Category Archives: Uncategorized

Belgium and the Vatican

Posted on June 27, 2010 by Andrew Stuttaford

Was there something a little theatrical about the raid by the Belgian police on church premises in that country? Perhaps, but the Vatican’s reaction is, to say the least, curious. First there was this (via the Daily Telegraph) from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 5 Comments

Israel’s Fundamentalist Problem (ctd.)

Posted on June 19, 2010 by Andrew Stuttaford

More on this topic, this time via the Jerusalem Post (June 7, 2010): Hundreds of haredim were involved in violent riots in Jaffa on Wednesday, in Rehov Louis Pasteur around the site of an archeological dig.  Fifteen haredim were arrested. … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 10 Comments

Okey Dokey

Posted on June 19, 2010 by Andrew Stuttaford

Via the National Catholic Reporter, June 11, 2010: Since the Catholic sexual abuse crisis erupted a decade ago, there have been numerous attempts to explain its causes, from a lack of fidelity to an over-emphasis on celibacy and clerical privilege. … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Obama’s Katrina, the Right’s Shamelessness

Posted on June 15, 2010 by Heather Mac Donald

No matter what President Obama says tonight in his speech on the oil spill, we can be sure that right-wing pundits will blast it for being the wrong thing at the wrong time—even though from the moment the spill occurred, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 16 Comments

Stinking Bishop

Posted on May 10, 2010 by Andrew Stuttaford

Could this become the official cheese of Secular Right? Via the Daily Mail: Stinking Bishop was officially voted Britain’s most pungent cheese today in the first smell championship. Britain’s Smelliest Cheese Championships were held at The Royal Bath and West … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Comments Off on Stinking Bishop

Casper The Friendly Social Worker

Posted on April 4, 2010 by Andrew Stuttaford

If true (can the Dutch have gone quite so crazy?), this is the story (via the Daily Telegraph)  of a scheme so loopy that Orrin Hatch could probably be persuaded to use taxpayer dollars to fund it over here: Dutch prisons are … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Happy Eostre Everyone

Posted on April 3, 2010 by Andrew Stuttaford

That early Christianity was a highly syncretic religion is no great revelation (so to speak), nevertheless this Guardian piece on the pagan traditions incorporated within the Easter celebration is (if you discount the irritating hints of nature worship lurking in … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Ancient & Modern

Posted on April 2, 2010 by Andrew Stuttaford

Via the BBC: A Lebanese man sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia for sorcery has been given a temporary reprieve, his lawyer says. Ali Sabat’s execution was scheduled for Friday but his lawyer, May el-Khansa, told the BBC she had … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 2 Comments

The Islamic Exception

Posted on March 13, 2010 by Andrew Stuttaford

The Scandinavian countries are generally pretty keen on mandating tolerance, but there are, it seems, some exceptions. Writing for Reason’s Hit and Run, Michael Moynihan has the details: …There was a time when the Scandinavian countries could reasonably boast that it was … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 6 Comments

How’s That Whole Enlightenment Thing Going?

Posted on March 11, 2010 by Andrew Stuttaford

Here (via the Daily Telegraph) is some remarkable news: The Devil is lurking in the very heart of the Roman Catholic Church, the Vatican’s chief exorcist claimed on Wednesday. Father Gabriele Amorth said people who are possessed by Satan vomit … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments