The schoolboy was crushed by a car; he died after refusing a blood transfusion in hospital.… Read the rest
Welcome to our archive of news stories relevant to the project of fighting fashionable nonsense. The stories are drawn from the electronic pages of the world’s media. On this page, you’ll find links to those stories that have been featured on Butterflies and Wheels during the current year. At the bottom of the page, you’ll find links to separate archives of stories from previous years.
We’re always pleased to hear about news stories that you think should be featured on Butterflies and Wheels. Just send an email here, if you want to point one out to us.
A note about links
Inevitably links go out of date. We suggest, therefore, that you make hard-copies of the stories that particularly interest you.
Portugal: president ratifies gay marriage law 
May 18th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Three days after pope left Portugal, having warned that gay marriage is an insidious dangerous threat.… Read the rest
Libel laws can’t decide religious disputes
May 18th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
What is or is not a cult is a religious question, not a legal one.… Read the rest
David Colquhoun on the calumnies against Evan Harris
May 17th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The Reverend Lynda Rose; Keith Mann; Cristina Odone; George Pitcher; all incredibly nasty.… Read the rest
Philippa Stroud given job in new government
May 17th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
She didn’t win a seat, but has been appointed as a special advisor to work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith.… Read the rest
Texas school books: God, patriotism, free enterprise
May 17th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Christian conservatives have won almost half the seats on the Texas education board.… Read the rest
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown: Stand up against the burka
May 17th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“What of the fact that millions of us are against the black covering? And that many supported the French school-uniform proscription?”… Read the rest
God is great because suffering is beautiful
May 17th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
This evolutionary creation is an unfolding story of beauty, goodness and love. … Read the rest
C of E wants BBC to be a branch of C of E
May 16th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
BBC does lots of religion, church wants it to do more and more and more.… Read the rest
Catholic church lobbying against Child Victims Act
May 16th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The measure recognizes the church’s history of intimidating victims and burying abuses in church files.… Read the rest
The bathetic tragedy of Orlando Figes
May 16th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
He said he never, he said it was his wife, he said he did and he’s sorry.… Read the rest
Michael Ruse on himself and Orlando Figes
May 16th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Ruse’s dud Amazon review and Figes’s fake Amazon reviews.… Read the rest
Bill Donohue pitches a fit at Empire State Building
May 15th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
He wants it to wear blue and white lights for Ma Teresa’s birthday, and it won’t oblige.… Read the rest
“Spiritual counselor” on Sam Harris on morality
May 15th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Thinks reciprocity is a religious idea.… Read the rest
Holford Watch on bad science communication
May 15th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Nature Publishing Group should be careful about what it links to, even via reader posts.… Read the rest
Goldacre on evidence based smear campaigns
May 15th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
A new experiment shows again that correction of falsehoods only entrenches them.… Read the rest
Ben Goldacre on whistleblowers
May 15th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Doctors are expected to blow the whistle, but they can be punished for doing so. That’s bad.… Read the rest
Grayling reviews Eagleton on evil
May 14th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
A verbal pinball ride among the entries in the telephone book of Western culture.… Read the rest
Roger Scruton urges pessimism
May 14th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Not John Gray’s misanthropic nihilism, but reasoned avoidance of false hopes.… Read the rest
Tatchell calls pope “arch-homophobe”
May 14th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Will the new coalition government think twice about welcoming this ghastly bigot to the UK?… Read the rest
