“I have not set myself up to be a role model for women, but it does seem to be more of an issue than it used to be,” cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Brenda Milner explains.… Read the rest
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Epidemics of accusations
Dec 16th, 2012 5:34 pm | By Ophelia BensonI re-read some of Michael Shermer’s Why People Believe Weird Things this morning, to refresh my memory. I’ve read that and Why We Believe and the odd article here and there. I’ve never liked his writing much. It’s not bad, but it’s a little loose and lazy. Characterless. Journalistic.
I was interested to see that chapter 7 is titled Epidemics of Accusations: Medieval and Modern Witch Crazes. The modern ones are the panics about “Satanic” abuse in the 1980s and about “recovered memory” in the 90s. They’re interesting subjects and ones I’ve read a fair bit about, thanks to Frederick Crews and Elizabeth Loftus among others. It’s terrible stuff – people’s lives ruined by ridiculous beliefs about Satanic rapes … Read the rest
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
A Facebook page named “Allah”
Dec 16th, 2012 12:59 pm | By Ophelia BensonAn Egyptian blogger wrote about Waleed Al Husseini more than two years ago, when he was arrested by the Palestinian authorities.
… Read the restPalestinian blogger Waleed Al Husseini has been detained by the Palestinian authorities for creating a Facebook page named “Allah”! it was reported and shut down and Waleed created this page, that page, and that page, that is already hacked, to fight those who keep censoring his thoughts.
Waleed Khalid Hasayen is a 26 year old blogger who was arrested in the West Bank city of Qalqilya by the Palestinian authorities on the grounds of religious contempt and promoting atheism. On his blog “Nour Al Akl” or The enlightened Mind, he refuted all religious
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
If only
Dec 16th, 2012 11:49 am | By Ophelia BensonWell this sums it up…
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
So I commented under the name “James”
Dec 16th, 2012 11:11 am | By Ophelia BensonIt’s not just mouthy atheist feminist women. It’s not just mouthy atheist feminist me. It’s not just mouthy feminist gamers, or programmers, or columnists. It’s everywhere.
Like theology, for instance, I see via Marlowe Filippov. JTB at rudetruth:
… Read the restI’ve been following with some interest, given my previous interaction with the blog on the limerick thing, the conversation on Theoblogy in response to Tony’s question, “where are the women.” My first reaction to this post was positive–despite what some criticized as a prejudicial phrasing of the question–because, after all, concern about the unintended homogeneity of our communities, particularly our Christian communities, is a commendable concern. Moreover, it seemed clear from the post that Tony felt the absence of
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
A comrade
Dec 15th, 2012 5:01 pm | By Ophelia BensonMeet Waleed Alhusseini.
… Read the restI ran a blog in Arabic called Nour Alakl. I was also active on Facebook, running a satirical page under the pseudonym of Allah. In October 2010 I was arrested in the street near an internet cafe. I had believed that I had a right to the freedom of speech and to the freedom of belief.
But in jail I was told that my online statements about religion and Islam were illegal. I was told that society didn’t accept such criticisms. I was beaten by prison guards who demanded to know who had made me write against Islam. In their minds, I could only say these things as the result of some plot, some conspiracy. That
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
The Freedom of Thought 2012 report
Dec 15th, 2012 | Filed by Ophelia BensonWaleed Alhusseini spent ten months in a Palestinian jail for having kept an atheist blog.… Read the rest
Debate on Islam and evolution meets opposition
Dec 15th, 2012 | Filed by Ophelia Benson“We eventually had to give up of getting any support from student societies because it was seen as simply too controversial.”… Read the rest
Such a petty god
Dec 15th, 2012 3:29 pm | By Ophelia BensonAlyson Miers has a good post on the “god didn’t prevent the shootings at Sandy Hook because secularism” meme.
… Read the restTo those of us who believe in no God at all, you’re saying that your God is an asshole. You’re telling us that making everyone worship Him is more important to God than saving children’s lives.
To those who believe in different gods, or different ideas of the same God, you’re telling them that they are part of the problem because they want their children to go to school in a non-sectarian environment. You are asking them to think there would be less violence in the world if they allowed your religious traditions to be honored in the public sphere,
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
God will protect your children only if you submit first
Dec 15th, 2012 11:17 am | By Ophelia BensonOhhhhh lordy. Sometimes the viciousness makes my head want to explode – I can feel it trying to.
He actually does say it.
We’ve kicked God out of our public school system.
And I think God would say to us…”Hey I’ll be glad to protect your children but you got to invite me back into your world first. I’m not gonna go where I’m not wanted, I am a gentleman.
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Atheists of Maine want you
Dec 15th, 2012 10:34 am | By Ophelia BensonHere’s a nice item if you want an Atheists Doing a Good Thing Just Because It’s a Good Thing thing. We need some of those right now.
Atheists of Maine jump in the freezing water to raise money for Camp Sunshine.
… Read the restFor those of you that don’t know, I have waded in the icy waters of our ocean to benefit Camp Sunshine for the past two years. This year, I’m mixing it up a bit: I’m looking to form a team to take the plunge with me. My goal is 10 people, including myself. That means you.
The minimum per person is $100 but last year I was able to raise over $700 with only $100 of it being
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Michael Shermer was not quoted inaccurately
Dec 14th, 2012 6:03 pm | By Ophelia BensonShermer’s unleashed a lot of assholes on me (because I didn’t have enough of them before). I’m getting pretty tired of people saying I lied, I must say. I did not lie. I quoted Shermer accurately.
“Atheist Revolution” is pretty shameless about calling me a liar.
In his response, Shermer notes that he was quoted inaccurately and out of context.
He was not quoted inaccurately. That is not true. I don’t consider it out of context either, but that of course is always debatable. But inaccurately, no. I’m tired of people calling me a liar.
… Read the restAnd he takes the additional step of pointing out the problems with some of
Benson’s more common tactics regarding labeling those with whom
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The need for extreme care
Dec 14th, 2012 5:12 pm | By Ophelia BensonSo here’s a zany suggestion – people should stop cutting off bits of infants’ penises in the comfort and danger of their own homes.
The trial of nurse Grace Adeleye who carried out the circumcision on Goodluck Caubergs heard that up to three children a month are admitted to the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital because of bleeding after home-based
circumcisions.
That’s a beautiful old tradition. Don’t you think it’s beautiful?
… Read the restManchester-based solicitors JMW are currently investigating a separate case of a family from West Sussex who claim their son was left in “excruciating pain” after a home circumcision.
The doctor involved in the case said the redness and swelling her son experienced was a normal part of the healing
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
That’s not exactly religious freedom…
Dec 14th, 2012 3:53 pm | By Ophelia BensonMystifyingly, the UK government is going to make it illegal for the Church of England to perform same-sex marriages.
The Church of England and Church in Wales will be banned in law from offering same-sex marriages, the government has announced.
Other religious organisations will be able to “opt in” to holding ceremonies, Culture Secretary Maria Miller said.
But she added that the Church of England and Church in Wales had “explicitly” stated strong opposition and would not be included.
Labour said the exemption for the established Church was “disappointing”.
I can’t even make sense of that. The government is making it illegal, yet it’s an exemption. What? And the government is making it illegal because the churchs had stated … Read the rest
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
A holy God in judgment
Dec 14th, 2012 3:38 pm | By Ophelia BensonMike Huckabee knows why that guy shot 20 children and 6 adults in that school. It’s because atheism.
… Read the rest“We ask why there is violence in our schools, but we have systematically removed God from our schools,” Huckabee said on Fox News, discussing the murder spree that took the lives of 20 children and 6 adults in Newtown, CT that morning. “Should we be so surprised that schools would become a place of carnage?”
“[W]e’ve made it a place where we don’t want to talk about eternity, life, what responsibility means, accountability — that we’re not just going to have be accountable to the police if they catch us, but one day we stand before, you know, a holy God in
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Huckabee explains school shooting
Dec 14th, 2012 | Filed by Ophelia Benson“We ask why there is violence in our schools, but we have systematically removed God from our schools. Should we be so surprised that schools would become a place of carnage?”… Read the rest
Nurse found guilty of manslaughter in circumcision case
Dec 14th, 2012 | Filed by Ophelia BensonFour-week-old Goodluck Caubergs bled to death.… Read the rest
Bigot in the stupid fucking hat
Dec 14th, 2012 2:18 pm | By Ophelia BensonSince the pope has been so busy and people have been humming it, here it is for your convenience -
Tim Minchin’s fuck the motherfucking pope.
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
The magic body again
Dec 14th, 2012 11:39 am | By Ophelia BensonAnother guy – a judge this time – thinks women’s bodies have magical little portcullises that slam down during attempted rape.
A Southern California judge is being publicly admonished for saying a rape victim “didn’t put up a fight” during her assault and that if someone doesn’t want sexual intercourse, the body “will not permit that to happen.”
Which is why rape is so extremely rare – it’s hard to bash through the portcullis.
… Read the restJohnson made the comments in the case of a man who threatened to mutilate the face and genitals of his ex-girlfriend with a heated screwdriver, beat her with a metal baton and made other violent threats before committing rape, forced oral copulation, and other crimes.
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Judge believes female body magically blocks rape
Dec 14th, 2012 | Filed by Ophelia BensonA judge is being publicly admonished for saying a rape victim “didn’t put up a fight” and that if someone doesn’t want to be raped, the body “will not permit that to happen.”… Read the rest