Kano: Ban on Internet Discussion of Sharia *

Mar 24th, 2010 | Filed by

A Nigerian Sharia court has banned Twitter and Facebook debates on a wrist amputation for theft in 2000.… Read the rest



Churches Quit Labour’s Belief Forum *

Mar 24th, 2010 | Filed by

In fury at secularists and equality legislation.… Read the rest



After virtue

Mar 24th, 2010 11:30 am | By

Religious bodies have been demonstrating their virtue again. They’ve quit Labour’s ‘advisory group on religion’ in a huff because the secularists there resisted their demands to be allowed to ignore equality laws.

Muslims had already stopped attending the group…Hindus, Baha’is and secularists are still represented but the Church of England, Salvation Army, Methodist Church and Roman Catholic Church have all left.

Because they don’t want no stinkin’ equality. How impressive.

Peter Vlachos, the National Secular Society delegate, said he was appalled and accused the church groups of “abusing” the forum. He said: “Rather than supporting and championing equality and human rights, the Churches have tried to use the consultative process to try to gain further exemptions from equalities legislation. They

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(Re)producing horse shit

Mar 23rd, 2010 5:24 pm | By

I’ve been reading an article called ‘Canadian Women and the (Re)Production of Women in Afghanistan.’ I do not like it.

From the abstract, so that you can get the big picture:

Focusing on
the prominent group Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan (CW4WAfghan), this
paper looks at the role its advocacy assumes in the context of the “War on Terror”. In
Canada as in the United States, government agencies have justified the military invasion
of Afghanistan by revitalizing the oppressed Muslim woman as a medium through which
narratives of East versus West are performed. While CW4WAfghan attempt to challenge
dominant narratives of Afghan women, they ultimately reinforce and naturalize the
Orientalist logic on which the War on Terror operates, even

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The size of a grapefruit

Mar 23rd, 2010 1:08 pm | By

There’s a post at Talking Philosophy called In Defence of Religious Belief. I would comment on it there but I can’t because I’m banned from commenting, so (since I want to say something) I’ll do it here.

It’s a thought experiment. You’ve been having hallucinations of a monster following you. You believe the shrink who tells you you’re mentally ill. ‘You’re a logical sort of person. If you weren’t too classy, you’d even consider becoming a New Atheist.’ But the experiences feel real.

And then it happens. It’s late at night. You’re alone in your bathroom, and the monster comes crashing in through the window – at least this is what you experience – and it’s on you. It

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We never, and the others all did too, and shut up

Mar 23rd, 2010 12:21 pm | By

The church isn’t giving an inch – on the contrary, it’s fighting like a starving tom cat.

The Catholic Church is being unfairly singled out for criticism of sexual abuse of children by priests and will not tolerate campaigns to discredit it, the powerful head of Italy’s bishops said on Monday.

Oh right – it’s all so terribly unfair. The church sets itself up as a moral arbiter for the entire world, and then it’s surprised and wounded when we get cross with it for its settled habit of hiding priestly child-rape from the police. Yes indeed, that is like so unfair. And it ‘won’t tolerate’ – what does it mean it won’t tolerate? What’s it going to do? What’s … Read the rest



The Pope’s Claim to Be Surprised is Offensive *

Mar 23rd, 2010 | Filed by

Everyone knows the concealment of abuse has been a Vatican tactic from the very beginning. … Read the rest



Hitchens Flouts the Vatican’s Orders *

Mar 23rd, 2010 | Filed by

Says what he thinks of them.… Read the rest



Index on Censorship Welcomes Straw’s Pledge *

Mar 23rd, 2010 | Filed by

Success for Libel Reform Campaign led by English PEN, Index on Censorship, Sense About Science.… Read the rest



Jack Straw Pledges Libel Law Overhaul *

Mar 23rd, 2010 | Filed by

Said ministers are convinced reform is needed, amid concerns at a chilling effect on free expression. … Read the rest



Vatican Says What It Will Not Tolerate *

Mar 23rd, 2010 | Filed by

It will not tolerate campaigns to discredit it.… Read the rest



A little background reading

Mar 22nd, 2010 5:30 pm | By

From the Murphy Report:

In addition to their clerical education, many of those in authority in the Archdiocese had civil law degrees or occupied prestigious appointments in third level education…Despite their participation in civil society, it was not until late 1995 that officials of the Archdiocese first began to notify the civil authorities of complaints of clerical child sexual abuse. In this context it is significant, in the Commission’s view, that every bishop’s primary loyalty is to the Church itself. At his consecration every bishop, as well as making a profession of faith, must take an oath of fidelity to the Apostolic See. [p 7]

1.27 Most officials in the Archdiocese were, however, greatly exercised by the provisions of … Read the rest



I don’t like the church’s spoon

Mar 22nd, 2010 12:40 pm | By

Madeleine Bunting again, as with the Ryan report last year, almost gets it, but then she drops the ball at the end.

There will be plenty celebrating the Catholic church’s plight, and it is hard not to agree in some part with MacCulloch, that hubris has played a huge part in this institution’s history and its current crisis. But it is also important to acknowledge that this is more tragedy than anything else. For the victims, their families, their congregations – many of whom see no cause for celebration despite their need for truth – and for those causes on which the church has proved a trenchant champion, stirring lazy consciences on the arms race, global inequality and capitalist

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Dilution

Mar 22nd, 2010 12:17 pm | By

You have to wonder sometimes, you know?

95,000 descendants of the prophet Muhammad are planning to bring a libel action in Britain over “blasphemous” cartoons of the founder of Islam, even though they were published in the Danish press. The defamation case is being prepared by Faisal Yamani, a Saudi lawyer acting for the descendants, who live in the Middle East, north Africa and as far afield as Australia.

They’re teasing us, right? They’re not serious. I mean, they’re serious about doing it, sure, but they’re not serious about the ‘descendants of the prophet Muhammad’ bit. They’re being ‘ironic,’ they’re playing to our expectations, they’re parodying their own reputation for believing silly things. Right? They don’t really think it … Read the rest



Pope Failed to Mention the Role of the Vatican *

Mar 22nd, 2010 | Filed by

Letter omitted ‘the deliberate policy of the Catholic Church at the highest levels to protect sex offenders.’… Read the rest



Libel Tourism: ‘Descendants of Prophet’ Sue *

Mar 22nd, 2010 | Filed by

The Motoons were read in the UK, so Danish newspapers can be sued in London.… Read the rest



Church Must Rid Itself of Hypocrites and Dissemblers *

Mar 22nd, 2010 | Filed by

But then who will be left?… Read the rest



Is it Submission or Peace? *

Mar 22nd, 2010 | Filed by

Yes.… Read the rest



Haiti: Ex-slave Helps Current Slaves *

Mar 22nd, 2010 | Filed by

There are an estimated 300,000 child slaves in Haiti. … Read the rest



Madeleine Bunting Horrified by Church Crisis *

Mar 22nd, 2010 | Filed by

‘The commitment to the prestige and authority of the institution has been paramount.’… Read the rest