‘Islamic literature is full of injunctions…Neither is it introducing dogmatism into the debate.’
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Inevitably links go out of date.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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Murder Trial of Alleged Cult Members Begins
They are accused of starving a 1-year-old after the boy would not say ‘Amen’ before a meal.
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Boston Review on Fodor and Piattelli-Palmarini
Ned Block and Philip Kitcher on what What Darwin Got Wrong gets wrong.
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PZ on Fodor and Piattelli-Palmarini
They get everything wrong.
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Fact-checking Bjørn Lomborg
His extensive references make him look careful and authoritative, but Howard Friel checked them, and…
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Andrew Copson on Another Exemption for Faith
The Catholic Education Service of England and Wales have proudly announced that their lobbying worked.
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Major New Report on British Neo-Nazis
Edmund Standing and Alexander Hitchens examine the ‘Blood and Honour’ international neo-Nazi movement.
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Two Important Events for Libel Reform Campaign
Simon Singh’s libel case is before the Court of Appeal in London Feb 23; MPs release report Feb 24.
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Another Tiny Miniature Step for Saudi Women
They will be allowed to argue family law cases in court. Golly.
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Evolution and Science Education in Nigeria
Leo Igwe says the teaching of evolution is not encouraged in Nigeria’s schools.
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My Contribution to CisF Belief Question [link fixed]
The gods are jealous, and if we don’t have any suffering, they’ll see that we get some.
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The ‘Facilitated Communication’ Wasn’t
As skeptics thought, Rom Houben wasn’t typing on that computer.
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Steven Novella on FC Failure
Once again pseudoscience fails under properly designed scientific testing.
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The Checks Were Not Quite Thorough Enough
The tests determined that Houben doesn’t have enough strength and muscle control to operate the keyboard.
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David Gorski on Facilitated Communication
When the facilitator did not know the questions, Houben’s answers were all completely wrong.
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Ireland: ‘Symphysiotomy’ Performed into the ’80s
Women’s pelvises were ‘widened’ to faciliate childbirth; the women were left crippled and in pain.
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Salman Rushdie on Amnesty and Gita Sahgal
Gita Sahgal is a woman of immense integrity and distinction; people like her are the true voices of the human rights movement.
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Complications of ‘Faith-based’ Government Work
Can the Salvation Army get federal funds and still do whatever it wants to?
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Malaysia: 3 Women Whipped for ‘Syariah Offences’
‘They expressed their repentance as they felt the punishment will rid them of their sin and guilt to Allah.’
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Women’s Groups Outraged by Caning
But various men said it’s fine if ‘carried out properly in accordance with Syariah law.’