All entries by this author

Religion Contains a Massive Falsehood *

Aug 15th, 2005 | Filed by

That there is a God who determines our actions and responds to our plight.… Read the rest



Sacranie Defends Mawdudi *

Aug 15th, 2005 | Filed by

Says efforts to discredit MCB stem from ‘Islamophobic agenda’. … Read the rest



No Hidden Agenda, BBC Says *

Aug 15th, 2005 | Filed by

MCB accuses BBC of creating mistrust of British Muslims in a Panorama special.… Read the rest



BBC Rejects MCB’s Accusations of Bias *

Aug 15th, 2005 | Filed by

A BBC spokeswoman said yesterday that it would defend the programme.… Read the rest



Who is William T. Vollman and Why Did the NY Times Invite Him to Write about Nietzsche?

Aug 15th, 2005 | By Brian Leiter

A review of a Nietzsche book in The New York Times is rare, and even rarer, it seems, is the decision to enlist a reviewer competent in the material. Although Curtis Cate’s biography of Nietzsche appeared nearly two years ago, just today the Times has run a lengthy review of the book by the writer and novelist William Vollman, who, best I can tell, has no expertise in the subject, and who certainly displays none in the review.

The review – predictably, I suppose, for the Times – concentrates mostly on gossip about Nietzsche’s personal relations, and although there are breathless references to Nietzsche’s “bravery,” his “savagely independent intellect,” and “his incomparable mind,” there is almost no actual discussion of … Read the rest



At Last

Aug 14th, 2005 9:05 pm | By

Well it’s about time. Hooray for the Observer. It is about damn time.

The Muslim Council of Britain is officially the moderate face of Islam. Its pronouncements condemning the London bombings have been welcomed by the government as a model response for mainstream Muslims. The MCB’s secretary general, Iqbal Sacranie, has recently been knighted and senior figures within the organisation have the ear of ministers. But an Observer investigation can reveal that, far from being moderate, the Muslim Council of Britain has its origins in the extreme orthodox politics in Pakistan.

Oh yes? Tell us more.

Far from representing the more progressive or spiritual traditions within Islam, the leadership of the Muslim Council of Britain and some of its

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MCB Annoyed With BBC *

Aug 14th, 2005 | Filed by

Accuses it of ‘serving the interests of the pro-Israeli lobby.’… Read the rest



The Observer on the Muslim Council of Britain *

Aug 14th, 2005 | Filed by

Far from representing more progressive traditions, MCB leaders have links to Islamist movements.… Read the rest



Different Rules for Different Religions *

Aug 14th, 2005 | Filed by

Nick Cohen says we pay a high price for defining people primarily by their religions.… Read the rest



Website Offers Training in Urban Warfare *

Aug 14th, 2005 | Filed by

Instructor implores Allah to grant his mujaheddin victory over Jews, Americans, apostates.… Read the rest



Religious Right’s Weird Science *

Aug 13th, 2005 | Filed by

Condoms fulla holes, remote prayer makes stuff happen, Satan makes birth control.… Read the rest



Survey of Religious Beliefs of US Scientists *

Aug 13th, 2005 | Filed by

Natural scientists less likely to believe in deity – but not much less.… Read the rest



This Guy Teaches English? *

Aug 13th, 2005 | Filed by

That’s scary.… Read the rest



Ziauddin Sardar on Confronting a Violent Mindset *

Aug 13th, 2005 | Filed by

We must acknowledge that the terrorists are products of Islamic history.… Read the rest



Three Women Speak Out Against Sharia *

Aug 13th, 2005 | Filed by

Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Homa Arjomand and Irshad Manji spoke at Toronto conference.… Read the rest



Where Women Risk Their Lives to Run for Office *

Aug 13th, 2005 | Filed by

Since 2001 four women councillors have been killed in Frontier province. … Read the rest



Cheap Labour Necessary to Heathrow *

Aug 13th, 2005 | Filed by

‘Without them the airport cannot function.’… Read the rest



Pavan K Varma Reviews The Argumentative Indian *

Aug 13th, 2005 | Filed by

Freedom to interrogate has congealed into unquestioning acceptance of orthodoxy.… Read the rest



Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Killed *

Aug 13th, 2005 | Filed by

Assassination blamed on Tamil Tigers, threatens cease fire.… Read the rest



Tradition and Honour

Aug 13th, 2005 4:03 am | By

You want tradition? Here’s some tradition.

In this quiet northern valley, tucked into the Himalayan foothills, tradition and threats have forced Shad into an electoral profile so low it is almost invisible. She will never leave this high-walled compound to canvass votes, never knock on a single door…And even if Shad wins a seat in Lower Dir, an arch-conservative corner of North West Frontier Province, there is no guarantee the local Pashtun men will allow her to occupy it.

They don’t like the idea, you see. It’s not the tradition.

Since 2001 four women councillors have been killed in Frontier province. The latest victim died in June. Zubeida Begum, a veteran women’s rights campaigner, was shot nine times at

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