David Colquhoun on herbal medicine *

Jun 26th, 2010 | Filed by

It need not be mystical nonsense, but it usually is.… Read the rest



Study finds fetus can’t feel pain before 24 weeks *

Jun 26th, 2010 | Filed by

Nerve connections in the brain are not sufficiently formed to register pain.… Read the rest



Sholto Byrnes: Rethinking Islamism IV *

Jun 26th, 2010 | Filed by

It’s much much much nicer than you think. Really.… Read the rest



Interview with Ayaan Hirsi Ali *

Jun 26th, 2010 | Filed by

“The people who believe themselves to be on the left, and who defend the agents of Islam in the name of tolerance and culture, are being right-wing.”… Read the rest



Reporter has opinions, resigns *

Jun 26th, 2010 | Filed by

Is it possible to report accurately despite opinions?… Read the rest



Bangladesh: girl given 101 lashes for being raped *

Jun 25th, 2010 | Filed by

The village elders pardoned the rapist.… Read the rest



Ratzinger v Belgium

Jun 25th, 2010 1:19 pm | By

The pope is pissed off because Belgian police are investigating Belgian citizens over allegations of crimes against other Belgian citizens (who were underage at the time) along with concealment and perpetuation of those crimes. What business, exactly, does the pope have being pissed off about this? He is the head of the organization the suspects work for, but so what?

The Vatican has expressed shock at raids, including the “violation” of a cathedral crypt, by Belgian police investigating alleged child sex abuse.

Well that’s typical, isn’t it – they’re “shocked” about the “violation” of a crypt – an inanimate object – when they were never all that shocked about the repeated violation of living breathing feeling human beings at their … Read the rest



Helping

Jun 25th, 2010 12:57 pm | By

Hey – want to do something? Want to make a difference? Want to make all the horrid oil in the gulf turn into nice healthy salt water and plankton and plastic water bottles? You can do all that. Deepak Chopra and Jean Houston and all those people will show you the way.

First step is tomorrow, 10 a.m. where I am, whatever time it is where you are. That’s Setting Our Sacred Intention time.

We begin by setting our collective intention. Join Deepak Chopra to set our powerful vision and participate in a worldwide Intention Experiment with renowned author and journalist Lynne McTaggart. Explore how our collective intention, our voice and our commitment can impact the cleanup of the

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Join The Gulf Call to Sacred Action *

Jun 25th, 2010 | Filed by

Our collective prayers and thoughts have the power to cause a profound shift on the planet. Srsly.… Read the rest



Frontline on vaccine alarmism *

Jun 25th, 2010 | Filed by

Bad thinking, pseudoscience, batshit craziness.… Read the rest



That Rolling Stone article *

Jun 25th, 2010 | Filed by

General seems unaware that the US has civilian government.… Read the rest



Supreme Court versus anti-corruption law *

Jun 25th, 2010 | Filed by

Ruled that the concept of committing fraud through depriving an employer of “honest services” was not adequately defined in the law. … Read the rest



Mayor of Leicester stands by prayer decision *

Jun 25th, 2010 | Filed by

“Saying prayers for a particular religion before council meetings was not inclusive.”… Read the rest



Ratzinger “indignant” about Belgian law enforcement *

Jun 25th, 2010 | Filed by

“The Vatican has summoned the Belgian ambassador to the Holy See to voice anger over Thursday’s raids.”… Read the rest



Saudis sentenced to lashes, prison for “mingling” *

Jun 24th, 2010 | Filed by

4 women, 11 men got lashes and one to two years in prison for attending a party.… Read the rest



Put your hands out where I can see them

Jun 24th, 2010 5:37 pm | By

Belgian authorities heightened pressure on the Roman Catholic Church in a sex-abuse scandal on Thursday, raiding the Belgian church headquarters, the home of a former archbishop and the offices of a commission established by the church to handle abuse complaints.

Police arrived at the church headquarters, the palace of the archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels, on Thursday morning while the monthly bishops meeting was in progress, a church spokesman said, questioning all of those present, from bishops down to staff members such as cooks and drivers.

Now that’s more like it. That sounds as if someone actually realizes that raping children is a crime, and not a little foible that can be gently discouraged by one’s colleagues without anyone’s hair having to … Read the rest



More on Belgian police raid on bishops *

Jun 24th, 2010 | Filed by

Cops arrived at headquarters during the monthly bishops’ meeting and started questioning everyone. Everyone.… Read the rest



Secular Coalition for America Opposes Kagan for Supreme Court

Jun 24th, 2010 | By Secular Coalition of America

Justice John Paul Stevens has been a historic champion of our constitutional separation of church and state. He has consistently sought to strike down special privileges for religion and its impositions on the rights of others. President Obama’s choice to replace him, Solicitor General Elena Kagan, does not appear to embrace the fundamental American principle of church-state separation with the vigor and force of Justice John Paul Stevens. This conclusion is based on the evidence that has come to light since her nomination to the United States Supreme Court.

Indeed, in at least one instance, Ms. Kagan appears to directly rebuff the church-state jurisprudence of Justice Stevens.

Thus, Secular Coalition for America opposes Ms. Kagan’s nomination until she makes her … Read the rest



The hermeneutic auction

Jun 24th, 2010 12:18 pm | By

First there’s Daniel Harrell’s essay for BioLogos explaining that Adam and Eve were really truly. The introduction (perhaps written by someone else – it’s not clear) says “science does not rule out the possibility of a historical Adam and Eve.” Wull, yes it does. A historical woman and man who were the only humans on the planet and lived about 4 6 thousand years ago? Yes it does. So does history.

Anyway, Harrell explains that we can decide that Eve and Adam were really truly in a different way from being created all of a sudden by god and then filled up with fake DNA to trick everyone.

Can we use “formed” and “breathed” to mean created through the

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Dawkins and BioLogos’s Darrel Falk *

Jun 24th, 2010 | Filed by

It’s a misunderstanding. No it isn’t.… Read the rest