Complicated by the fact that his congregation’s decisions are shrouded in confidentiality rules.… Read the rest
All entries by this author
It’s national prayerbook day
May 6th, 2010 3:13 pm | By Ophelia BensonSo you’ve spent the day praying, right? Well not all of you of course, but those of you who are loyal citizens of the United States…and hey, why not, also those of you who want to show solidarity with devout Americans. No doubt there are some of you bending the knee or head-butting the floor in Swansea and Cracow, Lagos and Kinshasa, Bombay and Karachi, Lima and Santiago, Kyoto and Shanghai, just for the sake of showing that state-sponsored prayer must be supported by the united peoples of the world. Yes?
Okay, I’ll stop now. I’ll just offer a thought from Americans United for Separation of Church and State:
… Read the restIt’s obvious that Americans don’t need a government-sponsored day to
Religious Right’s Public Piety Pageant Goes On 
May 6th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
But this year Shirley and James Dobson were not invited to the White House. … Read the rest
Jesus and Mo are sad about bigots
May 6th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Nobody seems to care what they think any more!… Read the rest
Behzti is no longer taboo
May 6th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Of course that doesn’t mean you can actually see it performed.… Read the rest
Philippa Stroud’s lawyers warn media
May 6th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Stroud denies belief that homosexuality is an illness, refuses comment on belief that it is demonic possession.… Read the rest
Ayala receives Templeton Prize in palace ceremony
May 6th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Ma Teresa, Billy Graham, not in opposition, often complementary, two windows, same world, different views.… Read the rest
Polygamy in France
May 5th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
It can be a nice little earner for the men.… Read the rest
Beware the rising tide of
May 5th, 2010 12:07 pm | By Ophelia BensonShaista Gohir is very generous.
Legitimate criticism of Muslims who spew extremist rhetoric and commit criminal acts is acceptable.
Oh. Thanks. We’re allowed to criticize people who commit criminal acts. That’s awfully nice of you.
In France, where the headscarf has already been banned and a face veil ban likely to follow, only a couple of thousand women wear it out of 5 million Muslims.
The headscarf has not been banned in France, of course; it’s been banned in public schools and other government buildings.
… Read the restCurrently Muhammad is the second most popular boy’s name in Britain – if it tops the list of baby names, how long before there are calls to ban Muslims from naming their sons after
Real-time natural selection on crops and their pests
May 5th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
You want evidence for natural selection? We’ve got evidence for natural selection.… Read the rest
BioLogos to scientists: stop advocating
May 5th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“It is important for scientists to emphasize that uncertainty is central to science.” Does that apply to religion too?… Read the rest
“The rising tide of Islamophobia”
May 5th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“How long before there are calls to ban Muslims from naming their sons after their beloved prophet?”… Read the rest
US Catholics critical of pope
May 5th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Yet they have “confidence in the Vatican to make changes to prevent abuse in the future.” Odd.… Read the rest
Ireland: Evangelicals demand “freedom”
May 5th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Of conscience and religion, which means not being legally obliged to serve gay people in public facilities.… Read the rest
Diversity in action
May 4th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Aygül Özkan said crosses and hijabs don’t belong in classrooms – and the Christian parties went berserk.… Read the rest
Urgent re-education
May 4th, 2010 4:52 pm | By Ophelia BensonAnd another thing. Where I come from, diversity training means something along the lines of learning not to express stupid dislike of people for absurd reasons such as race sex class sexual orientation foreignness and the like. But at the Foreign Office it apparently means more than that.
All the staff involved in producing the memo are to be sent on “urgent diversity training”…”Although [the memo] was intended only for internal use, it was ill-judged, naive and disrespectful of some key tenets of the Catholic faith.”
Clearly this urgent diversity training will be for the purpose of teaching staff to respect all key tenets of the Catholic faith – so “diversity” now means not just different kinds of people … Read the rest
Ghana: Jehovah’s Witnesses abandon child aged 5
May 4th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The child had anaemia, received blood transfusion over parents’ protest, so they ditched him.… Read the rest
Greg Laden on Boobquake
May 4th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
If there is a well publicized skeptical reaction each time major stupidness is uttered, we won’t need to quake sexual organs in future.… Read the rest
The FO simply adores the pope
May 4th, 2010 10:29 am | By Ophelia BensonRuth Gledhill in The Times tells us that
The civil servant in charge of the Pope’s visit to Britain has been suspended and is to be investigated for misconduct after a memo lampooning the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church was leaked to the press.
All the staff involved in producing the memo are to be sent on “urgent diversity training”
Urgent diversity training? Meaning what? They’ll be trained not to have contempt for contemptible beliefs? How will that be accomplished, exactly? Heavy drugging? Waterboarding?
… Read the restA Foreign Office spokesman said: “As we have made clear publicly, it was a foolish document that did not in any way reflect FCO views. Although it was intended only for internal use, it was
