Butterflies and Wheels
Ophelia Benson
New in "Latest News"
Richard Dawkins in ‘single-celled ancestor’ shock
Prominent atheist Richard Dawkins has been hit by fresh scandal today after it emerged that his ancestors were single-celled organisms who metabolised sulphur.
Filed: February 20, 2012
Indy spits its share of disgusting venom at Dawkins
"Puffed-up, self-regarding, vain, prickly and militant, he displays exactly the character traits that could do with some Christian mellowing."
Filed: February 20, 2012
MP apologises for failing to mention interest in health firm
I'm tho thorry, I forgot.
Filed: February 20, 2012
Download the universe
A new website devoted to reviewing ebooks about science, with Carl Zimmer and a team of leading new-media science journalists.
Filed: February 21, 2012
Former archbish of Canterbury opposes gay marriage
Calls the proposal to change the status of marriage ''one of the greatest political power grabs in history.'' Rich comeing from a theocrat.
Filed: February 21, 2012
HRW on how al-Shabaab treats children
“Al-Shabaab rebels have abducted children from their homes and schools to fight, for rape, and for forced marriage,” said HRW deputy children’s rights director.
Filed: February 21, 2012
Assault is ok if the attacker is “offended”
Muslim guy attacks "zombie Mohammed" in atheist parade, is arrested and tried; judge dismisses case, blames victim for being so offensive.
Filed: February 22, 2012
Religious groups to candidates: a bit less religion please
You're doing it too much even for us, say 14 Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Sikh organizations.
Filed: February 22, 2012
A brutal price still paid for daring to challenge faith
The assault on Dawkins illustrates the extent to which defenders of religion still dominate our press and the brutal retaliation exacted on clever opponents of faith.
Filed: February 23, 2012
John Gray reviews Alain de Botton
The illiteracy of the current generation of atheists; atheism a militant creed; childish certainties; fulminating about religion; but so has science.
Filed: February 23, 2012
Lancs boy, 16, has jaw broken in homophobic attack
He was walking down the street with his sister when three men shouted homophobic abuse at him; then they beat him up.
Filed: February 24, 2012
Gender and risk aversion
After eight weeks, the women in the single-sex classes were no more risk averse than men.
Filed: February 24, 2012
Telegraph amazed: Dawkins not “certain” God is not
He said that in the book. Whence the surprise?
Filed: February 24, 2012
Italy: Catholic church properties to pay tax
The law now allows businesses operating out of Church property such as hotels and restaurants not to pay property tax as long as the building also has a chapel or similar.
Filed: February 24, 2012
Amitava Kumar on reading Rushdie (aloud) in Jaipur
I had felt a great sense of freedom—a liberation from fear—as I read Rushdie's words out loud in public for what I believed was the first time in the country of his birth.
Filed: February 24, 2012
Equalities minister says the church does not own marriage
"It is the government's fundamental job to reflect society and to shape the future, not stay silent where it has the power to act and change things for the better."
Filed: February 25, 2012
Which priest is more culpable?
Lynn drew up a list of abusive priests, Bevilacqua and Molloy ordered the list destroyed, Bevilacqua secretly kept the list in his safe.
Filed: February 25, 2012
Chicago cardinal in a snit at Irish PM Enda Kenny
Kenny rebuked the Vatican last year over their refusal to cooperate in the inquiry into child sexual abuse in the diocese of Cloyne in Cork.
Filed: February 26, 2012
Is a lie free speech or a crime?
The Supreme Court asked questions about when Congress can make it a crime to tell a lie that does not defraud or defame.
Filed: February 26, 2012
Defending lying is a lot harder than defending freedom
Freedom of speech means the freedom to misuse speech - unless that speech falls under one of a number of narrow “historical exceptions” laid out by the Supreme Court over the years.
Filed: February 26, 2012
The Taliban is determined to stop Fawzia Koofi
She intends to stand in the presidential election. The Taliban would rather she didn’t. And so they shoot at her and her family.
Filed: February 27, 2012
Wikipedia and “the majority of sources”
The conventional wisdom, however wrong, always trumps a correction, however well documented.
Filed: February 27, 2012
Andrew Copson on humanist education
Humanists in education have prioritised the development of critical thinking and a rational spirit for its social consequences in the formation of democratic citizens.
Filed: February 27, 2012
Which is worse – cult of Ataturk or “mild” Islamism?
Both.
Filed: February 27, 2012
Cameroon: 3 women “charged with” practising homosexuality
In Liberia, a senate committee is currently debating a proposal to tighten laws banning same-sex relationships.
Filed: February 27, 2012
Atheist and maltheist have a discussion
Gnosticism with a twist.
Filed: February 28, 2012
Marc Alan Di Martino on falling for science
Knowledge increases wonder, and there's no danger of running out of either in the world of scientific discovery.
Filed: February 28, 2012
The Opinionista is over it
The rant of an angry, Agnostic, British, Indo-Pakistani woman of Muslim heritage.
Filed: February 28, 2012
Moses channels de Botton for Jesus and Mo
The barmaid says truth matters.
Filed: February 29, 2012
New in "Articles"
Killing for a Book
By Lauryn Oates
We ultimately fail to see the utter senselessness of taking human life on account of harm to a book.
Filed: February 25, 2012
New in "Notes and Comment Blog"
- Up for a prize
Filed: February 20, 2012 - It’s only 50 thousand pounds
Filed: February 20, 2012 - Justin finds another consignment of atheist-bashing
Filed: February 20, 2012 - Because Afghans have nothing more important to fret about
Filed: February 21, 2012 - Former archbishop (ret’d) in Daily Mail
Filed: February 21, 2012 - What we talk about when we talk about blogging
Filed: February 21, 2012 - About us – except for who we are
Filed: February 22, 2012 - Narcissus leaves the pool
Filed: February 22, 2012 - Humbly lovingly thoughtfully crashing the party
Filed: February 23, 2012 - However childish
Filed: February 23, 2012 - Shall I compare thee to a spotty adolescent
Filed: February 23, 2012 - Guest post by Musical Atheist on Richard Dawkins
Filed: February 24, 2012 - Defiantly wholesome
Filed: February 24, 2012 - Baby steps
Filed: February 24, 2012 - Christians got no manners
Filed: February 24, 2012 - Prepared to confront them
Filed: February 25, 2012 - More “confronting with love”
Filed: February 25, 2012 - What price the golden rule eh?
Filed: February 26, 2012 - Will he never arrive?
Filed: February 26, 2012 - Oh they’re all like that
Filed: February 26, 2012 - The majority has spoken
Filed: February 27, 2012 - It never took
Filed: February 27, 2012 - You can’t win
Filed: February 27, 2012 - What is belief
Filed: February 28, 2012 - We mandate no belief
Filed: February 28, 2012 - More from Opinionista
Filed: February 28, 2012 - Whereabouts
Filed: February 29, 2012 - The disease of education
Filed: February 29, 2012 - This is the place where I am at the moment
Filed: February 29, 2012 - Location location
Filed: March 1, 2012 - Window seat geekery
Filed: March 1, 2012 - Items
Filed: March 1, 2012 - People
Filed: March 2, 2012 - Seen
Filed: March 2, 2012 - News from Orlando
Filed: March 3, 2012 - Another quick update
Filed: March 3, 2012 - Still here
Filed: March 4, 2012 - The conference is over
Filed: March 4, 2012 - Please remove your belt
Filed: March 5, 2012 - My opinion of LA International Airport
Filed: March 5, 2012