Promoting Science and Critical Thinking
A recent article in Salon reports on the rising tide of disbelief in Saudi Arabia … In this country known as the cradle of Islam, where religion gives legitimacy to the government and state-appointed clerics set rules for social behavior, a growing number of Saudis are privately declaring themselves atheists. The evidence is anecdotal, but … Read more
Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, an Iislamic scholar of Sufism and also a politician in Pakistan, has written an article in the UK’s Guardian in which he suggests that “Teaching proper Islamic principles will help stem extremism”, he writes … Radical ideology depends upon a framework of (distorted) theological reference points and scriptural justifications. It is here that appropriate intervention can … Read more
By its very nature the cut and thrust of politics is to some degree about compromise, but for some things compromise really should not an option. There might indeed be squabbles about how much to borrow and spend, and what to spend it on, so sorting out such conflicting interests is where compromise is perhaps wholly appropriate, but … Read more
Now this is a disturbing bit of news. The UKs Independent reports … Saudi Arabia intends to buy an “off the shelf” nuclear weapon from Pakistan, according to US officials quoted in The Sunday Times. The report comes amid ongoing negotiations between Iran and other world powers over its nuclear programme, and a potential thawing of relations … Read more
Which would be the ideal nation to run the UN Human Rights Council? I know, let’s find the one nation that infringes every single human right going, and put them in charge, what could possibly go wrong with that? It sounds bizarre, but that is exactly what is now on the table. UN Watch reports the … Read more
Just over 1 year ago in May 2014 Raif Badawi was found guilty of breaking Saudi Arabia’s strict technology laws and insulting Islamic religious figures by creating and managing an online forum, oh and they also jailed Mr Badawi’s lawyer as well, Waleed Abulkhair. Mr Badawi was sentenced to 10 years in prison, 1,000 lashes, a fine of … Read more