But when it comes to Swinburne on suffering, he finds it difficult.… Read the rest
All entries by this author
Life in Saudi Arabia
Jun 8th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonYou can’t stay here. Get out. The men can see you. Go in there. You can’t come in here.… Read the rest
Paul Kurtz on Moral Education for Secular Children
Jun 8th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonCites Stephen Law’s The War for Children’s Minds as helpful guidance.… Read the rest
Woman Executed for Being Sex Slave
Jun 8th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonSaid Ras told the jirga that he got the woman, a relative, into the business to pay off his debt. … Read the rest
Woman Journalist Murdered in Mosul
Jun 8th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonSahar Hussein al-Haideri, 45, reported on efforts by extremist forces to foment sectarian conflict.… Read the rest
Ronald Aronson on the New Atheism
Jun 8th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonAbout 25% of Americans must be getting fed up with being routinely marginalized, ignored and insulted. … Read the rest
Teaching Assistant Sues School
Jun 8th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonClaims religious discrimination. Refused to hear child read Harry Potter book.… Read the rest
Men only
Jun 8th, 2007 10:41 am | By Ophelia BensonSo she goes into Starbucks in Riyadh, the first Starbucks she’s seen in months; she ignores the flickering eyes of the man behind the counter, the stares of the men in the cafe, she sits down in an armchair – only to have the counter man hiss in her ear “You can’t sit here. Men only.” Oh right – of course; how stupid of me. Men only. Not men only in men’s toilets, but men only everywhere. Men only in the world. Women shoved into nasty little boxes round the back; women shouted at; women told to get out, get out, get out. Women treated like filthy foul sluts for merely existing. Women monitored, watched, glared at, chased, bullied, … Read the rest
Zeynep Pamuk Wins Philosophy Olympics
Jun 7th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonOrhan Pamuk’s niece wins with her article on Spinoza’s coception of a state.… Read the rest
Did Brownback Realize What He Was Saying?
Jun 7th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘Doesn’t somebody at the Times keep an eye out for gross errors of fact on the editorial pages?’… Read the rest
Democratic Candidates Trot Out Their ‘Faith’
Jun 7th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonFaith (applause) sin (applause) sinner (applause) evil (applause) courage (applause).… Read the rest
Dutch Labour Party Tells Member to Shut Up
Jun 7th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonEhsan Jami is fighting for the rights and safety of Muslim ‘apostates.’… Read the rest
Leave? Of course you can’t leave
Jun 7th, 2007 9:17 am | By Ophelia BensonThe forces of progressivism cover themselves in glory again.
Labour (PvdA) has been trying to muzzle a young PvdA member who is fighting for the rights and safety of Muslim apostates. An internal memo shows that the party fears the campaign of Ehsan Jami will cause it electoral damage and enrage Muslims.
The party fears the campaign of Ehsan Jami to protect the rights and safety of people who don’t want to be Muslims will enrage Muslims, and therefore they try to silence it or adjust it or make it not quite so – er. Because…because a ‘community’ has every right to prevent people from leaving their ‘community’ and therefore people who do leave or try to leave should … Read the rest
And besides atheism is ugly and stupid and old and fat
Jun 6th, 2007 5:51 pm | By Ophelia BensonWhat was that I was murmuring about cherished beliefs and their not so healthy effect on people’s ability to think and argue? Hardly were the words out of my mouth, it seems, when Theo Hobson was inspired to give a truly showy demonstration of that very thing.
First, by way of warming up, he threw himself down on the floor and gave a really good loud scream. ‘Atheism is pretentious and cowardly,’ he howled, spit flying, ‘and I hate it really really hard!’ Then he got up and took up the serious business of making his case.
… Read the restHow odd that there seems to be an endless appetite for militant atheism. How odd that anyone over 17 admires these angry ageing
Pascal Bruckner on Sarkozy and Kouchner
Jun 6th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe battle of the preferable against the detestable is preferable to a crusade of Good against Evil.… Read the rest
Sami Zubaida on Many Faces of Multiculturalism
Jun 6th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonDiverse Muslims are totalised into a ‘Muslim community’ as if religion were the essence of identity.… Read the rest
RSF Shocked at Murder of Zakia Zaki
Jun 6th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonZaki ran Peace Radio and was head of a local school; received death threats after criticizing Taliban.… Read the rest
Woman TV Journalist Murdered in Afghanistan
Jun 6th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonShakiba Sanga Amaj, associated with the private Shamshad TV channel, was killed at home in Kabul.… Read the rest
Afghan Woman Radio Journalist Murdered
Jun 6th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonAnother woman silenced, another journalist silenced, another triumph for men with guns.… Read the rest
Catholic MPs Under Pressure
Jun 5th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonTo vote to restrict abortion, raising fears over the encroachment of religion on women’s rights. … Read the rest