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Hands off

Mar 20th, 2012 3:12 pm | By

The Vatican has issued a report on priestly child rape in Ireland. The Vatican is happy to see “the deep faith of many men and women” despite all this brouhaha about child rape. The Vatican knows what to do moving forward: it is to have “deeper formation in the content of the faith for young people and adults.”

And there’s another thing.

 Since the Visitators also encountered a certain tendency, not dominant but nevertheless fairly widespread among priests, religious and laity, to hold theological opinions at variance with the teachings of the Magisterium, this serious situation requires particular attention, directed primarily towards improved theological formation. It must be stressed that dissent from the fundamental teachings of the Church is

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Ireland: Vatican expresses “dismay” at priestly child abuse *

Mar 20th, 2012 | Filed by

“The Visitators also encountered a certain tendency…to hold theological opinions at variance with the teachings of the Magisterium, this serious situation requires particular attention.”… Read the rest

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I get email

Mar 20th, 2012 1:36 pm | By

I got one today from someone who has commented here a few times as nmcc or NMcC, and who commented yesterday to tell me how wrong I am about the word “cunt” and to say “Sarah Palin is a cunt.” I deleted that comment and put him – his email address showed he’s a Nigel – in moderation. The message I got this morning expressed surprise at the deletion of the comment. (It started with “Hi” – this is more significant than you might think.) I replied, brusquely,

Really? You would have thought “Sarah Palin is a cunt” was well within my commenting policy? I’ve been very explicit about that. Other things not within my commenting policy: “Al Sharpton is

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A visit to exotic Whitechapel

Mar 20th, 2012 11:39 am | By

A strange article by Jemima Khan in The New Statesman on what she calls “Asian” marriage but discusses mostly as Muslim or Islamic marriage.

Marriage Asian-style is practical, contractual and, to the western mind, deeply unromantic. “The spinster crisis is an issue of modernity,” preaches an energetically gesticulating man in a white prayer cap, jacket and trainers. “Success is the right attitude – no conspiracies, please. Can’t blame Israel.” Cue laughs from those assembled: women in hijabs seated on one side of the wood-panelled hall; men, mostly in suits, a few of them in Arab dress with beards, on the other; chaperones at the back.

The speaker is Mizan Raja, the engaging founder of the UK-based Islamic Travels agency, who

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Helen Lewis pays tribute to Peter Cook *

Mar 20th, 2012 | Filed by

Equity wanted him to change his name. Fine, replied Cook. I will instead be known as Xavier Blancmange. Or Wardrobe Gruber. Or Sting Thundercock.… Read the rest

Posted in Latest News


The New Scientist lectures atheists on god *

Mar 20th, 2012 | Filed by

“Religion is deeply etched in human nature and cannot be dismissed as a product of ignorance, indoctrination or stupidity. Until secularists recognise that, they are fighting a losing battle.”… Read the rest

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Trayvon Martin shooting case goes to State Attorney’s Office *

Mar 20th, 2012 | Filed by

George Zimmerman told police he acted in self defense when he fatally shot Trayvon Martin Feb. 26 in a gated community.… Read the rest

Posted in Latest News


Vote with your feet

Mar 19th, 2012 4:03 pm | By

I was on a plane or in an airport much of March 9, and busy the rest of the day, so I missed the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s full-page ad in the New York Times. The ad is a good thing.

Before the ad, there was an open letter.

Dear ‘Liberal’ Catholic:

It’s time to quit the Roman Catholic Church.

It’s your moment of truth. Will it be reproductive freedom, or back to the Dark Ages? Do you choose women and their rights, or Bishops and their wrongs? Whose side are you on, anyway?

It is time to make known your dissent from the Catholic Church, in light of the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops’ ruthless campaign endangering the right

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Yes and no, and then again maybe

Mar 19th, 2012 3:36 pm | By

Some people want to have all the things – religion and science, belief and doubt, props for being thoughtful and admiration for being Deeply Spiritual.

Do you struggle with doubt & questions despite your best intentions? What does it mean about someone if he or she admits to both embracing “belief” and “doubt?” How does science impact your thoughts on this issue?  For this Lent we are asking people to go into potentially dangerous (but also liberating) territory, to ask the hard questions about their faith. After all, doesn’t this season of Lent ask us to identify with the struggles of Jesus, including his expressions of doubt in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross?

So during this Lent

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More on the scrubbing of Polk County roads *

Mar 19th, 2012 | Filed by

They plan to bring mops, spring water, and soap. They also plan to bring their support for Humanists of Florida President EllenBeth Wachs.… Read the rest

Posted in Latest News


FFRF ad in NY Times: quit the Catholic church *

Mar 19th, 2012 | Filed by

FFRF placed an open letter via a full-page ad in March 9 NY Times urging liberal and nominal Catholics to “quit” their church over its war against contraception.… Read the rest

Posted in Latest News


Militant is the new neo

Mar 19th, 2012 11:26 am | By

Nick Cohen has some gently critical things to say about the new fad for calling secularism “militant” and “extreme.”

‘Militant secularist’ has become the ‘neo-con’ of the 2010s: a know-nothing label that signifies extremism, without explaining where the extremism lies. Radio 4 broadcasters  prove that their bias is not always squishy liberal by allowing the religious to denounce the supposed militancy of their critics, without allowing the critics to reply. Like the small-c  conservative columnists in the broadsheets, they forget to tell you what is ‘militant’ about ‘militant secularism’ because if they did, they would expose their own fatuity.

Or their mendacity, or their rebarbative blend of the two.

If you turn on the news tonight and hear of a

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Cleanliness is next to…what was it again?

Mar 19th, 2012 10:59 am | By

My friend EllenBeth Wachs and other Florida atheists have been teasing the Polk Under Prayer crowd.

County Road 98 in Polk County, Fla., was scrubbed today by a group of atheists who are protesting the “Polk Under Prayer” campaign, supporters of which poured olive oil on the road last year in an anointment ceremony.

“Mainly we want this to be a safe haven for folks who want to raise their families,” explained Polk Under Prayer organizer, Dr. Richard Geringswald, according to ABC News affiliate WFTS-TV in Tampa. “Asking God’s protection from ne’er do wells and evil doers.”

Ellen Beth Wachs, the president of Humanists of Florida Association and Atheists of Florida, said that she feels unwelcome as an

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Nigeria: reporter threatened over Boko Haram coverage *

Mar 19th, 2012 | Filed by

First Boko Haram threatened him, now the government is threatening him.… Read the rest

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Florida atheists scrub Polk County “anointed” roads *

Mar 19th, 2012 | Filed by

Last week, Polk Under Prayer campaign members buried bricks engraved with Psalm 37:9-11 beside 12 major roads, praying for criminals to become Christian or be incarcerated.… Read the rest

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One dead, six rushed to hospital from faith healer rally *

Mar 19th, 2012 | Filed by

The deceased was discharged from an ICU before attending the rally where televangelist Chris Oyakhilome was said to perform miracles and cure the sick.… Read the rest

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‘Honour’ crime victims living in fear in the UK *

Mar 19th, 2012 | Filed by

Qawal had freedom in Pakistan but that all changed when she came to England and was beaten not only by her husband but his mother as well.… Read the rest

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Redefining marriage ‘will lead to accusations of hate crimes’ *

Mar 19th, 2012 | Filed by

The Iona Institute reports “UKIP’s openly gay London Regional Chairman” as warning.… Read the rest

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Nick Cohen on the spectre of militant secularism *

Mar 19th, 2012 | Filed by

‘Militant secularist’ has become the ‘neo-con’ of the 2010s: a know-nothing label that signifies extremism, without explaining where the extremism lies.… Read the rest

Posted in Latest News


Samira Ibrahim and Egypt’s virginity test trial *

Mar 19th, 2012 | Filed by

Blaming it all on the woman for being present at a demonstration seems to be a satisfying solution for some sectors of Egyptian society.… Read the rest

Posted in Latest News