‘Faith — any faith — is important in the crusade against the rising tide of secular materialism and scientific reductionism, both of which he detests.’… Read the rest
All entries by this author
‘Faith-based’ Groups Fret About Future 
Nov 8th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Obama said he would not allow religious groups to get federal funding if they discriminate in hiring. … Read the rest
Child ‘Witches’ in Nigeria
Nov 8th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Unbearable to read.… Read the rest
Nutritional Fairy Tales from Thames Valley University
Nov 7th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
TVU is one of those shameful institutions that offer Bachelor of Science degrees in homeopathy.… Read the rest
Goldacre and Colquhoun Investigate Quack Degrees
Nov 7th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
This latest batch of course notes from TVU sound more like religious evangelism than science. … Read the rest
Catholic Church in Ireland Opposes Gay Rights
Nov 7th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Cardinal said ‘marriage and the family are of public interest,’ so it is appropriate for the Church to meddle.… Read the rest
Michael Walzer: Charisma Will Not be Enough
Nov 7th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
In these potentially ‘transformational’ moments, ginger groups on the left can make a difference.… Read the rest
Gene Robinson on Obama and Secularism
Nov 7th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘We don’t impose our religious values on the secular state because God said so.’… Read the rest
Frederick Douglass and Randall Terry
Nov 7th, 2008 11:34 am | By Ophelia BensonThe other day ‘hanmeng’ said in a comment on ‘God-talk as an unstated norm’ that the bible is Obama’s favourite book and later quoted from a keynote address he gave in 2006. The quotation was worrying – especially this bit –
… Read the rest[W]hat I am suggesting is this – secularists are wrong when they ask believers to leave their religion at the door before entering into the public square. Frederick Douglas[s], Abraham Lincoln, Williams Jennings Bryant [Bryan], Dorothy Day, Martin Luther King – indeed, the majority of great reformers in American history – were not only motivated by faith, but repeatedly used religious language to argue for their cause. So to say that men and women should not inject their “personal
No ordinary moment
Nov 6th, 2008 1:00 pm | By Ophelia BensonThere are (I suppose this was inevitable) some skeptics now claiming that people are rejoicing at Obama’s election because he’s black – which is true in one way but false in another. The way it’s true is probably obvious enough; the way it’s false is that 1) that’s not the only reason and 2) we would have been rejoicing anyway. Obama’s being black is neither necessary nor sufficient for the rejoicing. Here’s why. Suppose a Sarah Palin who was black – identical to Palin in every other way, but black. A very different, much smaller, and much more delusional crowd would be rejoicing. Suppose an Obama who was white – identical to Obama in every other way, but white. We … Read the rest
Denmark May Boycott Durban II
Nov 6th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Unless OIC removes proposal to equate criticism of religion with racism, Denmark will not attend.… Read the rest
Hitchens and Rabbi Wolpe Debate Religion
Nov 6th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Is it good for the world?… Read the rest
Alan Wolfe on an End to the Culture War
Nov 6th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The culture war was a replay of earlier conflicts between black and white. … Read the rest
John McWhorter Says Skip the Glum Thoughts
Nov 6th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Our job as serious people is to always contest. We must always Speak Truth to Power.’… Read the rest
New Dimensions for American Democracy
Nov 6th, 2008 | By Paul Kurtz and Tom FlynnAt long last, a protracted and often fierce election campaign is over. America has selected its new president. We congratulate Barack Obama, and we pledge our support for his efforts!
President-elect Obama will face awesome problems left over from the Bush administration. But let us focus on the positive. Obama is the first person of mixed Anglo-African parentage to attain the presidency. Heroically, he represents a significant extension of the scope of American democracy. His election reminds us that the United States really is the universal society on this planet and reconfirms America’s identity as a truly (if not yet perfectly) multiracial, multi-ethnic, multicultural nation. Bravo!
The United States is the first major country founded under the ideals of the … Read the rest
Why It Was Somewhat Emotional
Nov 5th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘It was a day most never imagined that they would live to see.’… Read the rest
International Reaction to Obama
Nov 5th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
America’s choice of such a skillful straddler of global identities cannot help but transform the nation’s image.… Read the rest
U.S. Airstrike Reported to Hit Afghan Wedding
Nov 5th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Afghan officials said the strike killed 40 civilians and wounded 28 others in Kandahar Province. … Read the rest
Prop 8 Passes in California
Nov 5th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
But Washington state voted to allow doctor-assisted suicide for terminally ill people. … Read the rest
Full Text of Obama’s Grant Park Speech
Nov 5th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
If this financial crisis taught us anything, it’s that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers.… Read the rest
