The 18th century imagined the Republic of Letters as a realm with no police and no boundaries.… 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Inevitably links go out of date.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.
Nisbet’s Latest Nonsense 
Mar 30th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Dawkins ‘uses the trust granted him as a scientist’ to ‘stigmatize and attack various social groups.’… Read the rest
Meet ‘One Mind Ministries’
Mar 30th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Members denied a toddler food and water because he did not say ‘Amen’ at mealtimes; he died.… Read the rest
US Rep Opposes UN ‘Defamation’ Ban
Mar 29th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Congressman Trent Franks urged ambassadors to reject the resolution on ‘defamation’ of religion.… Read the rest
Reporters Without Borders Outraged About Ban
Mar 29th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘The Council has just dealt a severe blow to the freedom of expression it is supposed to defend.’… Read the rest
Archbish of Cant Demands More Xianity on BBC
Mar 29th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘As a public service broadcaster, the BBC has a duty to provide religious programmes.’ Eh?… Read the rest
Atheists Debaptize, Churches Grow Gloomy
Mar 29th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The 26 Lords Spiritual could now have their position undermined as the number of people being debaptised grows.… Read the rest
Mary Honeyball on Blair’s Aggressive Christianity
Mar 29th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Faith is and should remain a personal eccentricity, not something to be forced on others in any way whatsoever.… Read the rest
Taliban Tells NGOs to Leave Swat
Mar 29th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘NGO is another name for vulgarity and obscenity. They want to take away the veil from our women.’… Read the rest
Taliban Blocks Polio Vaccination in Swat
Mar 29th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Taliban militants have obstructed officials from vaccinating over 300,000 children, saying vacs are an anti-Muslim plot.… Read the rest
Women Told to Commit ‘Honor’ Suicide
Mar 28th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Women are told they have ‘dishonored’ the family, then locked in a room with rat poison.… Read the rest
Killer Text Messages
Mar 28th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Rumours of deadly SMS messages are symptoms of a worrying rise of superstition in Egypt.… Read the rest
Texas Freedom Network: Science Takes a Hit
Mar 28th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The word ‘weaknesses’ is out but there are still plenty of potential footholds for creationist attacks.… Read the rest
Hitchens on the Surrender of Swat
Mar 28th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
We know what happens to countries where vicious fantasists govern illiterates with the help of only one book.… Read the rest
Sharia in Swat
Mar 28th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Clerics with no knowledge of how to run a court have taken away what human rights protection the State once offered. … Read the rest
Religion and Science, Again
Mar 27th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
NOMA simply grants religion a privileged place as an equal to science, when it deserves no such prestige.… Read the rest
Must We Always Cater to the Faithful?
Mar 27th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The truth is that faith is not compatible with science or reason; why not just say so?… Read the rest
Lancet: the Pope is Distorting Science
Mar 27th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Pope’s recent comments on condoms were wildly inaccurate and could have devastating consequences.… Read the rest
Russell Blackford on ‘Defamation of Religion’
Mar 27th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The resolution is in broad enough terms to condemn almost any criticism of religious beliefs or activities.… Read the rest
Texas Board of Ed Rejects Anti-evolution Rule
Mar 27th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Board narrowly rejected bid to require that ‘weaknesses’ in ToE be taught in Texas science classes.… Read the rest
