People aren’t going to mass any more so they aren’t giving the church money any more.
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Inevitably links go out of date.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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Spain ‘foils gas attack on anti-Pope protesters’
The suspect planned to attack a march with “asphyxiating gases and other chemical substances”, police said.
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The London riots and folk psychology run amok
None of the researchers interviewed are working on crowd psychology, yet all are quoted as using discredited psychological theories.
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Blogzero on Boiron and the Streisand effect
Boiron is getting lots and lots of publicity, all of it bad.
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Steven Novella on homeopathic thuggery
They are using their resources and their corporate lawyers to try to silence completely legitimate criticism of their pseudoscientific products.
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Homeopathy multinational threatens to sue blogger
A letter sent by the Italian arm of multinational company Boiron threatens to sue a blogger over remarks he made about homoeopathy.
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On Midnight’s Children and “one of each” reading
A novel is not an unreliable reference book.
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What Bachmann’s submission theology really means
It’s common for Christian politicians questioned about their adherence to submission theology to dodge a scriptural explanation.
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Christian candidate’s guide to infidels
Academics who study the evangelical movement note that atheism and secular culture seem to be a particular bugaboo.
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Bishop says suicide inquiry won’t shed light
Police believe at least 26 victims of sexual abuse at schools in which one convicted priest taught have committed suicide. Bishop shrugs.
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The full HRW report on Somalia
This report documents numerous abuses during renewed fighting in the past year by parties to the 20-year-long conflict in Somalia.
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HRW on war crimes in Somalia
All sides should immediately end abuses against civilians and ensure access to aid and free movement of people fleeing conflict and drought.
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NSS conference on secularism
Conway Hall, London, 10 September. Mary Warnock, Jonathan Miller, Nick Cohen, Anne Marie Waters (One Law for All), Diana Nammi (IKWRO).
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Madrileños up in arms at cost of pope’s visit
Many are angry at the use of public funding and tax breaks to help finance a religious celebration during an economic crisis.
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Malise Ruthven on the new European far-right
There is a fresh urgency to the question of whether highly charged political rhetoric can play a part in motivating extreme forms of violence.
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Wendy Kaminer on “the slut walk”
As a practical matter, we can control the way we present ourselves but not the ways in which we are perceived.
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Spain: toilet paper in Vatican colors for sale
Each pack contains two perfumed rolls of toilet paper, one yellow and the other white, which can be used as giant streamers to welcome the pope.
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Is it ok to ask Bachmann about her religious beliefs?
Hell yes. Bachmann has publicly said that “the Lord says: Be submissive, wives. You are to be submissive to your husbands.”
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Catholic nurses win “right” not to do their jobs
Lawyer from Thomas More Legal Centre claimed their belief in “the sanctity of life” from conception onwards was a philosophical belief protected under the Equality Act.
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Pope’s visit to Madrid animates secular protesters
Protesters are particularly incensed by official attempts to block social media sites where demonstrations are being planned.