Dawkins ‘uses the trust granted him as a scientist’ to ‘stigmatize and attack various social groups.’… Read the rest
All entries by this author
NGOs out, polio in
Mar 29th, 2009 5:15 pm | By Ophelia BensonThe dear dear Taliban – so wise, so reasonable, so helpful.
In a recent broadcast on his illegal FM radio station, Taliban commander Maulana Fazlullah said, “All NGOs should leave Swat because they are creating problems for peace.” Fazlullah has also described all Pakistanis working for NGOs as “enemies of the country”. “They come and tell us how to make latrines in mosques and homes. I’m sure we can do it ourselves. There is no need for foreigners to tell us this,” Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan said.
He went on to explain in more depth:
… Read the restMuslim Khan told IRIN, a news network run by the United Nations, that “NGO is another name for vulgarity and obscenity. They don’t want us
The archbishop gives the BBC a damn good scolding
Mar 29th, 2009 12:46 pm | By Ophelia BensonDr Rowan Williams warned Mark Thompson at a meeting at Lambeth Palace that the broadcaster must not ignore its Christian audience. His intervention comes amid mounting concern among senior members of the Church of England that the BBC is downgrading its religious output and giving preferential treatment to minority faiths.
Warned? Must not? Intervention? Well, those are all the Telegraph’s words, to be sure, not the archbishop’s. But all the same, it seems somewhat peculiar (to me anyway) for an archbishop to be attempting to tell the BBC what to do. Where in the bible does it say what proportion of time the BBC has to give to Christianity?
… Read the restAs a public service broadcaster, the
Taliban Blocks Polio Vaccination in Swat
Mar 29th, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia BensonTaliban militants have obstructed officials from vaccinating over 300,000 children, saying vacs are an anti-Muslim plot.… Read the rest
Taliban Tells NGOs to Leave Swat
Mar 29th, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘NGO is another name for vulgarity and obscenity. They want to take away the veil from our women.’… Read the rest
Mary Honeyball on Blair’s Aggressive Christianity
Mar 29th, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia BensonFaith is and should remain a personal eccentricity, not something to be forced on others in any way whatsoever.… Read the rest
Atheists Debaptize, Churches Grow Gloomy
Mar 29th, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe 26 Lords Spiritual could now have their position undermined as the number of people being debaptised grows.… Read the rest
Archbish of Cant Demands More Xianity on BBC
Mar 29th, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘As a public service broadcaster, the BBC has a duty to provide religious programmes.’ Eh?… Read the rest
Reporters Without Borders Outraged About Ban
Mar 29th, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘The Council has just dealt a severe blow to the freedom of expression it is supposed to defend.’… Read the rest
US Rep Opposes UN ‘Defamation’ Ban
Mar 29th, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia BensonCongressman Trent Franks urged ambassadors to reject the resolution on ‘defamation’ of religion.… Read the rest
The way of saying something is part of what is said
Mar 28th, 2009 5:31 pm | By Ophelia BensonKenan Malik makes a crucial point about this vexed issue of style and tone and manner.
… Read the restAnticipating the arguments of Rushdie’s critics that there is a difference between legitimate criticism and unacceptable abuse, the Law Commission pointed out that ‘one person’s incisive comment (and indeed seemingly innocuous comment) may be another’s “blasphemy” and to forbid the use of the strongest language in relation, for example, to practices which some may rightly regard as not in the best interests of society as a whole would, it seems to us, be altogether unacceptable’. In other words, the way of saying something is part of what is said. To say that you must write differently is in practice to say that you must
Sharia in Swat
Mar 28th, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia BensonClerics with no knowledge of how to run a court have taken away what human rights protection the State once offered. … Read the rest
Hitchens on the Surrender of Swat
Mar 28th, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia BensonWe know what happens to countries where vicious fantasists govern illiterates with the help of only one book.… Read the rest
Texas Freedom Network: Science Takes a Hit
Mar 28th, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe word ‘weaknesses’ is out but there are still plenty of potential footholds for creationist attacks.… Read the rest
Killer Text Messages
Mar 28th, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia BensonRumours of deadly SMS messages are symptoms of a worrying rise of superstition in Egypt.… Read the rest
Women Told to Commit ‘Honor’ Suicide
Mar 28th, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia BensonWomen are told they have ‘dishonored’ the family, then locked in a room with rat poison.… Read the rest
Do Religions Have Rights? Further Pages from The Victim’s Handbook
Mar 28th, 2009 | By R. Joseph HoffmannThe passage of the Organization of the Islamic Conference’s “anti-defamation” resolution by the UNHRC is a completely non-momentous event, the kind therefore that will evoke cries of anguish from outraged friends of liberty everywhere. It is another installment in the non-luminous history of an increasingly irrelevant organization that seems only to be in the business of brokering perks, passing unenforceable resolutions, and offering obnoxious pedants a chance to grouse about America and Europe.
Crafted by the Pakistani delegation, the resolution urges states to provide “protection against acts of hatred, discrimination, intimidation and coercion resulting from defamation of religions and incitement to religious hatred in general.” Essentially, its force is diminished by the simple fact that the twenty-three nation majority voting … Read the rest
Must We Always Cater to the Faithful?
Mar 27th, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe truth is that faith is not compatible with science or reason; why not just say so?… Read the rest
Religion and Science, Again
Mar 27th, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia BensonNOMA simply grants religion a privileged place as an equal to science, when it deserves no such prestige.… Read the rest
Texas Board of Ed Rejects Anti-evolution Rule
Mar 27th, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia BensonBoard narrowly rejected bid to require that ‘weaknesses’ in ToE be taught in Texas science classes.… Read the rest