From priests and canons but also from secularists and abuse victims.
Category: Latest News
Welcome to our archive of news stories relevant to the project of fighting fashionable nonsense. The stories are drawn from the electronic pages of the world’s media. On this page, you’ll find links to those stories that have been featured on Butterflies and Wheels during the current year. At the bottom of the page, you’ll find links to separate archives of stories from previous years.
We’re always pleased to hear about news stories that you think should be featured on Butterflies and Wheels. Just send an email here, if you want to point one out to us.
A note about links
Inevitably links go out of date. We suggest, therefore, that you make hard-copies of the stories that particularly interest you.
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Halal meat served without label
Halal meat is from animals whose throats have been cut while they are conscious. Some people don’t want to eat such meat; they should have the option.
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More from pope protest – a bit of Ben Goldacre
On the lie about leaky condoms, with help from the crowd.
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The “foiled” “plot” to “blow up” the pope
There was no plot; just a mix-up between the activities “talking about” and “planning to blow up”.
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Afghanistan: girls are worthless
So they masquerade as boys, because families without boys are the objects of pity and contempt.
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Bob Churchill on that naughty extremist protest
It was about the Pope and the Vatican, it was not about all the people who call themselves Catholics. Yet protesters were called Catholic-haters.
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Cops investigating Vatican bank
Italian authorities have historically shied away from investigating the Vatican’s finances, thanks to groveling deference to the church.
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Republicans block repeal of ‘don’t ask don’t tell’
The vote was 56 to 43, so the 43 won. Srsly.
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Update on the Save Ashtiani campaign
Ahmedinejad blames ‘someone in Germany’ for the uproar surrounding Ashtiani’s case. Mina Ahadi accepts the blame with pride.
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Stephen Fry on the Daily Mail on Stephen Fry
“In the name (it must suppose) of morality, spirituality, goodness, kindness, sweetness and honesty it intentionally, knowingly twists, distorts, misrepresents, smears and calumniates.”
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Letter calling on UN to condemn stoning
A government that still stones people to death in the 21st century must have no place in the UN or any other international institution or body.
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Martin Rundkvist on the Swedish elections
Reinfeldt is rumoured to be negotiating a deal with the Greens in order to eliminate any possibility of anti-immigration party shenanigans.
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RSA “after new atheism” debate
“Expert” commentators Marilynne Robinson, Roger Scruton and Jonathan Rée discuss the future of the God debate; Laurie Taylor chairs.
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More speeches from no to pope demo
Geoffrey Robertson, Andrew Copson, clerical abuse victim Barbara Blaine. Note Ben Goldacre next to Johann, Terry Sanderson next to Copson.
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Johann Hari at “arrest the pope” demonstration
People say the pope didn’t do enough about child rape. He did a lot.
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Do public workers lose free speech rights?
Including when they’re off duty?
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Polly Toynbee on Ratzinger’s social call
The Holy See is not a democracy, nor a signatory to the European Convention of Human Rights, and it stands above mere democratic law.
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UK converts to Catholicism en masse
The pope is thrilled, the BBC is thrilled, Priss Choss and Cmilla are thrilled, the Telegraph and the Guardian are thrilled, the MCB is thrilled.
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Catholicism is on the ropes in Belgium
It’s not just the child-rape and the concealment, it’s all that from people who claim to uphold the highest moral standards.