The spectacle of a despotic cleric with antiquated ideas issuing a death warrant for a writer living in another country changed something in Christopher.
Benefit of the doubt
Jan 6th, 2012 10:35 am | By Ophelia BensonAbout Julian’s latest Comment is Free post.
For aspiring-to-be-rational heathens like myself, texts such as Pope Benedict’s Christmas address to the Roman Curia are often used as target practice for sharpening our critical thinking skills and BS radars. How easy it is to take a sentence like, “Only faith gives me the conviction: it is good that I exist,” and reply, “Speak for yourself, mate.”
That’s not a good start. It’s one of those “statements we doubt were ever stated” items. I don’t think it’s true that for people like Julian, texts like the pope’s Xmas chat are often used as target practice for sharpening our critical thinking skills. I think that’s a covert dig at Those Other Atheists … Read the rest
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Boko Haram murder more Christians
Jan 5th, 2012 5:10 pm | By Ophelia BensonThey warned them. They said get out in three days or we’ll kill you. Totally fair.
… Read the restGunmen have stormed a church service in Nigeria, killing six people and wounding 10, the church’s pastor said, the latest in a string of attacks that has raised fears of sectarian conflict in Africa’s most populous nation.
“It was around 7:30 pm (1830 GMT),” Pastor John Jauro told AFP news agency of Thursday’s attack in the city of Gombe.
“I was leading the congregation in prayers. Our eyes were closed when some gunmen stormed the church and opened fire on the congregation. Six people were killed in the attack and 10 others were wounded.”
He said there was confusion as worshippers sought to
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Nigeria: another church attacked; six killed 
Jan 5th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
A purported spokesman for Boko Haram on Sunday issued an ultimatum for Christians living in Nigeria’s north to leave the region or they would be killed.… Read the rest
CPJ welcomes Ivory Coast’s release of Hermann Aboa
Jan 5th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Based on footageof the contentious program, “Raison d’État”, CPJ determined that any charges based on Aboa’s performance as a journalist were baseless.… Read the rest
Reputation, Iago
Jan 5th, 2012 3:45 pm | By Ophelia BensonOne for the Annals of Brazen Effrontery – Andrew Wakefield sues the BMJ for claiming his MMR study was fraudulent.
… Read the restIn a complaint filed to a district court in Texas, lawyers acting for Wakefield claim that articles, editorials and other statements that appeared in the BMJ were “false and make defamatory allegations” about the doctor.
The lawsuit names Fiona Godlee, the BMJ’s editor-in-chief, and the British investigative journalist Brian Deer, who has covered the controversy over the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, which led to a drop in MMR vaccination rates to dangerous levels.
…
In a statement, the BMJ and Deer said they awaited formal service of the papers, but stood by the articles and had
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
More on Frank Cioffi
Jan 5th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Later critics of Freud such as Frederick Crews, Allen Esterson and Malcolm Macmillan always acknowleged their deep indebtedness to him.… Read the rest
Wakefield sues BMJ for claiming MMR study was fraudulent
Jan 5th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
BMJ: it would appear…that Mr Wakefield still stands by the accuracy of the Lancet paper and his conclusion therein, thereby compounding his previously found misconduct.… Read the rest
Token women
Jan 5th, 2012 11:54 am | By Ophelia BensonOh lordy, it just never ends.
Staks Rosch did an Atheist of the Year contest at the Examiner, asking his readers to nominate candidates and giving them two days to do it. And the nominees are -
- Dave Silverman
- Ricky Gervais
- Hemant Mehta
- Matt Dillahunty
- George Takei
Lisa Ridge did a Facebook post gently wondering why there were quite so few women, as in, none. I read the post and Staks Rosch’s comments and a post he’d written on the subject, and got somewhat warm under the collar. From the post:
… Read the restI started with an open nomination process in which people could suggest nominations and make a case for their nominations. I would then take that into account
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Daylight Atheism argues with Peter Hitchens
Jan 5th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
And vice versa.… Read the rest
Twitter fails to act over guy threatening women
Jan 5th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
One young blogger became seriously concerned when Shereef Abdallah turned up at her university.… Read the rest
The Immoral Daughters in the Land of Honour
Jan 5th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The stories of five young Jat women who dared to resist. They take on the powerful Khaps and confront “honour” crimes, injustice and social boycotts.… Read the rest
Boy tortured to death as a “witch”
Jan 5th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The teenager was said to be in such pain after days of being hit with sticks, a metal bar, hammer and chisel that he begged to die.… Read the rest
Murder charges against doctors test Maryland abortion law
Jan 4th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Freezing fetuses is “normal practice,” Riley’s attorney said, noting doctors preserve the fetuses until proper medical waste procedures can be conducted.… Read the rest
Link between Maryland abortion case and Florida clinic
Jan 4th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Florida officials would not comment on a potential link between American Family
Planning and Brigham. … Read the rest
Decades of violence at burned abortion clinic
Jan 4th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Authorities said the fire was suspicious and they are investigating whether it was intentionally set.… Read the rest
Frank Cioffi 1928-2012
Jan 4th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Much of his academic career, he presented and wrote about Freud, Freud’s evasiveness, his distortions, and his surprising influence.… Read the rest
Who made that rule?
Jan 4th, 2012 11:30 am | By Ophelia BensonFresh Air yesterday did an interview with science writer Kitty Ferguson, who has written a biography of Stephen Hawking. There was one bit where Ferguson was summarizing Hawking on how it all began (to put it as crudely as possible) and mentioned his saying that ‘god’ wasn’t necessary for it to begin. Terri Gross paused to discuss this idea, and Ferguson rebuked Hawking for mentioning it.
He was out of his depth, she said. It’s not his subject. He’s not “an expert.”
What?
Who is “an expert” on this subject? What makes anyone an expert on this subject? What is the expertise involved?
I really don’t know. I don’t know what she thought she meant. Do people think there’s … Read the rest
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
That beacon of human rights, Iran
Jan 4th, 2012 10:14 am | By Ophelia BensonCheck out the list of OIC countries in order of population. Ask yourself if you want to take advice on human rights from those countries.
Pakistan?
Bangladesh?
Iran?
Algeria?
Sudan?
Uzbekistan?
Afghanistan?
Saudi Arabia?
Yemen?
Syria?
Some are better than that, certainly, but many of them are also dubious as “Islamic states” even if you accept (as I don’t) the idea that a majority Muslim state is an “Islamic state.” Nigeria, Uganda, Mozambique? And anyway “better than Syria” isn’t much to boast of.… Read the rest
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Recognizing the valuable contribution
Jan 4th, 2012 9:27 am | By Ophelia BensonEric provides the text of Resolution 16/18. I don’t find it all that reassuring.
Recognizing the valuable contribution of people of all religions or beliefs to humanity and the contribution that dialogue among religious groups can make towards an improved awareness and understanding of the common values shared by all humankind,
The valuable contribution of people of all beliefs? That’s just gibberish. The contribution of people of some beliefs – and not rare ones – is the opposite of valuable. Lots of people have beliefs that women are both inferior and evil-rebellious, and thus have to be ferociously controlled and even more ferociously punished if they ever evade that control. That’s not valuable.
Ok it’s just a bit of … Read the rest
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
