‘Some people are upset with what I have said, I have decided to drop the controversial portions.’
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Inevitably links go out of date.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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Gillian Gibbons Taken to Court
‘Miliband said he emphasised Britain’s respect of Islam.’ Grovel grovel.
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‘What can’t be named Muhammad?’
‘What are the rules on using the name?’ Step one: wring hands. Step two: call the MCB.
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Turkish Prosecutor Ponders The God Delusion
Publisher could go on trial if the prosecutor concludes the book incites religious hatred and insults religious values.
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Tom Clark on The Specter of Scientism
Tikkun also worries about the supposed dangers of scientism and the need for a spiritual way of knowing.
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Indian Government Will Shelter Nasreen – If
Expected that the guests will refrain from activities and expressions that may hurt the sentiments of our people.
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Normblog on Human Dignity
‘Degrade’ carries on its face that there is a standard in light of which some person is being reduced.
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Bunglawala Refused to Condemn Stoning
It had happened during the lifetime of the Prophet, he said, ‘so you are asking me to condemn my Prophet.’
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Gillian Gibbons Now Charged With Insulting Religion
Teacher charged with insulting religion, inciting hatred and showing contempt for religious beliefs.
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Jean Kazez on Ishiguro on Compliance
Why do his clones comply? Why do the women of Saudi Arabia?
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Who’s Afraid of ‘Soulless Scientism’?
We alone among the animals have the power to create a straw man and spend an entire evening knocking it down.
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Fundamentalist Christianity in the US Military
Many Dominionist soldiers want the US to invade Iran, thereby triggering the Rapture.
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Golden Compass Trilogy is Atheist
No it’s not, it’s liberal theist. Which is worse?
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Teddy-bear Crime All a Misunderstanding
There was no apparent intention to offend Islamic sensibilities, Bunglawala said.
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Translating Stoppard in Moscow
19th-century liberal ideas can sound dangerously modern on the Moscow stage of today.
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The Teddy-bear: Readers’ Views
The children themselves should be punished for having chosen the name of our great Prophet for a lowly bear.
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Scientific Method: Evidence, not Faith
Paul Davies sets up a flimsy straw man and proceeds to flog it mercilessly.
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Jesus and Mo on the Etiquette of Flouncing
When facts are offensive, reality should show more sensitivity.
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The Taslima Nasreen Opportunity for India
When India banned The Satanic Verses, it breathed life into the demon of competitive intolerance.
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Sudan: Teacher Arrested in Teddy-bear Fuss
She let the children vote to name teddy-bear ‘Muhammad.’ Could get 40 lashes, 6 months; or worse.