snatched away … Read the rest
It’s still up to you to decide
Sep 24th, 2008 2:54 pm | By Ophelia BensonSteven Weinberg on living without God.
Around 1100, the Sufi philosopher Abu Hamid al-Ghazzali argued against the very idea of laws of nature, on the grounds that any such law would put God’s hands in chains. According to al-Ghazzali, a piece of cotton placed in a flame does not darken and smolder because of the heat of the flame, but because God wants it to darken and smolder.
Not a very curiosity-inspiring way to think about things. Whatever happens happens because God wants it to. Ho hum. What’s for dinner?
… Read the restI do not think we have to worry that giving up religion will lead to a moral decline. There are plenty of people without religious faith who live exemplary
Catholic School Bans HPV Vaccination
Sep 24th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonMight cause the girls to hump like weasels. Or get headaches, or something.… Read the rest
IHEU-CFI Joint Statement Defends Women’s Rights
Sep 24th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonNo State should be permitted to hide behind tradition, culture or religion to justify any abuse of women’s rights. … Read the rest
IHEU Speaks Out on OIC Censorship at UN
Sep 24th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonIHEU has been beating on this door for the past five years; now EU, Belgium, Denmark have joined in.… Read the rest
Malaysia: Government Critic Detained
Sep 24th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonRaja Petra, himself a Muslim, was accused of insulting Islam through an article on the Malaysia Today website.… Read the rest
Steven Weinberg on Living Without God
Sep 24th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonWe have not observed anything that seems to require supernatural intervention for its explanation.… Read the rest
Don’t think, just say yes
Sep 23rd, 2008 4:04 pm | By Ophelia BensonWell I’ve been thinking (and murmuring, much of the time) that this all seemed rather hasty and unconsidered and likely to end in tears. It’s all very well, but writing someone a check for $700 billion to do as he likes with is really a little bit extravagant, when you think about it. I understand that he says the situation is urgent, but all the same, this business of shouting ‘hurry up, right now, there’s no time to lose, don’t stand there talking about it and thinking about the consequences and asking foolish questions and wondering if it will work, we’re in a crisis here, give me the 700 billion dollars right now!’ looks unpleasantly like…a rather bumptious way … Read the rest
Paul Krugman on Cash for Trash
Sep 23rd, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonPaulson wants a plan with dictatorial power and no strings. Slow down there, cowboy.… Read the rest
Obama Chats With Bartlet
Sep 23rd, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘I won’t lie to you, being fictional was a big advantage.’… Read the rest
Naser Khader Addresses UN HRC
Sep 23rd, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe Danish MP rejects protecting God’s rights before we protect human rights.… Read the rest