Richard, Nick, Salman, Ayaan

Feb 2nd, 2012 9:51 am | By

Richard Dawkins has a response to “Froborr.”

Ok I’m lying, he doesn’t really, but it might as well be. Plus it’s a response to all the “oh won’t you please think of the poor fragile believers?” wails that keep being wailed.

Actually he’s talking specifically about the Jaipur Festival (where he was one of the speakers) and Salman Rushdie and Nick Cohen’s new book – but he’s also talking generally, as is only natural, since all of those items have wide implications.

I have just returned from the Jaipur Literary Festival, infamous for the recent reprise of the 1989 threats against Sir Salman Rushdie by Muslims the world over, lamentably applauded by leading churchmen, politicians, historians and otherwise liberal journalists.

… Read the rest

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Richard Dawkins on reading Nick Cohen after Jaipur *

Feb 2nd, 2012 | Filed by

Not only do the affronted themselves kick up an almighty fuss; they are abetted and encouraged by influential figures from other religions and the liberal establishment.… Read the rest

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Protests mar Taslima Nasreen book launch in Calcutta *

Feb 1st, 2012 | Filed by

Nasreen has faced protests at the launch of her latest memoir, with an event at the Calcutta Book Fair cancelled.… Read the rest

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Indian cartoonist charged with treason for mocking the state *

Feb 1st, 2012 | Filed by

His accusers argue that while it is permissible to make fun of politicians, you cannot make fun of the state.… Read the rest

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Why the Theodosian Code is so hysterically bad

Feb 1st, 2012 4:35 pm | By

Skeptic lawyer went to a really nice reception last night at the Scottish Parliament building, which is apparently almost as ugly as the Experience Music Project here in Seattle, and in much the same style -

…a fellow lawyer suggested that it looked like someone had eaten a giant jigsaw and then thrown up on the Old Town.

Behold the EMP:

 Very much as if someone had thrown up a huge jigsaw.

But that’s not the real subject. The real subject is that reception; what a jolly occasion it sounds.

it was a reception for equal marriage (same sex marriage) held at Holyrood  and co-sponsored by all four parties currently represented in the parliament.

To quote from the linked article … Read the rest

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This is really true

Feb 1st, 2012 4:15 pm | By

Jesus took a leaf from Jefferson’s book and did a condensed Koran.

Mo said “sheet.” That’s offensive!

http://www.jesusandmo.net/2012/02/01/dross/… Read the rest

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Skeptic lawyer on equal marriage in Scotland *

Feb 1st, 2012 | Filed by

Labour’s Johann Lamont, Ruth Davidson of the Conservatives, Willie Rennie of the Lib Dems and the Greens’ Patrick Harvie signed a pledge expressing their backing for gay marriage.… Read the rest

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The ethics of offence at LSE *

Feb 1st, 2012 | Filed by

We firmly believe that the LSESU has no right to ban freedom of expression, and if anything is deserving of ridicule, satire, and contempt religion is a sure candidate.… Read the rest

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Ideas that undermine received wisdom

Feb 1st, 2012 10:59 am | By

This claim of “Froborr’s” is really appallingly hostile to a great many of the foundations of a liberal open thoughtful society or culture or world.

First, the move to make a truth claim about reality part of one’s identity (“a huge part of who I am”) is death to thinking. It’s the same move the shouters about “hurting religious sentiments” make: it turns one’s ideas into one’s Self in a move to make it taboo to question them. Making it taboo to question ideas is death to thinking.

Second, the move to equate public discussion with forcible conversion is, obviously, death to public discussion. If all argument that [X is better or more true or more evidence-based than Y] … Read the rest

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Jesus boils down the Koran *

Feb 1st, 2012 | Filed by

It turns out to be quite short.… Read the rest

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“Evil in one of its purest forms”

Feb 1st, 2012 10:14 am | By

Are we seeing a new trend? A new variety of passive-aggressive accommodationist mendacious gnu-bashing?

Ray Moscow alerted me to a new* entry in the genre at something called The Slacktiverse by someone called “Froborr.” It starts with: I’m an atheist. That’s my identity. It would be traumatic to change that. It’s just as traumatic to change the other way around. It ends with: Therefore, Greta Christina and other overt atheists are evil.

There’s a lot in between, of course, but that’s where it ends up.

Greta Christina posted last month[1] that, “For many atheists, our main goal is persuading the world out of religion.” She goes on in the same post to establish herself in favor of that position:

… Read the rest

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ASA Adjudication on Healing on the Streets-Bath *

Feb 1st, 2012 | Filed by

ASA told HOTS not to make claims which stated or implied that, by receiving prayer from their volunteers, people could be healed of medical conditions.… Read the rest

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Theocracy flexing its muscles in Indiana *

Feb 1st, 2012 | Filed by

First a bill allowing creationism to be taught in public schools; now a bill to allow public schools to start the day with a Christian prayer.… Read the rest

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