Some don’t have ‘God,’ some don’t object to playing the part.… Read the rest
All entries by this author
Richard Jenkyns on the Idea of a ‘Canon’
Nov 25th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonMore plausible to suppose a spectrum of creative ability than a sharp division between genius and the rest. … Read the rest
Offended in Dundee
Nov 24th, 2007 4:41 pm | By Ophelia BensonHow to get into the newspapers: say something fatuous and self-regarding and preeningly righteous.
Second-year dental student Emily Mackie said the university’s decision to call its inaugural Dundee Christmas Lecture “Why Evolution is Right … and Creationism is Wrong” is badly timed and insensitive to Christians.
And this makes it into a newspaper because…nothing ever happens in Dundee? Too chilly up there is it?
But since it did make it into a newspaper, I can’t resist looking at it.
… Read the restThe lecture is being given by Steve Jones, professor of genetics at University College, London, who claims that all biologists support the theory of evolution and that “intelligent design”—the belief that life was created as part of a divine plan—is
Muslim Women’s Group to Advise UK Gov’t
Nov 24th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonNational Muslim Women’s Advisory Group is led by 19 women from a wide range of professions and traditions.… Read the rest
‘Blasphemous’ Feminist Nasreen is Threatened
Nov 24th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonNasreen is adamant that her work is not blasphemous but that it campaigns for the rights of women.… Read the rest
Morality and Religion Are Not One and Indivisible
Nov 24th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonArchbishops mistaken to think there cannot be any meaningful secular morality.… Read the rest
Imam Beat Boy With Mop Handle
Nov 24th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘The highly-educated imam can reportedly recite the Koran word for word.’… Read the rest
Maker of ‘Undercover Mosque’ is Angry
Nov 24th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonMany of the mosques had a public image as moderate. Yet the preaching was antisemitic, homophobic, misogynist.… Read the rest
Christian ‘Offended’ Over Steve Jones Lecture
Nov 24th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘As a Christian I am offended that the lecture…has so clearly been chosen to antagonise Christians.’… Read the rest
Spotting violence
Nov 23rd, 2007 12:30 pm | By Ophelia BensonTimothy Garton Ash gets it wrong, I think.
He gets it wrong in one rather specific way.
In the form “Islamofascism”, and with the added spice of references to “totalitarianism”, the label elides two things that need to be kept separate. One is the mentality of death-seeking and death-delivering fanatics. The other is a totalitarian political system…Now, if nuclear-armed Pakistan and oil-rich Saudi Arabia fall the wrong way, we could be there sooner than we think – but at the moment the only serious contender for the title of Islamic-fascist state is the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Has he been paying enough attention to Saudi Arabia? It’s not a whole lot more benign than Iran. In some ways it … Read the rest
Payvand on Maryam Hossienkhah
Nov 23rd, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe site of the Women’s Cultural Center was shut down by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. … Read the rest
Reporters Without Borders on Maryam Hosseinkhah
Nov 23rd, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonZanestan, a women’s online bi-monthly founded in 2005, has been closed since 12 November 2007.… Read the rest
AI Appeals for Release of Maryam Hosseinkhah
Nov 23rd, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonJournalist and women’s rights defender held for peaceful activities supporting equal rights for women in Iran.… Read the rest
Free Women Activists in Iran
Nov 23rd, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonMaryam Hosseinkhah, Delaram Ali, Ronak Safar Zade, Hanna Abdi, lashed and imprisoned.… Read the rest
Tsk – Falling Standards Again
Nov 23rd, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonScientists contacted by Nature say that AS-level coursework would be unlikely to help a terrorist. … Read the rest
Joan Bakewell Says Women Should Speak Up
Nov 23rd, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonIt is not being Islamophobic to wish for our Muslim sisters the freedom from brutal constraints.… Read the rest
Hitchens on Amis, Racism, Reality
Nov 23rd, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonMosques are distributing DVDs calling for the murder of Jews and Hindus; what price multiculturalism?… Read the rest
Steven Rose Vomits Up Some Bile
Nov 23rd, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonAmis and Hitchens – Islamophobia – hate speech – criminal offence – feel they can get away with it.… Read the rest
Anarchy in the court
Nov 22nd, 2007 4:40 pm | By Ophelia BensonAnd another other thing. Did you know there is no rule of law in Saudi Arabia? That judges get to just make it up as they go along? I sure as hell didn’t. But Human Rights Watch says it is so.
… Read the restDuring the recent hearings, Judge al-Muhanna of the Qatif court also banned the woman’s lawyer, Abd al-Rahman al-Lahim, from the courtroom and from any future representations of her, without apparent reason…On October 3, King Abdullah announced a judicial reform, promising new specialized courts and training for judges and lawyers. There is currently no rule of law in Saudi Arabia, which does not have a written penal code. Judges do not follow procedural rules and issue arbitrary sentences that vary
‘Controversial’
Nov 22nd, 2007 4:26 pm | By Ophelia BensonAnd another thing, as long as we’re talking about things I don’t like (we are talking about that aren’t we?) – I don’t like this business of the BBC always calling Taslima Nasreen ‘controversial.’ It’s a sly way of disavowing her, of hinting that she’s not quite the thing. It’s like calling evolution ‘controversial’ – it is, of course, but it has no business being; it’s ‘controversial’ only with people who think the universe should be and therefore must be the way they want it to be as opposed to the way it is. Similarly with Nasreen: she’s ‘controversial’ only with people who like to pick fights, especially with women, especially with women who think women should have one or … Read the rest