Stop being scientists and talk about religion instead.… Read the rest
Political Art is an Integral Part of Cultural Life
Jan 2nd, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonFreedom to prick pomposity, dogmatism and extremist views makes societies robust and creative.… Read the rest
Panic Room Saved Westergaard from Assassin
Jan 2nd, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonEmissary of religion of peace bashed at door with an axe, then threw the axe at a cop.… Read the rest
al-Shabab Hails Attack on Westergaard
Jan 2nd, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘It is a general obligation for all Muslims to defend their religion and the prophet.’ … Read the rest
Is Faith a Virtue?
Jan 2nd, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonMassimo Pigliucci says no, but listens to a talk on the subject anyway; remains unconvinced.… Read the rest
Wendy Kaminer on Index on Censorship
Jan 2nd, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonIt has failed to defend free speech when it is most endangered – by fear of reprisals from governments or mobs.… Read the rest
Somali Man Attempts to Kill Kurt Westergaard
Jan 2nd, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonBBC blames Westergaard.… Read the rest
Nick Cohen on UK Libel Law [link fixed]
Jan 2nd, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe libel laws force us to bite our tongues and avoid essential arguments.… Read the rest
Offensive cartoonist provokes nice guy into attacking him
Jan 2nd, 2010 6:38 am | By Ophelia BensonThe BBC is disgusting at times. It had to report on this al-Shabab guy trying to kill Kurt Westergaard so therefore it had to make sure you didn’t get the wrong idea and think it, the BBC, didn’t think Kurt Westergaard deserved it, at least a little bit. That would never do. So it includes a sidebar of ‘analysis’ which ends with this even-handed bit of slime:
… Read the restModerate Muslims in Denmark have condemned the attack on Kurt Westergaard, but they still believe his drawing was sacrilegious.
Muslim nations are attempting to outlaw what they call the defamation of their religion.
Mr Westergaard came out of hiding last Spring, saying he wanted to defend freedom of expression.
Some independent religious scholars
Well women are so tiny we just can’t see them
Jan 1st, 2010 3:56 pm | By Ophelia BensonOooh look, I get to be on a list. Usually when there’s a list, I don’t get to be on it, which is probably perfectly sensible because there are better people to be on it, except when one looks closely at the list one notices that everyone on it is of just one gender, and it happens to be not the one that I am of which, and at that point one begins to wonder, is there a secret invisible subliminal hidden sub rosa unconscious criterion for being on the list that the maker of the list would probably not admit to but that nevertheless somehow just made it be that only people of one gender were good … Read the rest
Say anything
Jan 1st, 2010 1:32 pm | By Ophelia BensonMark Vernon is playing the same old hurdy-gurdy.
The Oxford church historian tells of a ‘wise old Dominican friar’ who informed him that God is not the answer. Rather, God is the question…First you’ve got to ask what you mean by the word ‘God’. And there is a quick answer: we don’t know what we mean by the word ‘God’. God is a mystery. ‘The word “God” is a label for something we do not know’…
A mystery is different from a problem; a problem can be solved, science does that, science does it well, but a mystery is different. And God is one of those. Aquinas said God can’t even be said to exist. Talk about mysterious!
… Read the restThat’s
A Contest! Most Influential Female Atheist 2009
Jan 1st, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonWe get left off all the other dang lists.… Read the rest
The Blasphemous 25
Jan 1st, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonMark Twain, Tom Lehrer, Monty Python, Salman Rushdie, George Carlin, Christopher Hitchens, et al.… Read the rest
Most Important Religion Story of 2009?
Jan 1st, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonPaula Kirby: the Ryan and Murphy reports, which spilled the beans about the Catholic church in Ireland.… Read the rest
Article Suggests Polygamy for Both or Neither
Jan 1st, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonEgyptian MP files suit, clerics say it’s ‘inflammatory and anti-Islamic.’… Read the rest
Internet Imams Recruit for al Qaeda
Jan 1st, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonBecause they’re so cool and heroic, and Abdulmutallab is cool and heroic now too.… Read the rest
Atheist Ireland Publishes 25 Blasphemous Quotes
Jan 1st, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe new Irish blasphemy law becomes operational today, so it’s time to kick it in the slats.… Read the rest