‘So we now find out again that John McCain is prepared to tell an absolute lie – in public, verifiable, uncontestable.’… Read the rest
All entries by this author
Criminalizing Criticism of Islam 
Sep 11th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Jordan is prosecuting 12 Europeans for ‘blasphemy,’ has asked Interpol to arrest and extradite them.… Read the rest
Max Dunbar Reviews Fourest’s ‘Brother Tariq’
Sep 10th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Outrage over the hijacking of human rights discourse shaded into contempt for the concept of human rights.… Read the rest
Republicans Pretend to be Feminists
Sep 10th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Play at outrage over invented ‘sexist’ comment.… Read the rest
India’s Supreme Court Clears MF Husain
Sep 10th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Renowned artist did not ‘hurt Hindu sentiment’ with nude paintings, but he remains in exile.… Read the rest
Intermittent
Sep 9th, 2008 6:14 pm | By Ophelia BensonIn case you’re wondering why posting has been a tad intermittent of late, it’s just that I’m working on revisions of the book and I have other calls on my time at the moment. But I’ll be back to normal garrulity and belligerence soon.… Read the rest
How broadly?
Sep 9th, 2008 6:09 pm | By Ophelia BensonSomething Madeleine Bunting said in her piece on ‘faith’ schools yesterday.
[O]ver 70% of people in this country still describe themselves as Christian; that may not mean going to church but it may mean wanting children to grow up with broadly Christian values.
But what are broadly Christian values? They’re probably not really Christian values at all, that is, not values that depend on believing that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day and was bodily resurrected and hauled up into heaven. (It’s a little hard to know what values would depend on believing that, really. Atonement? But is the Christian version of that really a value? If it is is it a broadly Christian value? It’s … Read the rest
There is Nothing Honourable in Honour Killing
Sep 9th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
In the Arab world a minority of preachers justify these sickening acts in mosques and phone-in shows. … Read the rest
Padraig Reidy on Offended Bullies
Sep 9th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Not since Mary Whitehouse has the religious right been so confident in its right to stifle debate.… Read the rest
Ahmedinejad’s New Enemy: Women
Sep 9th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Last month Ahmadinejad presented a draft bill designed to ‘re-Islamicize’ the status of women. … Read the rest
Review of Ron Aronson’s Living Without God
Sep 8th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
We need a morality which, without belief in a supreme being, allows us to confront the daily problems of our lived lives.… Read the rest
Texas Science Teachers Walk on Eggshells
Sep 8th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The policy of promoting ID as science was thwarted in Pennsylvania, but may reappear in Texas.… Read the rest
People Worry About Trivia
Sep 8th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Football on Sunday – worry worry worry.… Read the rest
How Do They Know?
Sep 8th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Those people who know what God wants – where do they get their information?… Read the rest
Madeleine Bunting Defends ‘Faith’ Schools
Sep 8th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
People want children to grow up with ‘broadly Christian values’ – but what are they?… Read the rest
Autism and Vaccines: Bad Logic v Science
Sep 7th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Correlation does not imply causation, but the human mind has trouble believing that.… Read the rest
Buried Alive?
Sep 7th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The incident in Balochistan, where 5 women were reportedly buried alive, has finally created a national furore.… Read the rest
Despair Over ‘Honour’ Killings in Pakistan
Sep 7th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Girl forced into marriage with 45-year-old man at age 9 killed by her parents when she sought annulment.… Read the rest
A duty to promote ‘community cohesion’
Sep 6th, 2008 5:51 pm | By Ophelia BensonPolly Toynbee is not a fan of ‘faith’ schools.
Years of Labour handwringing over community cohesion hardly squares with dividing children by religion. Ask why and here’s the doublethink answer: religious academies now have a “duty to promote community cohesion”.
Is that what the faith school cheering section says? So…they just don’t have a clue? No idea that religion does promote ‘community cohesion’ but at the price of promoting ‘community hostility’ at the same time? They haven’t read the report on Saudi textbooks perhaps – the one that teaches children that ‘A Muslim is forbidden to love and aid the unbelieving enemies of God…They are the people of the Sabbath, whose young people God turned into apes, and whose … Read the rest
Polly Toynbee on ‘Faith’ Schools
Sep 6th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Years of Labour handwringing over cohesion hardly squares with dividing children by religion.… Read the rest
