Butterflies and Wheels update
Ophelia Benson
New in "Latest News"
University offers discount on tickets for religious people
Pennsylvania ACLU said that's a no-no.
Filed: January 9, 2012
The Church of Kopimism
We were founded about 15 months ago and we believe that information is holy and that the act of copying is holy.
Filed: January 9, 2012
Censorship row at UCL
Student union wants UCL Atheist, Secularist and Humanist Society to remove an image from Jesus and Mo on its Facebook page, claiming it's "offensive."
Filed: January 10, 2012
Not where Egyptian feminists hoped women would be
Emboldened by the revolution to claim a new voice in public life, many are finding that they are still dependent on the protection of men.
Filed: January 10, 2012
Defend freedom of expression at UCL
We the undersigned urge the University College London Union to immediately halt their attempts to censor the UCLU Atheist, Secularist & Humanist Society.
Filed: January 10, 2012
What are Ron Paul’s liberal fans thinking?
In a Paul administration, we wouldn’t see an end only to wars like the one in Iraq. It would mean an end to any humanitarian intervention at all.
Filed: January 10, 2012
The Freethinker on UCL and Jesus and Mo
The petition is attracting signatures from around the world, including those of Richard Dawkins and Maryam Namazie.
Filed: January 11, 2012
Alex Gabriel provides background on J and M fuss
Includes the full correspondence between the president of UCL’s atheist society and the one Muslim student who complained to them.
Filed: January 11, 2012
Jesus, Mo and barmaid resolve to say nothing offensive
A quiet evening at the pub. Very quiet.
Filed: January 11, 2012
Jessica Ahlquist wins her case
Judge finds school prayer to "our heavenly father" is in fact religious. Stone the crows.
Filed: January 11, 2012
Egypt: Nour party demands “morals patrols”
The Egyptian supporters of Wahhabism have wasted no time in demanding the importation of retrograde Saudi customs into Egypt.
Filed: January 12, 2012
Should the NY Times be a “truth vigilante”?
Asks the public editor of the NY Times. Say what?
Filed: January 12, 2012
Americans should protest Helen Ukpabio’s visit
By instructing gullible Nigerian parents to persecute their own children, Ukpabio continues to enrich herself, through her books and remittances from exorcisms.
Filed: January 12, 2012
Canada: confusion over status of gay marriage
Non-Canadian gays can marry in Canada but not divorce if the marriage is valid in Canada but not at home. Maybe. No one seems to know, exactly.
Filed: January 12, 2012
Nirmukta: In memoriam: Ajita Kamal 1978-2011
His contributions towards the cause of reason were manifold: as a prolific and edifying writer, as an insightful interviewer, as an adept podcast host, as an energetic community organizer both on-ground and online, and as a welcoming mentor to many freethinkers young and old taking their first steps towards embracing freethought.
Filed: January 12, 2012
Filed: January 12, 2012
Clay Shirky on the NY Times and truth
Readers do not care about the epistemological differences between lies and weasel words; we want newspapers to limit the ability of politicians to make dubious assertions without penalty.
Filed: January 13, 2012
Julian Baggini in praise of praying
The religious context transforms religious rituals from something optional and arbitrary into something necessary and grounded.
Filed: January 13, 2012
Jessica Ahlquist targeted by cyber-bullies
“shes not human shes garbage” “I’ll drop anchor on her face” “i cant wait to hear about you getting curb stomped” “what a little bitch lol I wanna snuff her”
Filed: January 13, 2012
Nidhi Dutt on being “Eve teased”
Filed: January 13, 2012
Newt Gingrich ad treats speaking French as a crime
How dare a presidential candidate speak a second language! Presidents should be as pig-ignorant as possible!
Filed: January 13, 2012
5 men accused of stirring up hatred due to sexual orientation
The leaflet which formed the basis of the charges featured a hanged mannequin and claimed that "Allah permits the destruction" of those who allow homosexuality and those who practise it.
Filed: January 13, 2012
Mary Raftery 1957-2012
The journalist whose television documentaries exposed decades of abuse of children in church-run industrial schools in Ireland.
Filed: January 14, 2012
Mary Raftery’s work changed Ireland
After RTÉ broadcast Raftery’s States of Fear in 1999, the Ryan commission of inquiry into child abuse was set up, as was the Residential Institutions Redress Board.
Filed: January 14, 2012
RTÉ on Mary Raftery
She was best known for her 'States of Fear' series, which revealed the extent of physical and sexual abuse of children in Irish industrial schools and residential institutions.
Filed: January 14, 2012
Janet Heimlich on Helen Ukpabio
We must examine what role authority figures play in failing to protect children from abuse or, worse, inciting violence against children.
Filed: January 14, 2012
What future for Afghan woman jailed for being raped?
Filed: January 15, 2012
Skepticlawyer on a suit against a blogger
And on feminism, religion, debates about porn and abortion.
Filed: January 15, 2012
Helen Lewis-Hasteley on the pinkification of toys
If a girl wants a construction set, how is making her feel abnormal going to encourage her - and her parents - to spend money at your store?
Filed: January 15, 2012
Jerusalem: gynecology conference bars women speakers
Women are allowed in the audience, in a section separate from men.
Filed: January 15, 2012
Top Muslim Brotherhood woman on women’s rights
“When a woman marches to defend her rights, this affronts her dignity.”
Filed: January 16, 2012
The Guardian is defending sharia again
It’s disturbing that ‘leading’ barristers and newspapers can say Sharia is compatible with human rights whilst it amputates, stones to death, imposes veiling, and kills apostates.
Filed: January 16, 2012
BBC on growing use of Sharia by UK Muslims
Filed: January 16, 2012
“Angry Brides” game targets Indian dowry demands
The parody of "Angry Birds" throws a spotlight on dowry demands and harassment.
Filed: January 16, 2012
New in "Articles"
Mileva Marić: The Other Einstein
By Allen Esterson
Another opportunity for subjecting these claims to close scrutiny.
Filed: January 9, 2012
Stop Ukpabio from Bringing her Witch hunting campaign to the US
By Leo Igwe
Ukpabio uses her sermons, teachings and prophetic declarations to incite hatred, intolerance and persecution of alleged witches and wizards.
Filed: January 12, 2012
New in "Notes and Comment Blog"
- What we talk about when we talk about woo
Filed: January 9, 2012 - The monks at Belmont Abbey College knew
Filed: January 9, 2012 - When certain Muslims voiced their offense
Filed: January 10, 2012 - Ajita Kamal
Filed: January 10, 2012 - That’s what she said
Filed: January 10, 2012 - Misogyny? What misogyny?
Filed: January 11, 2012 - Jesus and Mo and the barmaid resolve to say nothing offensive
Filed: January 11, 2012 - Remove that offensive image at once please
Filed: January 11, 2012 - Beliefs are mutable (with qualifications)
Filed: January 11, 2012 - Jessica Ahlquist wins the case
Filed: January 11, 2012 - Damn you LEGO
Filed: January 11, 2012 - In town next week
Filed: January 11, 2012 - You call that “Light”?
Filed: January 12, 2012 - “Eve teasing”
Filed: January 12, 2012 - Nirmukta says good-bye to Ajita Kamal
Filed: January 12, 2012 - Prayer is totes secular!!
Filed: January 12, 2012 - A few minutes of quiet reflection
Filed: January 13, 2012 - Dr Gingrich sneers at the crime of speaking French
Filed: January 13, 2012 - Christian love
Filed: January 13, 2012 - Christian love
Filed: January 13, 2012 - Frolicking in the gentle breeze
Filed: January 13, 2012 - Mary Raftery
Filed: January 14, 2012 - Dainty boxing
Filed: January 14, 2012 - Amartya Sen on identity
Filed: January 14, 2012 - The crime of Moska
Filed: January 15, 2012 - Où sont les neiges
Filed: January 15, 2012 - Peter Palumbo
Filed: January 15, 2012 - I see a T shirt
Filed: January 15, 2012 - This will feel a little cold
Filed: January 15, 2012 -
Who’s an evil little thing then?
Filed: January 16, 2012 - On her own she will not be able to get her rights
Filed: January 16, 2012 - Never anything more than an informal request
Filed: January 16, 2012 - Developments
Filed: January 16, 2012 - They will take more consideration
Filed: January 16, 2012