Dept of Religious Affairs has commissioned theologians at Ankara University to revise the Hadith.… Read the rest
Lookin’ Good for Jesus
Feb 26th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe products included a “Virtuous vanilla” lip balm and a “Get Tight with Christ” hand and body cream.… Read the rest
Measles Cases at Record High in Britain
Feb 26th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe only way to reduce impact of such outbreaks is to ensure uptake of MMR vaccine increases.… Read the rest
The uses of polemic
Feb 26th, 2008 10:27 am | By Ophelia BensonSome further thoughts on ‘offensive’ writing and cartoons and such. One issue is whether or not we know in advance that people will be outraged. I claimed, sweepingly, in comments, that we can’t know, and Jerry S prodded me into acknowledging that sometimes we can. Fair point. It’s easy (he demonstrated!) to come up with something we can be quite confident will outrage some people. True; and I also agreed that I don’t like or value mere abuse, and feel no need to make a principled defense of it. But I do value polemic, including polemic that can be considered harsh or mocking and that thus can be considered very likely to outrage at least some people. The further thoughts … Read the rest
Podsnappery
Feb 25th, 2008 5:05 pm | By Ophelia BensonOur Mutual Friend, Book 1 Chapter 11: ‘Podsnappery’.
… Read the restA certain institution in Mr Podsnap’s mind which he called ‘the young person’ may be considered to have been embodied in Miss Podsnap, his daughter. It was an inconvenient and exacting institution, as requiring everything in the universe to be filed down and fitted to it. The question about everything was, would it bring a blush into the cheek of the young person? And the inconvenience of the young person was, that, according to Mr Podsnap, she seemed always liable to burst into blushes when there was no need at all. There appeared to be no line of demarcation between the young person’s excessive innocence, and another person’s guiltiest knowledge.
How to Interpret Evidence
Feb 25th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonAtheists have a disease that makes them unable to see Angels of the Lord.… Read the rest
The Indy Talks to Sayed Pervez Kambaksh
Feb 25th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘What they call my trial lasted just four minutes in a closed court.’… Read the rest
Hamas Bunny on Motoon Cartoonists
Feb 25th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘Assud: If they do it again, Saraa, we will kill them, right?’ Aww, how cute.… Read the rest
Nigeria: Human Rights Group Condemns Stoning
Feb 25th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe group called for compulsory education of all sharia judges on the provisions of the UDHR.… Read the rest
The norms are different
Feb 24th, 2008 6:21 pm | By Ophelia BensonNigel Warburton comments on the Secretary General’s advice.
If all those who speak, write, express their views have to respect all religious sensitivities, then what can anyone say? Some religious group is likely to be offended by almost any expression of a view. Does the UN want to stop us watching The Life of Brian, Jerry Springer the Opera, etc? Will atheists have to keep quiet about their beliefs for fear of offending religious sensitivities?
Pub Philosopher does the same.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said that freedom of expression should be exercised in a way that respects religious beliefs. But then it wouldn’t be free speech, would it?
The Thinking Man also speaks up.
… Read the restWhy should religion be
Sen Replies to Ferguson
Feb 24th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonPuzzling that the history of British imperial rule after the mid-19th century appears so ‘benign’ to Ferguson. … Read the rest
Niall Ferguson Disputes Amartya Sen
Feb 24th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘Throughout Empire, I make it clear that I am on the side of Adam Smith, not Robert Clive.’… Read the rest
Amartya Sen on Imperial Illusions
Feb 24th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonHow tidy and how regular were the processes that led to the emergence of the largest empire in history?… Read the rest
Ultra-orthodox News Media Delete Women
Feb 24th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘Spiritual committees.’ Rabbis. Modesty. Obscurity. Result: women Photoshopped out of pictures.… Read the rest
Rafia Zakaria Reviews Books on Women in Iran
Feb 24th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonWhat to do when feminism gets entangled with orientalism and neo-conservatism?… Read the rest
‘You have to respect’ 2006 version
Feb 24th, 2008 10:59 am | By Ophelia BensonWe’ve been arguing over the Secretary General and his advice to temper free expression with ‘respect for all religious beliefs.’ This advice is not new – as the news item said, he ‘reaffirmed his predecessor’s line on cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad.’ Let’s revisit some other people in high places who said the same thing back in 2006. There was Jack Straw:
… Read the restSpeaking after talks with the Sudanese foreign minister, Mr Straw said: “There is freedom of speech, we all respect that. But there is not any obligation to insult or to be gratuitously inflammatory. I believe that the republication of these cartoons has been insulting, it has been insensitive, it has been disrespectful and it has been
Flemming Rose Talks to Spiegel Online
Feb 23rd, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThis is a global struggle for the right to free speech; people are trying to intimidate and silence critics of religion.… Read the rest
Cartoonist Kurt Westergaard is Homeless
Feb 23rd, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonLeft home because of death threat, kicked out of hotel because of security concerns.… Read the rest
Hitchens on Anti-Semitism
Feb 23rd, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonGarden-variety racists seldom suspect the objects of their dislike of harboring a demonic plan for world domination. … Read the rest
Julian Baggini on Žižek on Violence
Feb 23rd, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonWhatever the received wisdom is, Žižek postulates the opposite. And repeat.… Read the rest