Pope said in inaugural sermon; ‘We are not the accidental product, without meaning, of evolution.’… Read the rest
All entries by this author
Hume’s Battle With Fanatics Not Won Yet
Aug 28th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia BensonIs George W Bush switching off the light that David Hume switched on? … Read the rest
Julian Baggini: Teach Children to Question Religion
Aug 28th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘You’re taught what people of different faiths do, but it is considered disrespectful to question if they are right to do it.’… Read the rest
Karen Armstrong on Reconciling Contradiction
Aug 28th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe religious claim ‘there is coherence in the apparent contradictions of their sacred texts.’… Read the rest
Empiricism is a Good Thing
Aug 28th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia BensonPolitical discussions all have a policy landscape that is shaped by our common knowledge.… Read the rest
The Bishop on What Defiles Our Human Nature
Aug 28th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘The toleration of sexual perversions among inverts, the killing of the elderly, radical feminism.’… Read the rest
Meet the Bish
Aug 28th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe Bishop of Rockford sounds like a scary guy.… Read the rest
Bishops Aren’t What They Used to Be
Aug 28th, 2006 1:11 am | By Ophelia BensonJust in case we ever go thinking the Southern Baptists or the redemptionists or the other protestant flame-throwers have a monopoly on being as disgusting as they can possibly manage to be – here’s the bishop of Rockford.
We know, for instance, that adherents of one political party would place us squarely on the road to suicide as a people. The seven “sacraments” of their secular culture are abortion, buggery, contraception, divorce, euthanasia, feminism of the radical type, and genetic experimentation and mutilation. These things they unabashedly espouse, profess and promote. Their continuance in public office is a clear and present danger to our survival as a nation.
Well if they would place us squarely on the road to … Read the rest
Tradition
Aug 28th, 2006 12:44 am | By Ophelia BensonAnd so begins a happy life.
Yanti greeted her future husband with a handshake and the merest flicker of a smile as he arrived with relatives. He gave a nod and quickly moved on to the next person in line…They were disinclined to cuddle up, even when cajoled by the photographer. The truth behind the frostiness is a sinister and sad indictment of the traditions that persist in many parts of Indonesia. Not only had Yanti, 22, a restaurant cook, and Tri, 24, a maize and sweet potato farmer, just met, they barely knew anything about each other.
Oh well – what’s to know? What need is there to know something about someone you sign up to live with and … Read the rest
How Right Wing the Left Can Sound
Aug 27th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia BensonNo longer will opponents of multiculturalism be silenced by reflex accusation of racism.… Read the rest
Is This What is Meant by Community Cohesion?
Aug 27th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘The new dividing line in Tower Hamlets is no longer skin colour but religion.’… Read the rest
Taliban Killing Clerics Loyal to Government
Aug 27th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia BensonTeachers, judges, aid workers, landmine removal specialists have also been killed.… Read the rest
The Misery of Coerced Marriage in Indonesia
Aug 27th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘In many communities traditions and religious leaders are more respected than national legislation.’… Read the rest
Truth in Advertising
Aug 26th, 2006 5:15 pm | By Ophelia BensonI’m getting very curious about this advertising question. A couple of commenters on Inquiry have disagreed with my characterization of advertising as having the goal of selling a product as opposed to finding (or disseminating) the truth. I’m becoming increasingly interested in finding out what is controversial about this. Am I just wrong? Have I got my facts wrong? Am I confused? Here I’ve thought all this time, even from earliest childhood, innocently gazing at rice krispies elves and bald giants in T shirts, that the purpose of advertisements was to get people to pay money for the objects the ads were talking or singing or dancing or enacting little playlets about, whether it be spearmint gum or a cleaning … Read the rest
Malaysian ‘Apostate’ Under Death Threat
Aug 26th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia BensonCivil courts said Malays could not renounce Islam because Constitution defined Malays as Muslims.… Read the rest
Don’t Wanna Be Cohered
Aug 26th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia BensonOpaque waffle about cohesion and communities on the ground.… Read the rest
Barriers to Muslim Women in Sports
Aug 26th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia BensonHard to swim in a chador.… Read the rest
Scary Opinions on Politics and Religion
Aug 26th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia Benson69% agreed that liberals have ‘gone too far in trying to keep religion out of schools and government.’… Read the rest
Planned Parenthood on Teenage Pregnancy
Aug 26th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia BensonDismay at scientifically baseless restrictions that deny teenagers otc access to backup birth control. … Read the rest
FDA Approves OTC Access for Plan B
Aug 26th, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia BensonWomen 18 and over can get emergency contraception without prescription; girls under 18 can’t.… Read the rest