Every year these stories turn out to be hype generated by right-whingers.… 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Inevitably links go out of date.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.
Children Accused as Witches in Nigeria 
Dec 9th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Tortured, driven out, killed, while Evangelical preachers drive around in Mercedes.… Read the rest
Debate on Apostasy in Islam
Dec 9th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Sir, if you become an apostate, your punishment is death.’… Read the rest
Muslim ‘Apostates’ Threatened
Dec 9th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Religious persecution of the kind Sofia suffers is increasingly common in Britain today.… Read the rest
California Diocese Leaves Episcopal Church
Dec 9th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Diocese of San Joaquin the first to break from US church over its relatively liberal views on homosexuality.… Read the rest
What is ‘Cultural Understanding’?
Dec 9th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Half the world can go on thinking it has a right to imprison and execute whenever it considers its feelings hurt.… Read the rest
Stephen Law Discusses With Ibrahim Lawson
Dec 9th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Religious education, critical thinking for children, the nuclear option in argument.… Read the rest
Why Are Islam’s Moderates so Quiet?
Dec 8th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Ayaan Hirsi Ali ponders the silence about ‘the Qatif girl,’ Taslima Nasreen, Gillian Gibbons.… Read the rest
Austin Statesman on Texas Education Agency
Dec 8th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘An employee shouldn’t look like they are siding with one camp over another,’ Agency spokeswoman said.… Read the rest
Barbara Forrest on Chris Comer’s Forced Resignation
Dec 8th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
One wonders why TEA would even want to remain ‘neutral’ concerning the ID movement’s goal.… Read the rest
Galloway Goes Creationist
Dec 8th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
His baby doesn’t look like an accident of evolutionary chance to him. Ah – persuasive.… Read the rest
The Abu Ghanem Trial
Dec 7th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Hamda was the eighth female relative in six years believed to have been the victim of an ‘honor killing.’… Read the rest
Publisher on Trial for ‘Insulting Turkishness’
Dec 7th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Up to three years in prison for publishing a book promoting reconciliation between Turks and Armenians.… Read the rest
Cleric Issues Orders to Taslima Nasreen
Dec 7th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘The apology must bear her assurance that she will desist from repeating such venomous writing that may have any inkling of blasphemy.’… Read the rest
Hitchens on Romney’s Nonsense
Dec 7th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Would he expect a Scientologist to be able to avoid questions about L. Ron Hubbard? … Read the rest
Creationist Biologist Sues Over Dismissal
Dec 7th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Suit raises the question: Can people work in a scientific field if they don’t believe in its basic tenets?… Read the rest
Hitchens on Hanukkah
Dec 7th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
An explicit celebration of the original victory of bloody-minded faith over enlightenment and reason. … Read the rest
Romney Tries to Square the Circle
Dec 7th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Will ‘separate the affairs of government from any religion’ but ‘will not separate us from the God who gave us liberty.’… Read the rest
Text of Romney’s Paean to ‘Faith in America’
Dec 7th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘We do not insist on a single strain of religion – rather, we welcome our nation’s symphony of faith.’… Read the rest
NPR’s Science Friday Talks to Christine Comer
Dec 7th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Way too brief and superficial, but interesting.… Read the rest
