I must exorcise the temptation to choose against the divinely sanctioned authority of the church.… Read the rest
All entries by this author
Globalized, fluid, culturally impure
Feb 24th, 2009 11:57 am | By Ophelia BensonKatha Pollitt read Johann Hari’s article.
[I]t would be nice to say that the world has learned what happens when freedom of speech and thought is subordinated to religious authority. In fact, the lesson seems to be the opposite: careful, you might hurt the feelings of the faithful. Oh, and they might kill you.
And, as Katha doesn’t go on to say but could have, since you hurt their feelings, it would be your fault if they did kill you.
… Read the restHere on the American left we tend to see these incidents as gratuitous provocations by insensitive Westerners, and there’s something to that…The problem with that argument is that the same spirit of religious dogmatism backed by violence that shaped
IHEU on Durban II and Freedom of Expression
Feb 23rd, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia BensonDefamation of Religion is a concept that has no place in Human Rights discourse.… Read the rest
IHEU on a Bad Week for Free Speech
Feb 23rd, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘It’s time our leaders learned that Islam is just another religion.’… Read the rest
Bubble and Bust in Ireland
Feb 23rd, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia BensonBanking and politics in bed together; how familiar, how deranged.… Read the rest
‘On the Media’ on Islam and Free Speech
Feb 23rd, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia BensonLeft out some crucial facts, especially the 3 added cartoons, especially the farmer in the pig-mask.… Read the rest
OIC Secretary-General on Durban II
Feb 23rd, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘It should be every individual’s right to criticize practices in breach of human rights.’ Indeed.… Read the rest
Wilders Has a Right to Express Appalling Views
Feb 23rd, 2009 | By Azar MajediGeert Wilders, the right wing Dutch MP, was refused entry to the UK on Thursday, on the grounds that his presence would threaten public order and damage community relations. It was said that any extremist will be refused entry to the UK. This is a dangerous statement. It is a real threat to individual and civil liberty. By this argument any one who espouses any idea regarded as extreme by the British government will be banned from the UK.
This is the world after September 11 and the world which has been pulled into a so-called “war on terror” by the neo-conservative US government. “Any thing goes!” Under the guise of security, any violation of human rights, human dignity and … Read the rest
Defamation of religion, part 327
Feb 23rd, 2009 11:16 am | By Ophelia BensonThe IHEU is continuing to do sterling work in separating racism from criticism of religion, currently in preparation for Durban II.
In January 2009, the working group reviewed new references to religious matters for the Durban Review Conference outcome document. We note with concern that several of the propositions contained in paragraphs 24 to 28 may conflict with Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights concerning Freedom of Expression.
The IHEU doesn’t link to the outcome document; I think this is it, in case you want to consult paras 24-28.
The IHEU continues:
… Read the restThe use of the terms Islamophobia and Christianophobia confuse and conflate opposition to religious beliefs with hatred of the believer. Criticism
The possibility of such disputes is endless
Feb 22nd, 2009 12:52 pm | By Ophelia BensonSalil Tripathi takes a different view from that of Leicester Library in asking why the Statesman caved in to demonstrations by the ‘offended’ in Kolkata.
… Read the restTwo reasons explain this. One is the ridiculous section of the Indian Penal Code S 295 (A) — which allows anyone offended by anything to demand that what offends him should be banned…India is a multi-everything country with a billion people, and the possibility of such disputes is endless. And that’s where the second reason comes in: the failure of the state to protect rights. Muslims protesting against the Statesman are able to get away with it because of this failure. Anyone who can take umbrage, does; and his hurt feelings take precedence over others’
The scriptures of all the major faiths are given respect in this way
Feb 22nd, 2009 12:27 pm | By Ophelia BensonCrawl crawl crawl crawl crawl.
[S]ome Muslims in Leicester had moved copies of the Koran to the top shelves of libraries, because they believe it is an insult to display it in a low position. The city’s librarians consulted the Federation of Muslim Organisations and were advised that all religious texts should be kept on the top shelf to ensure equality…“This meant that no offence is caused, as the scriptures of all the major faiths are given respect in this way, but none is higher than any other.”
So libraries shift from being secular public institutions that make books easily available to everyone, to ones that make displays of ‘respect’ to all of the ‘major faiths’ and whose officials … Read the rest
Libraries Should Put ‘Holy Books’ on Top Shelf
Feb 22nd, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘No offence is caused, as the scriptures of all the major faiths are given respect in this way, but none is higher than any other.’… Read the rest
The Chimpworks Z-1000 Taurean Stool Detector
Feb 22nd, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia BensonQ-zone crystal quantum z-rays in its homeopathically-advised dodecahedron-shaped water molecule engine. … Read the rest
Ben Goldacre on How to Get the Figures Wrong
Feb 22nd, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia BensonIt’s a tricky process, and then at the end you still have to inflate at will.… Read the rest
‘Vixen’ Returns to the Stage
Feb 22nd, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia BensonAnd sexist vocabulary never left the New York Times, apparently.… Read the rest
Clawback of Executive Pay is Gaining Traction
Feb 22nd, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘When companies fail to perform, should they give millions of dollars to their senior executives?’… Read the rest
Colin Blakemore on Science and Religion
Feb 22nd, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia BensonScience has rampaged over the landscape of divine explanation, as ‘why’ questions became ‘how’ questions.… Read the rest
Women and fundamentalism
Feb 21st, 2009 12:22 pm | By Ophelia BensonRahila Gupta points out the horrible ironies and tensions:
The fallout from the Rushdie affair was the widespread growth of religious identities at the expense of racial and gender identities. Secular anti-racists began to declaim, even reclaim, their Muslim identity. Muslim women increasingly adopted the hijab as a symbol of pride in their religious identity, not recognising or even accepting the fact that it set women back by placing the onus on women’s safety on their modest dress and behaviour rather than male aggression. The left displayed a reluctance to challenge reactionary forces within our communities because it might be seen as racist.
And goes on displaying – so we get people defending the archbishop of Canterbury’s reactionary embrace … Read the rest
Free Speech or Freedom to Hurt?
Feb 21st, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘If playing with people’s beliefs and trampling on all that they hold sacred is freedom, then we’re better off without it.’… Read the rest
Goldacre on the Dangers of an Ill-informed Media
Feb 21st, 2009 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThis is a ‘debate’ where one person asking stupid questions has complete control over the microphones.… Read the rest