‘No offence is caused, as the scriptures of all the major faiths are given respect in this way, but none is higher than any other.’… Read the rest
All entries by this author
The Chimpworks Z-1000 Taurean Stool Detector
Feb 22nd, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Q-zone crystal quantum z-rays in its homeopathically-advised dodecahedron-shaped water molecule engine. … Read the rest
Ben Goldacre on How to Get the Figures Wrong
Feb 22nd, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
It’s a tricky process, and then at the end you still have to inflate at will.… Read the rest
‘Vixen’ Returns to the Stage
Feb 22nd, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
And sexist vocabulary never left the New York Times, apparently.… Read the rest
Clawback of Executive Pay is Gaining Traction
Feb 22nd, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘When companies fail to perform, should they give millions of dollars to their senior executives?’… Read the rest
Colin Blakemore on Science and Religion
Feb 22nd, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Science has rampaged over the landscape of divine explanation, as ‘why’ questions became ‘how’ questions.… Read the rest
Women and fundamentalism
Feb 21st, 2009 12:22 pm | By Ophelia BensonRahila Gupta points out the horrible ironies and tensions:
The fallout from the Rushdie affair was the widespread growth of religious identities at the expense of racial and gender identities. Secular anti-racists began to declaim, even reclaim, their Muslim identity. Muslim women increasingly adopted the hijab as a symbol of pride in their religious identity, not recognising or even accepting the fact that it set women back by placing the onus on women’s safety on their modest dress and behaviour rather than male aggression. The left displayed a reluctance to challenge reactionary forces within our communities because it might be seen as racist.
And goes on displaying – so we get people defending the archbishop of Canterbury’s reactionary embrace … Read the rest
Free Speech or Freedom to Hurt?
Feb 21st, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘If playing with people’s beliefs and trampling on all that they hold sacred is freedom, then we’re better off without it.’… Read the rest
Goldacre on the Dangers of an Ill-informed Media
Feb 21st, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
This is a ‘debate’ where one person asking stupid questions has complete control over the microphones.… Read the rest
Ben Goldacre on Pay to Play
Feb 21st, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
In an ideal world, all drugs research would be commercially separate from manufacturing and retail.… Read the rest
Jesus and Mo on Creationism
Feb 21st, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Of course Jesus does not believe the earth is six thousand years old.… Read the rest
Vatican Attempts to Censor ‘Blasphemy’
Feb 21st, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
An Israeli comedian jokes about Jesus, Vat lodges a formal complaint with Israeli government.… Read the rest
Women Fought Fundamentalism Before the Fatwa
Feb 21st, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Women are the first to feel the chill of religious fundamentalism when their freedoms begin to atrophy.… Read the rest
Fold the tents
Feb 21st, 2009 11:47 am | By Ophelia BensonVolunteers no longer needed; volunteers can pack up blankets and canteens and waterproof hats and go home; cache is made; many thanks.
And don’t forget to take care of yourselves, and stay alive. Seriously now. I’m not kidding.… Read the rest
Elliott
Feb 21st, 2009 11:40 am | By Ophelia BensonHere’s some horrible news. Elliott Grasett died of a heart attack on Tuesday. I was in his address book so a relative very kindly let me know.
I checked, and – he commented here that day. On Indulge me for a moment. There’s always something so poignant about that – you know – ‘Why I was just talking to him yesterday…’
Very sad. I always enjoyed his comments; they seemed to bespeak a sterling guy.
Christian Jago died more than a year ago. And I suspect that something major – death or disability or kidnapping or something – happened to Karl, who used to comment regularly and often (and amusingly) and who also emailed me a lot, and then … Read the rest
Atheism is on the March
Feb 20th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Public statements of non-belief are treated as threatening, an affront to the religious, while the reverse is not true.’… Read the rest
A C Grayling on Secularist Students
Feb 20th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘This critical, evidence-based, enquiring mindset also thinks afresh about the good for human lives and societies.’… Read the rest
Mental Torture and Bullying in an Indian Convent
Feb 20th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘There are many nuns undergoing ill-treatment from the order, but they are afraid of challenging it.’… Read the rest
Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists Protests
Feb 20th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘A journalist has become the first victim after the peace deal in Swat, which is most alarming.’… Read the rest
Pakistan: 32 Bullets in Murdered Reporter
Feb 20th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Hundreds of journalists protested the murder of Musa Khan Khel in Swat.… Read the rest
