Author Archives: Andrew Stuttaford

Nuns, a Pipeline and Religious Liberty – or Privilege

Well, here’s something for everyone: Pipelines, eminent domain, nuns, ‘religious liberty’ or (take your pick) religious privilege. As the Washington Post explains the story, an energy company (Williams Cos) wants to run a natural gas pipeline through agricultural land owned … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Nuns, a Pipeline and Religious Liberty – or Privilege

The Pope’s “Distorted Vision”

Cross-posted on the Corner. I don’t know whether his views on this matter are driven by authoritarianism (Peronism dies hard), a theocratic contempt for national borders or simple bone-headedness, but, in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica Pope … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Comments Off on The Pope’s “Distorted Vision”

Facing Death for Blasphemy

Technology may progress, but there is no right side of history, no rule than man is  going to progress: New York Times: ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — An antiterrorism court in Pakistan has sentenced a Shiite man to death for committing blasphemy … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Facing Death for Blasphemy

Pope Francis against the Individual

On stage, Pope Francis, like Juan Perón, his predecessor in so many respects, can be a vivid speaker. The same cannot be said of his prose, where his arguments are all too often swamped by jargon, citation and the failed, … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Pope Francis against the Individual

The Fires of Easter

From the not always reliable The Golden Bough:  In Münsterland these Easter fires are always kindled upon certain definite hills, which are hence known as Easter or Paschal Mountains. The whole community assembles about the fire. The young men and … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Comments Off on The Fires of Easter

Welcome, Republican Atheists!

Writing over at Patheos, the Friendly Atheist reports on the formation of the group Republican Atheists. That’s good news, I reckon, but the Friendly Atheist seems a little, well, skeptical: The group hopes to “build awareness of Atheist presence in … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Welcome, Republican Atheists!

Middlebury and The Heretic

Cross-posted on The Corner. Looked at one way, the attempt to silence Charles Murray and the violence that followed it was nothing more than another chapter in a long power struggle, but there was something else about it, something more … Continue reading

Posted in Academia | Tagged , | Comments Off on Middlebury and The Heretic

Compassion That’s Not

Writing in America Magazine, Jean Welch Hill, director of the ominously-named Peace and Justice Commission for the [Roman Catholic] diocese of Salt Lake City, argues against peace and justice for the terminally ill: Imagine telling someone who is unable to … Continue reading

Posted in Medicine, Religion | Tagged | Comments Off on Compassion That’s Not

Enlightenment Fail : A Dane is Charged with Blasphemy

Cross-posted on the Corner. The New York Times (my emphasis added): A 42-year-old man who burned a Quran and posted a video of it on Facebook has been charged with blasphemy in Denmark, a striking decision by prosecutors in a … Continue reading

Posted in Church & State | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Dr. Paltrow Presumes: Iodine

The Independent: Another week, another piece of questionable advice from Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop. This time, however, the website may have made its most dangerous recommendation yet, as a doctor has called out the latest post saying: “Almost everything in this … Continue reading

Posted in Medicine | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Dr. Paltrow Presumes: Iodine