Miller’s school told his mother: “If he looks that way, if he talks that way, if he walks that way, there’s absolutely nothing they could do to protect him.”… Read the rest
All entries by this author
UN: Vatican defends “right” to bash gay rights 
Mar 24th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Religious homophobes “are increasingly being attacked and vilified for their views,” a Vatican diplomat told the United Nations Human Rights Council.… Read the rest
Larger groups have more utility
Mar 24th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Smaller ones have less.… Read the rest
Does religion belong in the classroom?
Mar 24th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“There are a million Hindus in the UK but only 30 Hindu primary school places a year for them.” Beg the question much?… Read the rest
Roberto De Mattei explains the catastrophe in Japan
Mar 23rd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“…catastrophes are the just punishments of God” inasmuch as “to the guilt of the Original Sin are added our personal and collective sins.”… Read the rest
Texas bill would outlaw “discrimination” against creationists
Mar 23rd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Universities would be forbidden to fire anyone “based on the faculty member’s or student’s conduct of research relating to the theory of intelligent design.”… Read the rest
Orac on anthroposophic medicine at the U of Michigan
Mar 23rd, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonAnthroposophic medicine is based on many ideas with no basis whatsoever in science that can best be described as pure magical thinking.… Read the rest
The people look like ants
Mar 23rd, 2011 12:27 pm | By Ophelia BensonSo how about that Jacques Berlinerblau eh?
He totally agrees with Michael Ruse that “new” atheists are equatable to the Tea Party, and wishes he’d said it first.
For those not familiar with their world-view, let me help you understand their central and timeless insight: Unless you as an atheist are willing to disparage all religious people, describe them all as imbeciles and creeps, mock every text and thinker they have ever produced, then you must be some sort of deluded, self-hating, sellout, subverting the rise of the Mighty Atheist Political Juggernaut (about which more anon).
Goodness; how very vulgar. Miss Manners does not, on second thought, believe she has very much to say about sheer vulgarity. Miss Manners is … Read the rest
Asylum seeker deported from Norway is in Evin
Mar 23rd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Iranian authorities have signaled that Iranians who seek asylum should be charged for “dissemination of false propaganda against the Islamic Republic.”… Read the rest
Brandish that crucifix
Mar 23rd, 2011 11:37 am | By Ophelia BensonAndrew Brown seems to have taken a Michael Ruse pill (may cause drowsiness, perversity of reasoning, tendonitis, irregular heartbeat).
The decision of the European court of Human Rights that Italian schools may continue to display a crucifix in the classroom is obviously a victory for common sense, of which only fanatics would disapprove.
Oh obviously; oh only fanatics, certainly. (What was that about gnu atheist rhetoric and lack of humility again?)
The idea that human rights legislation should be used to prevent children from being exposed to a crucifix is a profoundly totalitarian and superstitious perversion of one of our civilisation’s best inventions.
Well yes, it would be, but that isn’t the idea in question. Oddly enough, nobody was attempting … Read the rest
Paul Sims disagrees with Andrew Brown
Mar 23rd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
This is the government of Italy (a state whose constitution has been secular since 1985) imposing a symbol of Catholicism on every classroom in the country.… Read the rest
Andrew Brown cheers the crucifix decision
Mar 23rd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Construes the opposition as “the idea that human rights legislation should be used to prevent children from being exposed to a crucifix.” Wrong.… Read the rest
New atheism=Tea Party? Oh hell yes.
Mar 23rd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Jacques Berlinerblau is annoyed that Ruse said it first.… Read the rest
Internationalism
Mar 22nd, 2011 5:40 pm | By Ophelia BensonGreta Christina has begun a list of non-pallid atheists, which makes it a global list of atheists, which makes it a list with a lot of friends on it.
Leo Igwe is on it. Kenan Malik is on it. Maryam Namazie is on it. Ayaan Hirsi Ali is on it. Homa Arjomand is on it. Friends and contributors.
The more global B&W is, the happier I am.… Read the rest
Greta Christina’s list of atheists of color
Mar 22nd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Many of our best friends among them. Atheism is global.… Read the rest
Preventing Witchcraft Accusations and Child Rights Abuses in Akwa Ibom State, part 2
Mar 22nd, 2011 | By Leo IgweThe Prevent the Abuse of Children Today (PACT) campaign team has concluded its school outreach program in Eket senatorial district in Akwa Ibom state. The outreach targeted schools because we believe they are places where we could ‘catch them young’ in terms of preventing the abuse of children today – and tomorrow – in Akwa Ibom state. The schools are places that we can empower children and young people to defend themselves. In the first leg of the tour (February 28 to March 4), the PACT team visited schools in Oron, Okobo, Urue Offong Oruko, Udung Uko, and Mbo . And the second leg of the tour (March 7- 11) the team was at Esit Eket, Eket, Ibeno, Onna, Eastern … Read the rest
Stephen Budiansky reviews The Moral Lives of Animals
Mar 22nd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Peterson simply ignores several decades worth of recent studies in cognitive science by researchers, especially on theory of mind.… Read the rest
Book launch canceled because of gay rights protest
Mar 22nd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“It’s an attack on free speech. It’s a novel, it’s fiction and it isn’t offensive because a lot of these men have been corrupted and led astray into their lifestyle.”… Read the rest
BHA survey: 65% say they are not religious
Mar 22nd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
While 61% of the poll’s respondents said they did belong to a religion, 65% of those surveyed answered “no” to the further question: “Are you religious?”… Read the rest
“Vilifying Gaddafi externalises evil”
Mar 22nd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The people of Libya will be so relieved to hear it.… Read the rest
