400 pages, on a lot of subjects, with hostility to picking nits: in short, piffle
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Inevitably links go out of date.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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French Philosophy Teacher Gets Death Threats
After writing an article critical of a certain monotheistic religion.
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Stephen Unwin Accuses Dawkins of Certainty
Says dismissal of Pascal’s wager is stark indication of his commitment to certainty.
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Clinton in Africa
David Remnick accompanies ex-pres on a hectic trip; takes notes.
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Liberal Principles Matter, but Shut Up Anyway
Guardian says Rushdie’s Satanic Verses generated a fatwa. Interesting take.
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Senate Passes Bush’s Detainee Bill
Bill strips detainees of a habeas corpus right to challenge their detentions in court.
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Shortlist for Secularist of the Year
Malik, Rushdie, Hari, Hytner, C Bennett, S Jones, Hirsi Ali, Wafa Sultan, F Rose, M Grey.
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BHA on New ‘Truth in Science’ Website
Creationist group launches site to encourage teaching of creationism and ID in school science.
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Meet ‘Focus on the Family’
Bishop recalls youth: when ‘we see guys that don’t stand strong on principle, we call them “faggots”.’
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David Luban on Bush’s New Torture Bill
The real tragedy of the so-called compromise is what it does to the legacy of Nuremberg.
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Scott McLemee on Michael Bérubé
The author assumes on the part of the reader both skepticism and an open mind.
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Efraim Karsh on Karen Armstrong
Her book is a thinly veiled hagiography, depicting the prophet as a quintessential man of peace.
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Robert Birnbaum Interviews Sean Wilentz
Combining the history of great men and the history of social forces.
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Roger Scruton on Noam Chomsky
The constructive criticism the US so much needs is sacrificed to self-righteous rage.
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Jesus and Mo Think Evolution is so Stupid
They tell the barmaid all about it.
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Samira Mohyeddin on Hossein Derakhshan
Slap in the face to all Iranians who have given their lives for freedom both in and outside of Iran.
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Deutsche Oper Drops ‘Idomeneo’ over Jesus and Mo
Director’s staging has a scene with severed heads of Poseidon, Muhammad, Jesus and Buddha.
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Critics Condemn Opera Cancellation
German politicians cautioned against taking self-censorship too far.
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Germany Holds its First ‘Conference on Islam’
The 30 participants are to address issues of coexistence of Muslims and non-Muslims in Germany.
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Andre Glucksmann on Fanatic Warriors
The end of the blocs liberated not only the democracies, but also homicidal and genocidal impulses.