Australopithecus sediba was bipedal with human-shaped hips and pelvis, but brachiated on apelike arms.… Read the rest
All entries by this author
Would You Trust Popes to Choose for You?
Apr 8th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonWould you trust Joseph Ratzinger to choose for you the manner and time of your death?… Read the rest
Women ‘Helped Bogus Guru Lure Rape Victims’
Apr 8th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonA man masquerading as a guru and healer was helped by female followers to rape other women.… Read the rest
Vicar Complains of ‘Aggressive Secularists’
Apr 8th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonInstructs Anglican bishops ‘to attack the anti-religion agenda of the militant secularists.’… Read the rest
Cameron Pledges to Do Catholic Things
Apr 8th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonAsks for interview with Catholic Herald, tells it he will lower abortion age and stop assisted suicide.… Read the rest
Pope promises reform
Apr 7th, 2010 5:39 pm | By Ophelia BensonGood old Onion…
… Read the restCalling the behavior shameful, sinful, and much more frequent than the Vatican was comfortable with, Pope Benedict XVI vowed this week to bring the widespread pedophilia within the Roman Catholic Church down to a more manageable level…”This is absolutely unacceptable,” Pope Benedict said. “It seems a weakening of faith in God has prevented our priests from exercising moderation when sexually abusing helpless minors.”…Starting next year, specially trained cardinals will make unannounced visits to inspect and observe random churches in order to ensure they are not going beyond diocese-wide molestation caps. The inspector-cardinals will grade each parish based on long, private interviews with altar boys in darkened church basements, and careful observation of priests’ sexual activity….As a
Cheating with stipulative definitions
Apr 7th, 2010 5:16 pm | By Ophelia BensonI’ve been trying to argue with Sam Harris about his latest map for how to get from is to ought. It’s a list of 9 putative facts, which are true enough as far as they go, but I keep pointing out that the list doesn’t really confront the difference between avoiding the worst possible misery for oneself and avoiding the worst possible misery for everyone. No one’s paying any attention, but it keeps me out of trouble.
Russell discusses the same post.
… Read the restThe trick is to avoid cheating with stipulative definitions and to avoid relying on human psychology or human institutions. You are supposed to derive that I really, really ought to do X without relying on any
Fox News Ran Edited Tape of Acorn Meeting
Apr 7th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonEdited as in leaving out very important bits.… Read the rest
Criticism is not ‘Islamophobia’
Apr 7th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonSigned, Gita Sahgal, Peter Tatchell, Marieme Helie Lucas, Pragna Patel et al.… Read the rest
Pope to Get Pedophilia Down To Manageable Level
Apr 7th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘Weakening of faith has prevented our priests from exercising moderation when abusing helpless minors.’… Read the rest
Crucifix Nurse Loses Case
Apr 7th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonRemains petulant and defiant.… Read the rest
There’s such a thing as being too special
Apr 6th, 2010 4:03 pm | By Ophelia BensonThe pope’s co-workers circle the holy wagons.
A prominent cardinal, in a marked departure from tradition, stood near Pope Benedict XVI at Easter Mass in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday and delivered pointedly public support in the face of growing anger over the Catholic Church’s sex abuse scandal…The remarks…came among a chorus of denunciations by church officials of what they have framed as a campaign of denigration of the church and its pontiff…“Holy Father, the people of God are with you, and do not let themselves be impressed by the gossip of the moment, by the challenges that sometimes strike at the community of believers,” Cardinal Sodano said.
In other words, the people who criticize the pope and the … Read the rest
Constance McMillen Was Sent to a Fake Prom
Apr 6th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonParents organized a secret prom while Constance was told about the other one. How sweet.… Read the rest
U of Buckingham Ditches ‘Integrated Medicine’
Apr 6th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonNormally letters to vice-chancellors about junk degrees go unanswered, but Kealey responded to Colquhoun.… Read the rest
Facebook Causes Syphilis?
Apr 6th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonBen Goldacre on a wasted opportunity to correct media distortion.… Read the rest
A Crisis of Clericalism
Apr 6th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonA culture which fosters power, privilege and secrecy, in which the priesthood sees itself as a caste set apart.… Read the rest
Pope’s Gang Defends Him
Apr 6th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonIn the culture of the church hierarchy, the mere idea of a pope being called to account is incomprehensible. … Read the rest
We love you dearly, now here’s a bag to put over your head
Apr 5th, 2010 3:53 pm | By Ophelia BensonThe American Humanist Association tried to give the ACLU $20,000 to help pay for the alternate prom in Mississippi, and the ACLU said no thanks, on account of humanism is as we all know a dirty word.
The ACLU then thought better of it, and apologized…but it also asked the AHA to donate (if it donated) anonymously. Quoth the spokesperson:
“If you would still like to contribute we would be thrilled, but I understand if you do not feel comfortable contributing a donation that you will not be recognized for.”
That’s an interesting way of putting it. It’s not really a matter of “feeling comfortable,” surely. It’s a matter of being insulted at being treated like a source of … Read the rest
Respect is another one-way valve
Apr 5th, 2010 12:49 pm | By Ophelia BensonThat interview with Ayala in the New Scientist…
They are two windows through which we look at the world. Religion deals with our relationship with our creator, with each other, the meaning and purpose of life, and moral values; science deals with the make-up of matter, expansion of galaxies, evolution of organisms. They deal with different ways of knowing. I feel that science is compatible with religious faith in a personal, omnipotent and benevolent God.
Religion deals with an imaginary or projected relationship with an imagined or projected ‘creator,’ which is a somewhat special kind of relationship, and not really a window through which we look at the world – more like a window through which we conjure a … Read the rest