‘You portray a horrific world of intolerance, ethnic and religious hostilities, violence and murder.’… Read the rest
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Inevitably links go out of date.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.
Group Offers Amendments to Religious Hatred Bill 
Oct 23rd, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Atkinson warns of self-censorship, MCB scoffs about media frenzy.… Read the rest
Bladders Makes Least Funny Speech of Career
Oct 23rd, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Rowan Atkinson spoke of the dangers of politicians pandering to minority religions for votes.… Read the rest
AI Condemns Iranian Policy on Executions
Oct 23rd, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Amnesty International outraged that Iran continues to execute minors and stone women to death.… Read the rest
Be Relevant: Teach Only What They Already Know
Oct 22nd, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
But what if people want to learn things they don’t already know?… Read the rest
We’re Doomed
Oct 22nd, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Starbucks plans to put religious messages on its coffee cups.… Read the rest
Bernard Crick Urges Secularists to Be Less Fussy
Oct 22nd, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Says we should not confuse the pinpricks of religiosity with the real threats to freedom.… Read the rest
Religious School Can Interview Parents on ‘Faith’
Oct 22nd, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
London Oratory School says it uses interviews to check parents’ commitment to their ‘faith’.… Read the rest
Some Tensions in the Religious Test
Oct 22nd, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Conversion is not actually such a conservative idea. Uh oh.… Read the rest
Judge Mesmerized in ‘Healer’ Case
Oct 22nd, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Healer’ had escaped conviction after saying he could not give blood ‘for spiritual reasons’.… Read the rest
Wayne Booth
Oct 22nd, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Humanistic education could teach when to distrust certainty.… Read the rest
Iran Bans Films Promoting Secularism, Feminism
Oct 22nd, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Unethical behaviour, drug abuse, violence, alcoholism, corrupt Western values.… Read the rest
Riot in Alexandria Kills Three
Oct 22nd, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Riot outside a Coptic church after a protest against a play accused of ‘offending’ Islam. … Read the rest
Shalom Lappin on The Teflon Chomsky
Oct 21st, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
He was wrong about the Khmer Rouge; why is that not a problem for his fans?… Read the rest
Abducted Guardian Journalist Freed
Oct 21st, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Rory Carroll phoned Guardian to say his captors had released him to Iraqi government.… Read the rest
Le Monde on Homa Arjomand and Sharia
Oct 21st, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
She who made the provincial government of Ontario fold.… Read the rest
Behe Contradicts Self, Lawyer Points Out
Oct 21st, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Behe compares ID to big bang, which was also not accepted at first. Therefore…… Read the rest
Slavoj Has Some Fun
Oct 21st, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The Other, Others, walls, lies, fantasies, the Unconscious knows no negation.… Read the rest
Kenan Malik Saw the Birth of Multiculturalism
Oct 21st, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
When the left, shamefully, swapped secular universalism for ethnic particularism… Read the rest
From Law and Order to Just Plain Order
Oct 21st, 2005 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
As in Joseph de Maistre’s rhapsody over the hangman’s role as cornerstone of civilization.… Read the rest
