‘Faith is reduced to a system of strange convictions.’ But without strange convictions, what is ‘faith’?… Read the rest
All entries by this author
‘Abortion’ Search Term Blocked on Website 
Apr 5th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Under Bush policy, USAID denies funding to NGOs that promote abortion. … Read the rest
Vatican Hoping to Build Church in Saudi
Apr 4th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Authorities cite a tradition of the Prophet M that only Islam can be practised in the Arabian Peninsula. … Read the rest
Part 2 of Rise of the Lifestyle Nutritionists
Apr 4th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Maybe later in the year there will be a series on big pharma. Tell the BBC yes please.… Read the rest
Austin Dacey Reviews Charles Taylor
Apr 4th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
There are plenty of naturalistic explanations for the transcendent urge. … Read the rest
Farish Noor on ‘Heftier Penalties’ in Malaysia
Apr 4th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Let the cameras of the international media film Malaysians being whipped by the morality police.… Read the rest
Khadim Hussain on the Tribal Areas [scroll down]
Apr 4th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The Sharia Nizam-i-Adl Regulation 2008 would make the courts subservient to the clerics. … Read the rest
Sharia Noose Tightens in Malaysia
Apr 3rd, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Religious police patrol parks looking for couples holding hands and ensure Muslims observe Ramadan. … Read the rest
Saudi Cleric Says Two Writers Should be Killed
Apr 3rd, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The two questioned the view that adherents of other religions should be considered unbelievers. … Read the rest
Anglican Church in Wales: No Women Bishops
Apr 3rd, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘If women are good enough to be priests they are good enough to be bishops,’ says Giles Fraser.… Read the rest
Blair to Talk About His ‘Faith Foundation’
Apr 3rd, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Murphy-O’Connor adds that ‘the role of faith in our society cannot be ignored.’… Read the rest
Grayling on Murphy-O’Connor
Apr 3rd, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Judaeo-Christian’ ethics were taken over from Stoicism and Cicero.… Read the rest
‘Faith’ Schools Kick Up Fuss
Apr 3rd, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘There is an anti-faith-schools agenda at the moment’ says head of Finchley Catholic High School.… Read the rest
Postcard from Kuala Lumpur
Apr 3rd, 2008 9:20 am | By Ophelia BensonThinking of moving to Malaysia?
Malaysia runs parallel sharia and civil legal systems, with sharia courts dealing only with Muslims and mainly in family disputes or in matters such as khalwat or apostasy. It employs religious police to ensure Muslim compliance with Koranic laws. They sometimes patrol parks looking for young unwed couples holding hands, raid nightclubs to catch Muslims drinking alcohol and ensure Muslims observe the fasting month of Ramadan.
Ah does it. But…how do the religious police know who is Muslim? When they go into a park to try to find some evil couples holding hands, how do they know which couples contain Muslims and which don’t? Does everybody in Malaysia wear a large sign or label … Read the rest
NCSE on California Creationism Case
Apr 2nd, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The University has a legitimate interest in evaluating the adequacy of high school courses to prepare students for study.… Read the rest
Summary Judgment in California Creationist Case
Apr 2nd, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Michael Behe scores an own goal.… Read the rest
No Evidence for Benefit of Drinking Lots of Water
Apr 2nd, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
There are lots of claims, but they all seem to be made up. … Read the rest
Ali Eteraz on Difficulties With Sharia
Apr 2nd, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Sharia is not codified. It can be anything based on the whim of the arbitrator. For law to be law, it needs standardization.… Read the rest
Imam Calls Jews ‘Brothers of Apes and Pigs’
Apr 2nd, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘If you take a sample on Friday, you’re bound to hear incitement against the Jews in the imam’s sermon.’… Read the rest
Distorted Outlook on the Archbishop’s Speech
Apr 2nd, 2008 | By Allen EstersonOn 12 February 2008 the BBC World Service “Outlook”
news magazine programme devoted some fifteen minutes to a report on the reactions in Britain to the Archbishop of Canterbury’s speech the previous week in which he had advocated incorporating certain aspects of less contentious Sharia law (relating to civil matters such as marriage and divorce) into the British legal system. Notoriously, quite what he was advocating was by no means clear – Dr Rowan Williams himself later acknowledged elements of “unclarity” in his speech, and of “clumsily deployed” words.
Now there is no doubt that much of the response to the Archbishop’s speech was based on a knee-jerk reaction to the more unpleasant aspects of Sharia law advocated by extreme … Read the rest
