He may have the details a little wrong, but he’s content.… Read the rest
All entries by this author
Bush Chief of Staff Tells Obama: Put Jacket On 
Feb 5th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Because wearing a jacket is what matters, not competence or attention or knowledge or skill.… Read the rest
‘Mother of the Believers’ Got 80 Women Raped
Feb 5th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
She convinced them that suicide bombing was the only way to escape the ‘shame.’… Read the rest
Obama Reneges on ‘Faith-Based’ Programs
Feb 5th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Takes a more ‘nuanced’ position on proselyitizing and discrimination in hiring. Oh swell.… Read the rest
A triumph of framing
Feb 5th, 2009 11:32 am | By Ophelia BensonWhen President Barack Obama launches his version of the faith-based initiative Thursday, he will expand the mission…He will also try to avoid the thorniest constitutional issues that beset the program for years under his predecessor. Mr. Obama’s approach to the federal faith office reflects his search for common ground on contentious social issues, and his willingness to dial back some of his campaign positions.
Okay…there shouldn’t be such a thing as ‘the federal faith office’ – that should be an obvious clanging embarrassing oxymoron, or else a symptom of lunacy or breakdown that should send everyone screaming for the hills. There shouldn’t be a fucking ‘federal faith office’ because the state should not be imposing ‘faith’ on … Read the rest
It could be understood as consistent
Feb 4th, 2009 4:49 pm | By Ophelia BensonKenneth Miller replies to Jerry Coyne on religion and science.
I made no argument that this happy confluence of natural events and physical constants proves the existence of God in any way—only that it could be understood or interpreted as consistent with the Divine by a person of faith.
Ah. Well sure it could, but lots of things could be understood or interpreted as consistent with the Divine by a person of faith. In fact the number of things that could be so understood and interpreted is, pretty obviously, staggeringly large. Persons of faith have no trouble coming up with the ability to understand and interpret whatever there is with whatever they want there to be; that’s what … Read the rest
Ahmed Rashid on the Taliban in Pakistan
Feb 4th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
They’ve taken over Swat completely; Rashid has never been so depressed.… Read the rest
Sarah Chayes on the Taliban in Afghanistan
Feb 4th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The corruption is so bad that people are starting to prefer the Taliban again.… Read the rest
Mother of Octuplets Deluged With Media Offers
Feb 4th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Mothers of dreary routine one baby at a time go unremunerated and unwatched.… Read the rest
Radio Director Murdered in Somalia
Feb 4th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The director of Somalia’s independent HornAfrik radio station, Said Tahlil Ahmed, has been killed.… Read the rest
Nat Hentoff on UN and ‘Defamation of Religion’
Feb 4th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Why a gag rule on insulting religions is not a great idea.… Read the rest
Nurse Suspended For Offering Prayer
Feb 4th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
She was there as a nurse, not as a cleric.… Read the rest
Nurse Uses Job to Evangelize
Feb 4th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Code of conduct: you must not use your professional status to promote causes not related to health.… Read the rest
The BBC and PBS: A Contrast in Complaints Procedures
Feb 4th, 2009 | By Allen EstersonWhat procedural process does the BBC have in place to deal with serious complaints about one of its programmes? I recently have had the opportunity to discover this from the point of view of a complainant. The background is as follows.
In April 2008 I posted an article concerning a BBC World Service radio programme that gave a completely one-sided account of the reception in Britain of a lecture by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, in which he floated the notion of some recognition within the British legal system of certain civil applications of Sharia law that are currently practised under the auspices of the Islamic Sharia Council. (Given the characteristically convoluted expression of his views, what … Read the rest
‘God Please Smite This Irritating Guy For Me’
Feb 3rd, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Rev. Fred Nile expects god to intervene in the toxic affairs of his minor political party. … Read the rest
Six Months for Double ‘Honour’ Killing
Feb 3rd, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The brother had an explosion of rage, so that’s all right then.… Read the rest
India: Even Courts Can’t Stop ‘Honour’ Killings
Feb 3rd, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The courts are swamped by young couples seeking protection from parents who have turned into enemies.… Read the rest
Another Bloodbath in Darfur?
Feb 3rd, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Sudan’s army appears set to launch an attack on Muhajeria, whose civilian population approaches 50,000. … Read the rest
Thailand: Government Cracks Down on Media
Feb 3rd, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Justice ministry plans to censor 3,000 to 4,000 Websites for posting material offensive to the Thai monarchy.… Read the rest
HRW on Murder of Russian Human Rights Lawyer
Feb 3rd, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘For victims of human rights abuses in Chechnya, Markelov’s name was synonymous with hope for justice.’… Read the rest
