With a certain divine comic flair, Roman Catholic bishops declared this week that the dying are being given too much sedation. By overmedicating the terminally ill, they say, we remove from them the opportunity for a “good death”.
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One in three of us is going to join Terry Pratchett in mental disintegration
What tangled webs of deception have been revealed in recent days. From the Chilcot inquiry, to the debate over climate science and the sexual behaviour of the England football captain, nothing is quite as it seemed, it seems.
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To be deceived, first you must deceive yourself
Anthony Trollope remarked that we can say what we like about the Americans but we should never, ever, suppose them stupid. I thought of that during an outing to the cinema last week.
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Take a tart satire then add lashings of sugar
Protestant Christians in Pakistan’s Punjab province were searching for a place of worship Wednesday, February 3, after angry Muslims apparently attacked their partly constructed church, injuring scores of worshippers. Christians are a minority in Islamic Pakistan and rights investigators say there has been an increase in anti-Christian violence, with at least 130 Christians killed last year.
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Muslim Mob Storms Pakistan Church; 65 Injured
Ten Southern Baptists, mostly from two churches in Idaho, have been arrested in Haiti for attempting to illegally take 33 children out of the country that has been severely damaged by the recent earthquake. Yesterday’s Canadian Press reported that a hearing is scheduled for the Americans today
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Ten U.S. Sourthern Baptists Arrested In Haiti For Attempting To Take Children For Adoption
I recently picked up a copy of ” target=”_blank”> A Witch Alone: The Essential Guide for the Solo Practitioner of the Magical Arts by Marian Green. The book contains 13 chapters, one for each of the 13 moons in a year. I plan to work through one chapter per lunar cycle beginning just after the new moon, as Green recommends
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A Witch Alone by Marian Green: Introduction
According to KGW News8 Portland , yesterday in Oregon City, Oregon, a state court jury by a 10-2 vote convicted Jeff and Marci Beagley of criminally negligent homicide in the death of their 16-year old son. The Beagleys are members of the Followers of Christ Church which avoids doctors.
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Oregon Jury Convicts Parents In Faith Healing Death
Head to Seminyak for Pager Wesi PR-inside.com (press release) The belief in spirits forms an important part of Balinese religion, which combines animist folk beliefs with Hinduism from other parts of south-east Asia. …
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Head to Seminyak for Pager Wesi – PR-inside.com (press release)
AMRITSAR: The already sour relations between followers of Guru Ravidass and Sikhs could turn more bitter following Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh’s warning that no one would be allowed to take the bani (voice of Gurus) of Sri Guru Granth Sahib for scripting a separate religious book. Talking to TOI on the issue of formation of separate religion, Ravidassia Dharm, by the followers of Guru Ravidass and release of separate granth (book), Amrit Bani Guru Ravidass, the jathedar said contemplation was still on for extending invitations to the Ravidass sect leaders to sink differences, if any. For the detailed news, plz click the headline above, with thanks to the Source Times of India
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None can take ‘bani’ from Granth Sahib: Jathedar
CHANDIGARH: In a highly significant development, which could have far-reaching consequences within the Sikh community, a large number of Sikh organizations, intellectuals, panthic bodies, thinkers and individuals openly defied the hukumnama (edict) against former Akal Takht jathedar Prof Darshan Singh by the incumbent jathedar, Giani Gurbachan Singh, though a symbolic gesture of sharing a meal with him on Tuesday.
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Sikhs defy Akal Takht edict against Prof Darshan Singh
It is encouraging to see that a serious debate has been joined about the future direction of the British economy. Describing a “new economic model” yesterday, George Osborne, the Shadow Chancellor, outlines important policies that are a real step forward and aim to “build a more balanced economy”; in other words, an economy less dependent upon the financial services sector
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Britain must take a cold, hard look at itself
There are times when human rights become human wrongs. This happens when rights become more than a defence of human dignity, which is their proper sphere, and become instead a political ideology, relentlessly trampling down everything in their path. This is happening increasingly in Britain, and it is why the Pope’s protest against the Equality Bill, whether we agree with it or not, should be taken seriously
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The Pope is right about the threat to freedom
An unsuccessful hedge fund chum phones to propose a career change. As a daring international jewel thief, he explains, he would be among the very few foreigners to make any decent money in Tokyo.
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Cunning plan to become stinking rich
It started with a bruise the size of a shrivelled raisin that slowly grew into a magenta plum. It was Sunday evening, our baby was sleepy as we lifted him out of the bath and I noticed the mark under his tummy button. But he’d been running round London Zoo with his brothers and sister and I thought he must have knocked himself as he raced from the gorillas to the flamingos.
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Failing out-of-hours care almost killed my baby
On May 13, 1940, shortly after lunch, Neville Chamberlain entered the House of Commons to be greeted by a massive ovation.
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Remember Churchill when you think of Iraq
The Beagleys could face a maximum of 10 years in prison. Because the two have no prior convictions, the normal sentencing range under state sentencing guidelines would be 16 to 18 months in prison.
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Parents found guilty in Oregon City faith-healing trial
Earlier today, we looked at a couple of media treatments of that abstinence study . Both the Washington Post and Associated Press coverage we looked at were much better than this Los Angeles Times story. It’s awful
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Oh No! Abstinence works? (revisited)
We have a very complex and ugly story developing right now down in Haiti, one than calls up the demons of all the tensions that exist in that nation between Americans and Haitians and, it must be stressed, between competing religious groups inside Haiti.
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Chaos surrounding Haitian orphans
Merry Imbolc all! May the flame upon your candle burn unwavering as light returns to the world. As I begin to emerge from the dark womb of winter, I realize my rest was fitful and filled with dreams borne of the unresolved anger I harbor for organized religion and those who seek to harm others with it.
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Imbolc: reflections, gratitude, and inspiration
Luke 2:22-40 Mal 3: 1-4 / Psa 24 / Heb 2:14-18 Lord, as you have promised, you can now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people… (Luke 2:29-30) Like Simeon and Anna, may we see That Jesus Christ is life’s true goal; Lord, please be present
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Encounter in the Temple
A couple that was arrested in Malta should be extradited to France, a magistrate ruled on Monday morning. 49-year-old Frenchman Alain Schmitt, the leader of a religious sect, and his fiancée, 42-year-old Belgian national Laurence Liegeois, were arrested in their Naxxar home on January 7, after a European arrest warrant was issued against them.
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Malta court orders cult leader’s extradition
So a new study on the effectiveness of abstinence education came out and it’s interesting to look at how it’s being covered. First, let’s look at a story from the past about a study that showed that there was no difference in the effectiveness of abstinence programs and their counterparts that instruct teens in how to use birth control: Study Casts Doubt on Abstinence-Only Programs A long-awaited national study has concluded that abstinence-only sex education, a cornerstone of the Bush administration’s social agenda, does not keep teenagers from having sex
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Oh no! Abstinence works?
Last December as part of the holiday displays in the Illinois state capitol building, officials allowed the Freedom From Religion Foundation to put up a sign calling religion a “myth and superstition.” It was placed next to a Christmas tree and near a nativity scene that were also on display. William J
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Suits Charges FFRF Sign In Capitol Violated Establishment Clause
Last year, after a finding of probable cause by the Maryland Commission on Human Relations, the Strathmore Tower Condominiums in Baltimore (MD) modified one of its elevators to accommodate Orthodox Jewish residents. The owner of one of the condos covered the cost of retrofitting it for “Shabbat mode”– each Saturday it stops automatically on each floor so Sabbath observant Jews do not need to press elevator buttons
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Maryland Tells Condo To Stop Removal of Shabbat Elevator Pending Probe
Baptist Press yesterday reported that opposition from Christian conservatives was largely responsible for Friday’s vote in Hawaii’s House of Representatives to postpone consideration indefinitely on HB 444 , a bill that would have authorized same-sex civil unions in the state To the surprise of many, the decision was made by voice vote after a Democratic caucus on the issue. Two weeks ago, some 15,000 religious conservatives rallied in the Hawaiian capital in opposition to the bill.
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Hawaiian House Tables Civil Union Bill Under Pressure From Christian Conservatives
A court in Hong Kong has thrown out a feng shui master’s claim to the multi-billion dollar estate of Asia’s richest woman, Nina Wang.
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Hong Kong court awards Nina Wang fortune to family
Geert Wilders , the radical anti-Muslim Dutch politician, will seek to test free speech in Britain next month when he makes a second attempt to visit the House of Lords to screen a controversial film equating Islam to Nazism. Lord Ahmed, a Muslim peer, has promised to mobilise 10,000 Muslims to block Mr Wilders from entering the House of Lords
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Geert Wilders to test British free speech with anti-Muslim film screening