Category Archives: culture

Hell has its Uses

Posted on February 1, 2014 by Andrew Stuttaford

Count me skeptical that there is a hell (fingers crossed!), but there are clearly one or two priests in Montenegro who have some good ideas about who belongs there. The BBC reports: A church in Montenegro has sparked controversy by … Continue reading →

Posted in culture, politics, Religion | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Hell has its Uses

Melancholy, Long, Withdrawing

Posted on January 30, 2014 by Andrew Stuttaford

More on the Maajid Nawaz affair, and specifically, a letter from Britain’s National Secular Society on the next step in Britain’s retreat from the open society: We are writing in response to a package presented by news correspondent Katie Razzall, … Continue reading →

Posted in culture, Religion | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Melancholy, Long, Withdrawing

‘A Modern Bedlam’

Posted on January 26, 2014 by Andrew Stuttaford

Cross-posted in the Corner. Writing in the Guardian, Nick Cohen, with more grim news about the state of multiculturalist Britain: Extremists are menacing the career and life of a Liberal Democrat politician and respectable society hardly considers these authentically scandalous … Continue reading →

Posted in culture, Religion | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on ‘A Modern Bedlam’

The Devil Rides Out (2)

Posted on January 12, 2014 by Andrew Stuttaford

What to today’s Satanists believe? The Economist sets out to explain: Satanists are a rather fractious bunch, with many different organisations, beliefs and rituals. Many of these organisations are wholly or partly occult, with much hidden from non-adherents. Some are … Continue reading →

Posted in culture, Religion | Tagged | Comments Off on The Devil Rides Out (2)

Devilry Afoot

Posted on January 9, 2014 by Andrew Stuttaford

The Devil (or, more accurately, fear of the old monster) has always been a good recruiting sergeant for clergy looking to fill their pews. It’s thus no great surprise to read that the Roman Catholic church is taking advantage of … Continue reading →

Posted in culture, Religion | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Devilry Afoot

Happy Christmas!

Posted on December 23, 2013 by Andrew Stuttaford

This may well be my last post here for a day or so, so how to mark the imminent arrival of Christmas, grandest and jolliest and most syncretic of festivals, this year? With this extract, I think, from Dylan Thomas’s … Continue reading →

Posted in culture | Tagged | 3 Comments

Sparks at Marks

Posted on December 23, 2013 by Andrew Stuttaford

Adapted from a post at Ricochet: Theotory blogger (and martyred Archbishop!) Cranmer’s response to the decision (discussed here earlier) by retailer M&S to accomodate members of staff who, for religious reasons, do not want to handle pork, alcohol is too … Continue reading →

Posted in culture | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Sausages, Gender Segregation and ‘Religious Freedom’

Posted on December 22, 2013 by Andrew Stuttaford

Deciding quite where and how a nation should draw the line between its citizens’ right to practice their religions and its own right to protect itself from spiraling down into balkanization has never been an easy thing to determine and … Continue reading →

Posted in culture | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Should Atheist Politicians ‘Come Out’?

Posted on December 14, 2013 by Andrew Stuttaford

Writing in Politico, Jennifer Hecht laments the absence of any ‘out’ atheists in senior elective office. On Real Time with Bill Maher last August, Maher asked his guest, newly retired Rep. Barney Frank, if he felt liberated now that he … Continue reading →

Posted in culture | Tagged | 20 Comments

21 Years

Posted on December 9, 2013 by Andrew Stuttaford

Witch trials. Still with us. The Guardian reports: Dan Keller has left an Austin jail, a week after his wife was released – and 21 years after the pair were given a 48-year sentence for sexual assault during America’s “Satanic … Continue reading →

Posted in culture, law | Tagged , | 1 Comment