The Christianophobia of the politically correct brigade is – is – oh who knows.… Read the rest
All entries by this author
New Humanist ‘Bad Faith’ Awards 
Dec 5th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Bishop of Carlisle? Westboro Baptist Church? Archbishop Francisco Chimoio? Your vote counts.… Read the rest
Even Girls Can Enjoy Science!
Dec 5th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
If you dumb it down and frill it up enough, that is.… Read the rest
Bullying of Taslima Nasreen Continues
Dec 4th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘It is for the people to decide but she has written not just one book. There are many books.’… Read the rest
34 Unconvincing Arguments for God
Dec 4th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The convincing ones will be along later.… Read the rest
Austin American-Statesman on Comer Firing
Dec 4th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
It looks as if the Texas Education Agency has fallen victim to a smelly little orthodoxy.… Read the rest
Texas Talibanization
Dec 4th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Let’s hope adherents of a sound science education can save Texas from a retreat into the darker ages. … Read the rest
BBC jokes
Dec 4th, 2007 10:18 am | By Ophelia BensonThe Beeb really is hilarious sometimes. In its report on Gillian Gibbons’s story it puts ‘ordeal’ in quotation marks but leaves ‘insulting Islam’ free of them. So we get
A British teacher jailed in Sudan for letting her class name a teddy bear Muhammad has spoken of her “ordeal”, after returning to the UK. Gillian Gibbons, 54, from Liverpool, had spent eight days in custody for insulting Islam before eventually being pardoned by President Omar al-Bashir.
You have to admit – that really is funny.… Read the rest
Feminists are militant Protestant missionaries
Dec 4th, 2007 9:48 am | By Ophelia BensonI trust you read that piece by John Tierney on the need to be more respectful of female genital mutilation – or rather, of what he carefully decides to call ‘female circumcision’ because it’s critics who call it female genital mutilation. Well we call it that because chopping off the clitoris and most of the labia and sewing up the whole hatchet-job does seem like mutilation – we critics are funny that way.
Tierney’s piece on Leon Kass’s speech last week was terrific, but this one is…not so good. I do not like it. It makes me cross.
But the one by Richard Shweder puts Tierney’s in the shade. It’s jaw-dropping.
He’s very angry with feminists who don’t like FGM.… Read the rest
Review of Ibn Warraq’s Leaving Islam
Dec 3rd, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Critics of Islam and ‘apostates’ are subject to fatwas and death threats, prison and murder, in many parts of the world.… Read the rest
Texas Official Fired for ‘Siding’ With Evolution
Dec 3rd, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
She forwarded an e-mail from NCSE about a talk by Barbara Forrest – ‘an offense that calls for termination.’… Read the rest
FGM Actually Glorious and Empowering
Dec 3rd, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Pesky Western feminists just don’t understand.… Read the rest
British Women Going to India to Abort Girls
Dec 3rd, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘It is really not a nice feeling when you are really proud of her and they dismiss her as just another mistake.’… Read the rest
Sudan’s Image Damaged
Dec 3rd, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
First Darfur, now Gibbons – but no matter, China’s still a fan.… Read the rest
Apologetic Gillian Gibbons Released
Dec 3rd, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Ibrahim Mogra from the MCB said the whole saga had been very damaging for the image of the Muslim faith. … Read the rest
Center for Inquiry Experts Comment on Texas Science Education Standards
Dec 3rd, 2007 | By Nathan BuppAmherst, N.Y.-Experts at the Center for Inquiry (CFI), America’s largest think tank defending reason, science, and freedom of inquiry, were dismayed to learn that Texas has forced a distinguished educator out of her job because she spoke favorably of evolution and forwarded messages about lectures on evolution. Christine Castillo Comer, with more than three decades of experience as an educator, was forced out of her position recently after she forwarded an e-mail message about a talk to be given at CFI-Austin by Dr. Barbara Forrest, a critic of intelligent design. Forrest, a philosophy professor at Southeastern Louisiana University, is a fellow at the Center for Inquiry. A copy of the forwarded e-mail that cost Comer her position is available upon … Read the rest
Pope Eager to Chat With Muslim ‘Leaders’
Dec 2nd, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Excited about command to love God – yes let’s make everyone do that.… Read the rest
Dawkins Site’s Favorite 100 Articles
Dec 2nd, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Notice numero uno…… Read the rest
International Appeal to Reinstate Malalai Joya
Dec 2nd, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Joya has been an outspoken critic of the heavy presence of warlords in the Afghan parliament.… Read the rest
Meet the Sudanese Thinker
Dec 2nd, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘We’ll make a mosh pit, head bang together and proclaim “down with the infidel teacher”. Yaaay!’… Read the rest
