They disagree on quite a few points.… Read the rest
All entries by this author
Creation Museum Sells Mastodon Skull
Jan 18th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe skull is estimated to be 40,000 years old – but not of course by creationists.… Read the rest
Rushdie: Ignore the 25 Goondas at the Gate
Jan 17th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonWhether it’s India or UK or US, we cannot allow religious hooligans to place limiting points on thought.… Read the rest
How Journalism Talks About Women
Jan 17th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonCoverage of male candidates is about issues, of female candidates about appearance and family.… Read the rest
Civility Code or Loyalty Oath?
Jan 17th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘The words “inclusiveness and diversity” are used in academia these days virtually as religious incantations.’… Read the rest
Wendy Kaminer on Mandatory Respect
Jan 17th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonMindless respect for all points of view is not an element of critical thinking. … Read the rest
Secular Coalition on House Resolution 888
Jan 17th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonHR 888 presents such a distorted version of US history that real education can’t possibly be its goal.… Read the rest
Promises that should not be made
Jan 17th, 2008 11:30 am | By Ophelia BensonWhich includes the well-intentioned version offered by Bergen Community College.
In the full knowledge of the commitment that I am freely willing to undertake as a student, I promise to respect each and every member of the college community without regard to race, creed, political ideology, lifestyle orientation, gender, or social status sparing no effort to preserve the dignity of those I will come in contact with as a member of the college community…I will embrace and celebrate differing perspectives intellectually.
No; sorry; no can do. I can’t possibly promise to respect each and every member of the college community a priori in that way. Civility is one thing, and respect is another. BCC is within its rights to … Read the rest
We’re not talking about some pavement artist
Jan 17th, 2008 10:59 am | By Ophelia BensonSalman Rushdie isn’t having it.
“I don’t make my decisions based on 25 goondas at the gate,” says Salman Rushdie tartly…Whether it’s India or England or America, he says, “we cannot allow religious hooligans to place limiting points on thought”. This, he says, is as true about the American religious right as it is about the Sikh mobs in Birmingham that prevented the production of a play. “It’s not specific to any religion or any place,” he adds. “Original thought, original artistic expression is by its very nature questioning, irreverent, iconoclastic…it’s really a decision about what kind of culture we want to be in.”
Quite. And that kind is the kind that allows a wide range of thought, as … Read the rest
Pope Cancels Visit to Rome University
Jan 16th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonHe is accused of despising science and defending the Inquisition’s condemnation of Galileo.… Read the rest
Dinesh D’Souza Wins NH Bad Faith Award
Jan 16th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonEdges out pope, Archbishop Francisco Chimoio, Westboro Baptist Church. Congrats Dinesh!… Read the rest
Cathleen Schine Reads Katha Pollitt
Jan 16th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonShe is too inquisitive, too enchanted by the unexpected, to be a really proper ideologue.… Read the rest
BBC1 Documentary on Forced Marriage
Jan 16th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonJasvinder ran away to escape a forced marriage. Her sister committed suicide by setting herself on fire.… Read the rest
Nigel Warburton on ‘The Grasshopper’
Jan 16th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonA brilliant and witty book, superbly written and with serious and original contributions to make. … Read the rest
One Woman’s Story of Manipulated Marriage
Jan 16th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘We are taught to be submissive and stay silent. But staying silent can kill you.’… Read the rest
Carlin Romano on John Gray
Jan 16th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonHis opinion is not entirely favourable.… Read the rest
The pope stays home
Jan 16th, 2008 11:48 am | By Ophelia BensonWell good. Excellent. It’s about time. Some teachers and students at a university have pointed out that Papal epistemology does not belong at a university. That Papal ways of knowing are not academic ways of knowing; that, in short, there is indeed a tension between reason and ‘faith.’ Well done.
… Read the restPope Benedict XVI last night called off a visit to Rome’s main university in the face of hostility from some of its academics and students, who accused him of despising science and defending the Inquisition’s condemnation of Galileo…[A] letter [was] signed by more than 60 of La Sapienza’s teachers, asking that the invitation to the Pope be rescinded. The signatories of the letter said Benedict’s presence would be “incongruous”.
Relax and enjoy it
Jan 15th, 2008 7:23 pm | By Ophelia BensonThe bishop of Oxford is ‘personally very happy for the mosque to call the faithful to prayer in East Oxford’. I don’t suppose he lives there, does he? Or does he.
“Faith is a very important factor in the lives of 80 per cent of the world’s population and a public expression of that faith is both natural and reasonable…It is good that we should be reminded of the faithfulness of many members of the community.”
Is it? Why? And even if it is, we get reminded quite a bit already, don’t we?
… Read the rest“It is natural that Muslim communities will gather in a particular area and what matters is that we demonstrate the kind of respect that is the
Aziza Abdel-Halim Plans Coalition to End Abuse
Jan 15th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonSome victims felt helpless because when they sought the advice of their imam he sided with the abuser. … Read the rest
MPs to Probe Abuse and ‘Honour’ Crime
Jan 15th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonLabour MP says the voices of victims of forced marriage and ‘honour’ crimes are not heard often enough.… Read the rest