Islamic states say outright criticism of religion violates the rights of believers to enjoy respect.
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Inevitably links go out of date.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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Mehdi Kazemi’s Deportation Being Reviewed
Jacqui Smith has now granted him a temporary reprieve from deportation while she reconsiders his case.
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Mehdi Kazemi Loses Asylum Plea
Says his life will be in danger if he is sent back to Iran, because he has been named as a homosexual.
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John Allen Paulos on Order and God
How can order arise out of nothing? It can’t, so God. How can God arise out of nothing? Because God.
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Journalist to be Executed in Iran
Yaghub Mehrnehad is a journalist for the reformist newspaper Mardomsalari (Democracy).
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UNESCO Unsupports Free Expression Day
Several governments on the list of 15 ‘Internet Enemies’ pressured the office of the UNESCO director.
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First Online Free Expression Day Launched
Join cyberdemo in Burma, China, Cuba, Egypt, Eritrea, North Korea, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Saudi Arabia.
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Antony Flew at Westminster Chapel
Flew will join Bishop of Durham in ‘giving evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.’
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Evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus
Jesus’ disciples were convinced they had seen the resurrected Jesus. That’s the evidence.
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Nicolaus Mills on Samantha Power
Genocide is alive and well in the world—but of secondary interest to the nations that might actually stop it.
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BBC Raises Eyebrow at ‘Anti-Islam Film’
Points censoriously at Kurt Westergaard for dissing ‘Islam’s holiest prophet.’
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Let’s Just Ban Everything Offensive!
Think of all the time we could save.
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On the Media on Libel Tourism
UK libel law gets books withdrawn at the mere threat of a suit.
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Jesus and Mo Discuss Vatican’s New Sins
Listen, paedophilia was cool in those days.
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Catholic MPs to Rebel Over Embryo Bill
Cite their religious beliefs.
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Ibn Warraq on Islamic Reformation
Liberal reformists cannot escape the fact that Orthodox Islam is incompatible with human rights.
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Grayling on Smolin on Physics
It is the fact that string theory makes no testable predictions that gives Smolin his greatest concern.
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R Joseph Hoffmann on Letting Go of Jesus
The failure not to believe in miracles has had consequences that are not merely theological or philosophical.
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Vatican Consigns More People to Hell
Adds seven new ‘mortal sins,’ for which hell is the punishment; scientific research among the seven.
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Brain Enhancement – Useful or a Cheat?
What if your boss tells you to take speed?