Fashionable nonsense has been with us since the time that prehistoric man first transcribed Of Grammatology on to the walls of the Lascaux caves. Here we cast an eye back at some historical highlights.


As Miss World Turns *

Apr 10th, 2010 | Filed by

The war between religious fanaticism and secular modernity is fought over women’s bodies.… Read the rest



What is ‘liberal orthodoxy’? *

Apr 10th, 2010 | Filed by

Graham Larkin answers questions from New York SunRead the rest



15 Answers to Creationist Nonsense *

Apr 10th, 2010 | Filed by

Scientific American provides useful tool… Read the rest



Ann Cryer: Forced marriages must end *

Apr 10th, 2010 | Filed by

Amanda Day talks to Labour MP Ann Cryer about her campaign to win justice for young Asian women.… Read the rest



The great Kabbalah con *

Apr 10th, 2010 | Filed by

An organisation that charges £860 for dinner, ‘healing’ water and some books in Aramaic… Read the rest



Outsider as enemy *

Apr 10th, 2010 | Filed by

K N Panikkar on the politics of rewriting history in India. … Read the rest



Hitchens on Hirsi Ali *

Apr 10th, 2010 | Filed by

She has case histories that will freeze your blood. These, however, are in some ways less depressing than the excuses made by qualified liberals for their continuation. … Read the rest



Kenan Malik on free speech *

Apr 10th, 2010 | Filed by

The impact of censorship is in fact to undermine progressive movements within minority communities.… Read the rest



BHL Too Fashionable, French Intellectuals Report *

Apr 10th, 2010 | Filed by

Authors motivated by impatience with relentless self-promotion and unquestioning adulation of French media.… Read the rest



Advertising Standards Authority rules out miracle cure ad *

Apr 10th, 2010 | Filed by

The ASA said Peniel Pentecostal Church had to offer proof at least comparable with that required of makers of washing powder… Read the rest



The real politics behind bad academic writing *

Apr 10th, 2010 | Filed by

The desire to “question common sense” is merely the self-congratulation of someone whose “sense” is different, but no less “common.”… Read the rest



Women Against Fundamentalisms *

Apr 10th, 2010 | Filed by

WAF was launched in 1989 to challenge the rise of fundamentalism in all religions.… Read the rest



Scott McLemee does a close reading of ‘Battlefield Earth’ *

Apr 10th, 2010 | Filed by

Terl’s responsibilities include blackmailing fellow Psychlo Forest Whitaker and laughing at his own jokes.… Read the rest



Horseplay in Harappa *

Apr 10th, 2010 | Filed by

Collection of articles on on the ways Hindutva propagandists distort ancient Indian history. … Read the rest



Carl Sagan on The Burden of Skepticism *

Apr 10th, 2010 | Filed by

What is called for is an exquisite balance between skeptical scrutiny and great openness to new ideas.… Read the rest



Jeffrey Nielsen’s response to firing by BYU *

Apr 10th, 2010 | Filed by

I also strongly disagree with the implications of your statement that faithfulness and loyalty to the church and church leaders never permits expressions of disagreement, or questioning of our church leaders – especially in an academic setting.… Read the rest



An Unlikely Communion of Socialists and Islamists *

Apr 10th, 2010 | Filed by

‘…they hide the atheism at the core of leftist politics in order to pursue a blatant get–rich–quick electoral scheme.’… Read the rest



Carl Zimmer Reviews The God Gene *

Apr 10th, 2010 | Filed by

Or rather, a gene for something labeled ‘spirituality.’… Read the rest



Cretino-Leftism *

Apr 10th, 2010 | Filed by

Classic Symptom of Epistemological Cretino-Leftism: Claiming that criticism, reason, rational inquiry and the pursuit of truth are “instruments of oppression”.… Read the rest



Amnesty International on ‘honour’ killings in Pakistan *

Apr 10th, 2010 | Filed by

Dr Tahira Shahid Khan says ‘Women are considered the property of the males in their family irrespective of their class, ethnic or religious group. The owner of the property has the right to decide its fate. The concept of ownership has turned women into a commodity’… Read the rest