In addition to providing false medical information, many of the centers actively proselytize and tell non-Christian women to convert or face damnation.… 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Inevitably links go out of date.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.
Index on Censorship on Tim Minchin 
Dec 25th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
If offence must be taken so seriously, then perhaps we need to start being offended too, at least for the purposes of complaining.… Read the rest
Pope urges us to see through the superficial glitter
Dec 25th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
He says it while wearing a glittery dress and hat and carrying a glittery stick.… Read the rest
Nigeria: bombs at churches kill 32
Dec 25th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Boko Haram says Boko Haram did it.… Read the rest
Barnaby Joyce pitches a fit at atheists
Dec 24th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“This sect’s followers make their way on to your veranda then hold a righteous court of sneering indignation about the crib in the park.” Wot?… Read the rest
Popehat on “the downfall of Marc Stephens”
Dec 24th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“No NORMAL person would do that!”… Read the rest
Nick Cohen on censorship
Dec 23rd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
From Rushdie onwards we have seen liberal Westerners condemning or ignoring dissident Muslims and ex-Muslims when theocrats seek to silence them.… Read the rest
Atheist barbarians winning the war on Christmas!!
Dec 23rd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“Historian” says the US “was founded by Christians along Christian principles with the express intention of building a more Christian commonwealth.”… Read the rest
Tim Minchin on being dropped at the last minute
Dec 22nd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
He was asked to write a song; wrote the song while on tour; performed the song with seconds to spare; all wasted effort.… Read the rest
Tim Minchin blogs about dropped song shock-horror
Dec 22nd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Tim Minchin fumes, BBC reports solemnly, quoting from his blog.… Read the rest
Tim Minchin song mocks Jesus shock-horror
Dec 22nd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
ITV director cut it from Xmas special. Telegraph writes out the lyrics, hoping you will burst with outrage.… Read the rest
Jesus and Mo rebuke atheists for quotemining
Dec 22nd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Preaching by example… Read the rest
Heathen’s Progress so far: any progress?
Dec 22nd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
You tell him.… Read the rest
Cloyne report highlights failure of diocese
Dec 21st, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The failure of the Catholic diocese of Cloyne to deal properly with allegations of child sexual abuse up to 2008 has been highlighted in previously redacted elements of the Cloyne report.… Read the rest
Baby at risk of ‘honor killing’ must be adopted
Dec 21st, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Because otherwise someone might kill her.… Read the rest
Israeli woman refuses to move to back of bus
Dec 21st, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
A woman passenger on a public bus was told by a Haredi male passenger to move to the back of the bus. She didn’t.… Read the rest
Dr Hilary Jones promotes Burzynski Clinic on TV
Dec 21st, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The UK mainstream media are doing a terrible job of covering the subject.… Read the rest
Neal Pollack knew Christopher Hitchens better than you
Dec 20th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
We’d all make fun of Mother Teresa and Princess Diana, then remove our pants to compare our manhoods. We were so middle-aged and foolish then, so committed to the struggle.… Read the rest
CPJ report on journalists killed in 2011
Dec 20th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
At least 43 journalists were killed around the world in direct relation to their work in 2011, with the seven deaths in Pakistan marking the heaviest losses in a single nation.… Read the rest
Dennett on Hitchens: when rudeness is called for
Dec 20th, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Don’t let anybody play the God card in these discussions as if it were a “Get Out of Jail Free” card that excuses misrepresentation.
