Bishop this, Rector that, Muslim Council of the other, issuing instructions.… Read the rest
All entries by this author
Damian Thompson Blames ‘Liberal Catholics” 
Mar 28th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
It’s all their fault, they’re out to get Ratzinger, mutter mutter rave.… Read the rest
Turn the other what?
Mar 27th, 2010 1:34 pm | By Ophelia BensonThe LA Times notices that the pope has a problem. The problem is that instead of just saying ‘We did a terrible terrible terrible thing, and we did it for decade upon decade,’ the Vatican is lashing out at 1) news outlets that report the terrible things the church has been doing and 2) other institutions that do terrible things. This is infantile and disgusting, and it is unworthy of an institution that (to repeat a point I’ve made a few hundred times) purports to have a higher and better morality than anyone else. It is unworthy because it persists in caring more about the self than the object of the terrible actions. This fact all by itself shows … Read the rest
Why Tom Flynn Doesn’t Believe in New Atheism
Mar 27th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Because it doesn’t exist; atheism is not new.… Read the rest
Marieme Helie Lucas on AI and Gita Sahgal
Mar 27th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Fundamentalists were privileged as victims of the state while women, victims of the fundamentalists, disappeared.… Read the rest
The Pope Did Know; He Got the Memo
Mar 27th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Saying a priest would be returned to pastoral work within days of beginning therapy for molesting children.… Read the rest
Archbishop of NY Says: Blame Those Others!
Mar 27th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Blame the doctor. Blame public schools. Blame judges, police, district attorneys, parole officers.… Read the rest
Vatican’s Blame-shifting Shows It Hasn’t Learned
Mar 27th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
It’s all utterly squalid.… Read the rest
‘How Could Catholics Do Such a Thing?’
Mar 27th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Communion is Love; you have to be in a State of Grace; surely child rape is a sin.… Read the rest
Sinead O’Connor Knows Irish Catholicism
Mar 27th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘We Irish endured a brutal brand of Catholicism that revolved around the humiliation of children.’… Read the rest
Bishop: Pope’s Critics Are Satan
Mar 27th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Emeritus bishop of Acerra sees a war ‘between the church and the world; between Satan and God.’… Read the rest
Knock the corners off
Mar 26th, 2010 5:37 pm | By Ophelia BensonMichael De Dora has replied to his critics. He’s much more responsive than Mooney, but I still disagree with him. I disagree with the underlying ideas.
I see that we are right, philosophically speaking — but I also care about collective, democratic, evidence-based discourse and progress (just as, say, Chris Mooney cares about scientific literacy). To that end, I think rallying around atheism presents problems both inherently (the word doesn’t say much) and in presentation and interaction with the 95 percent of the public who are not atheists.
One, ‘rallying around atheism’ isn’t really the issue, or an issue. I don’t know of any atheists who are atheists to the exclusion of everything else. I suppose attending conferences could … Read the rest
Paul Krugman on Right-wing Looniness
Mar 26th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
We need to have two reasonable, rational parties in this country, not just one.… Read the rest
Nick Cohen on UCL and Islamism
Mar 26th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
A culture that prides itself on anti-bigotry becomes feeble when it confronts bigots in the black robes of clerical reaction.… Read the rest
A Look at the Templeton Foundation
Mar 26th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Some philosophers and scientists have serious reservations about TF’s use of its vast fortune to promote its goals.… Read the rest
Southern Poverty Law Report: Rage on the Right
Mar 26th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
In 2009 a dramatic resurgence in the Patriot movement and its paramilitary wing, the militias, began.… Read the rest
The Rise of Far-Right Hate Groups
Mar 26th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
20% of US adults say Obama is doing what Hitler did; 14% say he may be the Antichrist.… Read the rest
Scientists Write to NAS Head Cicerone
Mar 26th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Harry Kroto and others are disturbed by the Templeton Foundation and the NAS’s involvement with it.… Read the rest
Templeton Winner Calls Dawkins a Fundamentalist
Mar 26th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Ayala says science and religion cannot be in contradiction because they address different questions.… Read the rest
Vatican Fights Back
Mar 26th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
By reminding us that it’s not only the Catholic church that abuses children. Brilliant.… Read the rest
