Defenders of the faith insist that the authors of ‘aggressive secularism’ focus maliciously on the bad parts.… Read the rest
All entries by this author
How To Tweak a Graph
Aug 11th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Keep on differentiating until you find a curve that matches your needs.… Read the rest
Hamas Pushes ‘Virtue Campaign’ in Gaza
Aug 11th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Which of course translates to bullying women.… Read the rest
A Toothless Argument
Aug 11th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Loonies still oppose fluoridation of water, so teeth continue to decay. Ice cream, Mandrake? Children’s ice cream?… Read the rest
Reading Karen Armstrong
Aug 11th, 2009 10:30 am | By Ophelia BensonAnother comment from Eric.
Based on the linked interview, it seems pretty clear that Karen Armstrong never really left the convent. The mind has mountains, frightful, sheer, no man fathomed, as Hopkins said.
It also has walls. Take her claim that “The golden rule is that you treat everyone with absolute respect and you don’t exclude any creature, even a mosquito, from your radius of concern.” You have to have put up a wall somewhere to be able to say this. These are just empty words, and they reveal something about her use of language. Laurie Taylor says that he noticed “how carefully Karen constructs her sentences, her care with words, her capacity to alight on a perfect phrase with … Read the rest
Where is the Muslim Anger Over Darfur?
Aug 10th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Some commentators in Muslim-majority countries are questioning their leaders’ support for Bashir.… Read the rest
Sarah Palin’s Way With the Truth
Aug 10th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Says ‘Obama’s “death panel”’ will decide whether her ‘baby with Down Syndrome’ is ‘worthy of health care.’… Read the rest
American Psychological Association Submits
Aug 10th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
APA says ‘religious faith and psychology do not have to be seen as being opposed to each other.’… Read the rest
Asma Jahangir Urges Repeal of Blasphemy Laws
Aug 10th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
NGOs cited the Gojra incident: the local administration allowed organised groups to kill Christians.… Read the rest
Theology should be poetry
Aug 9th, 2009 6:04 pm | By Ophelia BensonI was doing some research for an article earlier and found an interview of Karen Armstrong from a few years ago.
… Read the rest“I’m off to America tomorrow. I have a little book on the Buddha coming out in paperback, so I’m going to a literary festival to talk about it. Which is a nice rest from Islamic fundamentalism.” Was she regarded as an expert on Islam in the States? “Well, it has turned out a bit like that. I was supposed to be flying to America to take up a post at Harvard on September 12 in 2001 and was actually packing when the terrible news came through. So, when I got to Harvard I never even had a chance to
Ben Goldacre on How Myths Are Made
Aug 9th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
A web of systematic and self-reinforcing distortion, resulting in the creation of a myth.… Read the rest
Rise in Violence Against Women in Afghanistan
Aug 9th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Women are victims of ‘honour’ killings, trafficking, early and forced marriages and domestic violence.… Read the rest
George Scialabba Seminar at Crooked Timber
Aug 9th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
One has to be impressed with Scialabba’s uncanny ability to inhabit the books and writers he reviews.… Read the rest
Dan Jones Replies to Karen Armstrong
Aug 9th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
If you take out the doctrine, aren’t you left with rational secular discourse?… Read the rest
Does God Hate Women?
Aug 9th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Read extracts, check out the reviews, get some wisdom from Madeleine Bunting.… Read the rest
Bush Went to War to Thwart Gog and Magog
Aug 8th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
So he told Chirac in 2003 at least. Sans blague.… Read the rest
Iowa Governor ‘Disturbed’ That Atheists Exist
Aug 8th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Can understand why other Iowans were also disturbed.’ Indeed; it is very disturbing.… Read the rest
Des Moines Offended That Atheists Exist
Aug 8th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Ads said ‘Don’t believe in God? You are not alone.’ They were taken down after three days.… Read the rest
Tampa ‘Town Hall Meeting’ Turns Ugly
Aug 7th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Idiots shouting ‘tyranny’ tried to silence The Enemy.… Read the rest
Norm Allen on the Nigerian Nightmare
Aug 7th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
George Ongere of the Center for Inquiry/Kenya says the violence will not deter humanists in Kenya.… Read the rest