To prevent an Irish state inquiry from examining files concerned with clerical child abuse.… Read the rest
All entries by this author
A More Admiring View of the Pope
Feb 1st, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘Human beings always stand beyond what can be scientifically seen or perceived.’ Pope can see it though.… Read the rest
Pope on Science and Human Dignity
Feb 1st, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘Dignity’ means total respect for the human being as a person from conception until natural death.… Read the rest
Nick Cohen Talks to Martin Amis
Feb 1st, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘If you’re ideological you’ve got two people living with you: the cheer-leader and the commissar.’… Read the rest
MySpace Deletes Atheist Group
Feb 1st, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonHackers broke into the Atheist and Agnostic Group and re-named it ‘Jesus is Love.’… Read the rest
Some Clerics in Kenya Are Adding to the Strife
Feb 1st, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonEthnic identity turns up in the church too.… Read the rest
Kabul Talks About the Kambaksh Case
Feb 1st, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘You cannot criticise any principles which have been approved by sharia. It is the words of the Prophet.’… Read the rest
Prior restraint and the archbishop
Feb 1st, 2008 10:45 am | By Ophelia BensonOne or two thoughts on the Archbisop of Canterbury’s speech. One thought is that he’s a sly bastard. If you read the speech slowly and carefully, it’s clear enough what sinister nonsense he is talking, but he embeds it so deeply and thoroughly in layer upon layer upon layer of episcopally dignified verbiage that it’s very difficult to convey how nonsensical and sinister it is by for instance quoting passages. In this he is very unlike the many other people I get so much innocent pleasure from teasing. He’s just as wrong-headed they are, but he makes it much less obvious. That’s not fair! If he’s going to talk obsequious churchy bullshit, he ought to be obvious about it.… Read the rest
Neoblasphemy laws
Feb 1st, 2008 2:06 am | By Ophelia BensonGee…that there Archbishop of Canterbury really doesn’t grasp the principle of free speech, does he. Or he does but he doesn’t agree with it and is surprisingly unbashful about saying so.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has called for new laws to protect religious sensibilities that would punish “thoughtless and cruel” styles of speaking…The Archbishop…said it should not just be a few forms of extreme behaviour that were deemed unacceptable, leaving everything else as fair game. “The legal provision should keep before our eyes the general risks of debasing public controversy by thoughtless and, even if unintentionally, cruel styles of speaking and acting,” he said.
In other words the legal provision should frighten us out of saying … Read the rest
What Should a Scientist Think About Religion?
Jan 31st, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonWhat should a scientist expect from an idea? That it be a reasonable advance in knowledge.… Read the rest
MySpace Don’t Allow No Atheists
Jan 31st, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonRupert Murdoch’s MySpace deleted 35,000 member atheist-agnostic group.… Read the rest
Malalai Joya on Afghanistan and Women’s Rights
Jan 31st, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe government is trying to use the country’s Islamic law as a tool with which to limit women’s rights. … Read the rest
Sign the Indy’s Petition
Jan 31st, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonUrge the UK Foreign Office to pressure the Afghan government to prevent the execution of Kambaksh. … Read the rest
Death for ‘Disrespecting the Holy Koran’
Jan 31st, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonBy downloading a report saying claims that the Koran justifies oppression of women are misinterpretations.… Read the rest
Campaign to Free Student Activists in Iran
Jan 30th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonOrganisation of Women’s Freedom in Iraq sponsors the petition.… Read the rest
The Archbishop’s Complete Speech
Jan 30th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonIt’s about power, he explains. Any port in a storm.… Read the rest
Targeted for Marrying a Kikuyu
Jan 30th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonWhy, why, why? Why did they say they were doing this? … Read the rest
Kenya’s Poor Are at Each Other’s Throats
Jan 30th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonIn Kibera those who have nothing are looting those who have a little bit more. … Read the rest
Afghan Senate Backs Death for Blasphemy
Jan 30th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonAlso criticised foreign sources which tried to pressure the judiciary as it pursued blasphemers.… Read the rest
Archbish Calls for Law to Punish ‘Cruel Words’
Jan 30th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonWants new laws to protect religious sensibilities by punishing ‘thoughtless and cruel’ styles of speaking. … Read the rest