December 2008 Archives

Ankh-MorporkUnited Kingdom: Terry Pratchett has been knighted in the New Year's Honours.

Pratchett leads showbiz honours—BBC News, 31st December 2008.

United Kingdom: Today's Grauniad is quite a terrifying read. As well as the Pope's anti-LGBT hate speech, we also learn that over a quarter of science teachers would teach creationism as if it were science:

The Ipsos/Mori poll of 923 primary and secondary teachers found that 29% of science specialists agreed with the statement: Alongside the theory of evolution and the Big Bang theory, creationism should be TAUGHT in science lessons

And they clearly don't mean discussing it as a way of demonstrating that it's superstitious bollocks, not science:

The Ipsos/Mori poll also canvassed support for the more hardline position of only mentioning creationism in the context of dismissing it. It found that only 26% of all teachers and 46% of science specialists agree with Professor Chris Higgins, vice-chancellor of the University of Durham, who is quoted as saying the only reason to mention creationism in schools is to enable teachers to demonstrate why the idea is scientific nonsense.

The poll did not ask if astrology should be taught at the same time as children learn about the planets, nor if alchemy should be given equal time in chemistry lessons.

Would you Adam and Eve it? Quarter of science teachers would teach creationism—The Guardian, 23rd December 2008 (note The Guardian making its own contribution to the misunderstanding of the word theory) .

Vatican City: Someone's clearly been spiking the communion wine over at the Vatican, for the Pope has decreed that opposing pooves is as important as saving the rainforests. Dressed in an exquisitely tailored white dress and red Prada slippers, he also declared that it was vital that people stuck rigidly to the gender stereotypes his church promotes, whilst dismissing all variation from that as mere theories (like all religious bampots, he doesn't know what that word actually means) which lead towards the definitive emancipation of man from creation and the creator (Surely getting rid of our imaginary friends is a good thing?)

No doubt he and his representatives will also cry hate speech and discrimination the moment anyone calls him a bigot or, gasp, takes the piss out of him and his antediluvian cult.

Pope urges defence of heterosexuality—The Guardian, 23rd December 2008. More detailed coverage: Pope Engenders Controversy, at Bartholemew's Notes on Religion.

United Kingdom: Perhaps if Woolies had not bowed to fundie pressure, and refused to sell things people want to buy, they might not have been in this mess now.

England: Yet another religious bigot has gone running to the courts after he was sacked for refusing to do his job.

A Christian counsellor from Bristol is to take a charity to a tribunal after he was allegedly sacked for refusing to work with same-sex couples.

Gary McFarlane, a solicitor and former church elder, will allege the Bristol branch of counselling service Relate refused to accommodate his religious beliefs.

Mr McFarlane will claim discrimination on the grounds of religion, unfair dismissal and harassment at Bristol Employment Tribunal Centre.

Counsellor 'sacked for refusing to work with gay couples'—The Independent, 1st December 2008.