The Animal Liberation Front is thought to be behind the threats.… Read the rest
All entries by this author
Animal Rights Militia Sends ‘Warning Letters’
Sep 29th, 2005 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘Drop HLS or you will face the consequences.’… Read the rest
Animal Rights ‘Activists’ Threaten Nurseries
Sep 29th, 2005 | Filed by Ophelia BensonLeapfrog Day Nurseries warned to sever all links with Huntingdon Life Sciences.… Read the rest
Evolution in the Dock
Sep 29th, 2005 | Filed by Ophelia BensonLive Science gives details on anti-evolution legislation in 17 states.… Read the rest
Scott McLemee Reads the Classier Tabloid
Sep 28th, 2005 | Filed by Ophelia BensonHow does anyone keep up with all the secondary literature, let alone the two-headed alien babies?… Read the rest
Another Mock Dictionary
Sep 28th, 2005 | Filed by Ophelia BensonLeadership: An undefined quality attributed to bosses on public occasions. … Read the rest
Ishtiaq Ahmed on a Difficulty in Democracy
Sep 28th, 2005 | Filed by Ophelia BensonWhat if a parliamentary majority wants to take away other people’s rights?… Read the rest
‘Contrarian’ Views on AIDS and One Dead Child
Sep 28th, 2005 | Filed by Ophelia BensonHIV-positive woman who refused to have her children tested still refuses to ‘second-guess.’… Read the rest
French Connection III?
Sep 28th, 2005 | By Robert WilcocksA year and a half ago Catherine Meyer, a bright young Normalienne who had served her publication apprenticeship with the small and daring independent firm of Odile Jacob (their offices are a stone’s throw from the French memorial mausoleum to great writers, Le Panthéon – they braved the French politically correct and intellectually ridiculous classes by daring to publish the decisive opening of the French mind to critical inquiry, Alan Sokal’s and Jean Bricmont’s Impostures intellectuelles) … as I was saying, Catherine Meyer served her apprenticeship at Odile Jacob. The lessons were learnt. She is today a Senior Editor at the newly established adventurous publishing house, Les Arènes and a year and a half ago she conceived the idea of … Read the rest
Religion Doesn’t Make People Sweet After All
Sep 27th, 2005 8:30 pm | By Ophelia BensonWell, obviously. This is what we keep saying. No, godbothering does not always and necessarily make people better.
Religious belief can cause damage to a society, contributing towards high murder rates, abortion, sexual promiscuity and suicide, according to research published today. According to the study, belief in and worship of God are not only unnecessary for a healthy society but may actually contribute to social problems. The study counters the view of believers that religion is necessary to provide the moral and ethical foundations of a healthy society.
Or at least it counters the view that religion is a guarantee of a healthy society.
… Read the restMany liberal Christians and believers of other faiths hold that religious belief is socially beneficial,
Tate Defends its Decision; Artist Says it’s Daft
Sep 27th, 2005 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘You can’t act stupidly and not make the opposition feel that they have a case.’… Read the rest
‘Inspiring’ Biographies of Suicide Jihadists
Sep 27th, 2005 | Filed by Ophelia BensonBiographies of jihadists contain many elements of the mythic cult of martyrdom.… Read the rest
Religion Not Necessary to Morality After All
Sep 27th, 2005 | Filed by Ophelia BensonNew research says religious belief can contribute to social problems.… Read the rest
Weird Choices
Sep 27th, 2005 | Filed by Ophelia BensonHollywood leery of comedy with ‘Muslim’ in title, happy with sexist displays and penis jokes.… Read the rest
Psychological Warfare Over le Livre Noir
Sep 27th, 2005 | Filed by Ophelia BensonCritics say Freudian techniques have been elevated to an ‘untouchable dogma’. … Read the rest
Writer’s Choice: Christopher Hitchens
Sep 27th, 2005 | Filed by Ophelia BensonA life of solidarity on the part of a defeated nation and an oppressed class.… Read the rest
Imaginary Offense and Real Censorship
Sep 26th, 2005 5:18 pm | By Ophelia BensonSo it turns out that Sacranie isn’t all that gleeful after all. Or perhaps he is but thinks it politic to pretend not to be. Or perhaps he is but wants to throw his weight around some more anyway – yes that could be it, that seems to fit.
The Muslim Council of Britain told the BBC News website: “We have not received any complaints about this piece of artwork. We would have preferred to have been consulted by Tate Britain before the decision was taken to remove John Latham’s piece. Sometimes presumptions are incorrectly made about what is unacceptable to Muslims and this can be counter-productive.”
Ah – is that what you would have preferred. Is it really. Yes … Read the rest
Sensitivity is Today’s Soft Despotism
Sep 26th, 2005 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe notion of sensitivity led to less toleration rather than more.… Read the rest
Richard Wolin on Jürgen Habermas
Sep 26th, 2005 | Filed by Ophelia BensonAre contemporary philosophers up to explaining post-secular societies?… Read the rest
Science Can’t Produce Instant Answers
Sep 26th, 2005 | Filed by Ophelia BensonA single year’s observation does not permit the divination of a long-term trend.… Read the rest