http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/feb/08/church-of-england-compromise-women-bishops

The synod voted against measures proposed by the Manchester diocesan synod that would have allowed parishes opposed to women bishops to be administered by male ones (Manchester was supported by the Archbishop of York), however, they synod also voted against a proposal by the Southwark diocesan synod calling for the CofE to press ahead with legislation to introduce women bishops.

The synod agreed that the legislation introducing women bishops can now be revised by the bishops, and will be put before the synod in July. If passed then, the first women bishops could be ordained in 2014.

The Times reports the defeat of the diocese of Manchester’s proposals as a defeat for the Archbishops http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/faith/article3313973.ece Christina Rees says 42 out of the 44 dioceses wish to see women bishops have equal status within the church.

As a supplement to the unit and the Goldsmiths Psychology programme, the APRU organised a series of lectures presented by invited speakers from other institutions or organisations. These speakers, who are all specialists within their respective fields of Psychology and anomalistic research, kindly agreed for their presentations to be recorded and made available. The links below provide complete and free access to these recordings, and will also be updated as new presentations are given. The unit have also endeavoured to provide any support materials, such as the lecture slides, where appropriate and possible. This is definitely worth your time:

http://www.gold.ac.uk/apru/lectures/

Brendan O’Neill criticises the ASA’s censure of religious advertisements for God’s healing powers

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/brendanoneill2/100135253/if-christians-are-not-free-to-say-god-heals-then-there-is-no-religious-freedom-in-this-country/

The ASA has been itching to ban the words “God heals” for quite a while. Last June, it rapped the knuckles of a church in Nottingham for putting up a poster that said “God can heal you today!” after the church was grassed up to the ASA by some snitch in Nottingham’s Secular Society. And now it has actually banned a Christian group from proselytising about God’s healing powers. What next? Should we ban groups from declaring that “Jesus loves you!”, considering that is probably also technically untrue and could promote “false hope”? How about banning depictions of Jesus walking on water, since that is a physically impossible feat and might encourage children to try it out, with potentially deadly consequences? There’s no end to the expressions of religious faith that might be banned by the Secular Inquisition that the ASA is speedily morphing into.

However, Tom Chivers says that religious organisations should not be exempt from advertising laws if they make such claims:

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/tomchiversscience/100135398/why-should-religions-be-exempt-from-advertising-rules/

The Guardian reports that:

A senior cleric has warned there is “no Plan B” if the Church of England rejects legislation allowing women to become bishops, claiming such a move would lead to a “substantial period of shock”.

The Right Rev Peter Price stated that:

He replied: “I haven’t got a clue. I think we will be in such a critical place that it is extremely difficult to see how we will proceed without going through a substantial period of shock.

“I wish I could say there is a plan B. I don’t think there is. The implications of this going down are so far-reaching that we almost dare not face it.

Whereas Peter Mullen is positively frothing at the mouth in this report from the Telegraph, stating that:

Conscientious objectors are being shown no mercy by the Church’s Militant Tendency.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9064109/Let-us-pray-for-those-against-women-bishops.html

Mathematicians: You must have at least 17 clues to solve Sudoku:

(Via BoingBoing.net) 

How to Make the Carmen Sprung Icosahedron (Modular Origami Tutorial)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2012/jan/29/david-attenborough-desert-island-discs

I don’t think an understanding and an acceptance of the 4 billion-year-long history of life is any way inconsistent with a belief in a supreme being,” the 85-year-old broadcaster and writer will tell presenter Kirsty Young. “And I am not so confident as to say that I am an atheist.

The Daily Mail reports that nearly 100 clergy have joined a rebellion over a Church of England ban on civil partnership ceremonies.

The letter the clergy signed reads:

 We, the undersigned, believe that on the issue of holding civil partnership ceremonies in Church of England churches incumbents / priests in charge should be accorded the same rights as they enjoy at present in the matter of officiating at the marriage of divorced couples in church. Namely, that this should be a matter for the individual conscience of the incumbent / priest in charge.

We would respectfully request that our views in this regard are fully represented in Synod.

More detailed coverage from Ruth Gledhill http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/faith/article3306363.ece

The BBC reports that:

Primrose Hill offers one of the most beautiful views in London but some residents are concerned it could be ruined by plans for a temporary statue of Jesus.

The statue marks the end of the London 2012 Games and the handover to 2016 host city Rio de Janeiro.

Read the ASA Adjudication on Healing on the Streets-Bath and HOTS Bath response here. HOTS Bath states:

We are disappointed with the ASA’s decision, and will appeal against it because it seems very odd to us that the ASA wants to prevent us from stating on our website the basic Christian belief that God can heal illness.

The ASA has even demanded that we sign a document agreeing not to say this, which is unacceptable to us – as it no doubt would be for anyone ordered not to make certain statements about their conventional religious or philosophical beliefs.

Sometimes it can be hard finding the right card to show your feelings. HumanistLife in the lead up to Valentine’s Day thought it might be the right time to point you towards a old blog-post on Ironic San with some suggestions for scientist valentine’s cards featuring Darwin, Sagan, Newton, Curie, and Einstein.

Providence Journal reports that Jessica Ahlquist, the 16-year-old student who fought to remove a prayer banner at Cranston High School West, will get a dozen roses Thursday, but they won’t come from a Cranston florist. Three refused to deliver the flowers, said Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a group based in Madison, Wis.

Apparently, abortion is a bigger problem than joblessness, says Catholic Church, and a Bishop has warned of UNESCO’s plan to “make half the world population homosexual”

A Wisconsin man arrested for allegedly punching his wife — who claims a ghost is responsible for the domestic abuse – will have a hard time scaring up paranormal researchers to back his claim.

bOINGbOING.net has posted about the Christian Nightmares video performance, which features a song with the uplifting lyrics about being left behind after the Rapture.  I learned it is a popular song called “I Wish We’d All Been Ready,” and it has been covered by a bunch of bands.

Last week a talk organised by the Queen Mary Atheism, Secularism and Humanism Society on ‘Sharia Law and Human Rights’ had to be cancelled after threats of violence.

A report from the Independent states:

Students attending a debate about sharia law were told they would be “hunted down and killed” by a man who burst into their lecture theatre and filmed them on his phone.

The BHA reports that police were contacted about the incident and the Society is waiting to hear how their investigation will proceed.

The Ri Channel has uploaded the classic lecture series exploring the Solar System by Professor Carl Sagan.

You can watch the series here.

The Ri Channel forms part of the Royal Institution’s mission to “connect people to the world of science”.

The BBC writes:

The president of a London university atheist society has resigned over a row about an image of the Prophet Muhammad.

The society at University College London (UCL) published an image on its Facebook page showing “Jesus and Mo” having a drink at a bar.

The atheist group was asked by the UCL union to remove it, but refused and started a petition defending its freedom of expression.

A student Muslim group began a counter-petition asking for its removal.

UCL’s Atheist, Secularist and Humanist society said its president Robbie Yellon was stepping down to be replaced by former vice president Michael Thor.

The BBC reports:

Civil servant Alexander Aan, 31, is now in protective police custody after he was attacked by an angry mob earlier this week. He may also lose his job over his posting on the social networking site.

Atheism is a violation of Indonesian law under the founding principles of the country. Indonesia – the world’s most populous Muslim nation – recognises the right to practice five other religions aside from Islam, says the BBC’s Karishma Vaswani in Jakarta. Local media said a mob attacked Mr Aan when he arrived for work at a government office on Wednesday. Police said that according to Indonesian criminal law, anyone who tried to stop others believing in a faith could face up to five years in prison.

The Facebook page where he made his comments remains up and supporters have condemned police action against Mr An, calling for him to be released.

The Guardian has reported that:

A plan by the education secretary, Michael Gove, to send a copy of the King James Bible to every school in the country – each including a personal inscription from him – has run into trouble after government sources reported he has been told to find private funding for the project.

For more information about the Bible, you many want to read some of the customer reviews on Amazon.

Life.com has published some excellent photos from Chicago’s Anti-Superstition Society, 1940.  It states:

On December 13, 1940 — a Friday, no less — LIFE magazine attended a gathering spread across 13 tables in Room 13 of the Merchants & Manufacturers Club of Chicago. (Yes, each table sat 13 people). The result? The odd and endearing article, “Life Goes to a Friday-the-13th Party,” published a few weeks later in the
magazine. Now, in light of January 2012′s very own Friday the 13th, LIFE.com resurrects that feature, and celebrates some old-school businessmen unafraid to step on a crack. 

 

The Guardian has a round up of tributes and reactions to the death of atheist and journalist Christopher Hitchens.

And Twitter has testimonials from some of the friends and colleagues of the author of God Is Not Great.

 stephenfry

Goodbye, Christopher Hitchens. You were envied, feared, adored, reviled and loved. Never ignored. Never bested. A great and marvellous man

30 minutes ago 

 ProfBrianCox

Saddened by the loss of the great Christopher Hitchens this morning #GodIsNotGreat

34 minutes ago 

 andrewcopson Andrew Copson

Christopher Hitchens may be gone but his literary legacy gives him a real afterlife. May it inspire as many as he did in life.

Journalist Mona Eltahawy tells about her ordeal at the hands of the Egyptian forces and how her ordeal is just one in amongst hundreds. Mona Eltahawy recognises that she has something at her disposal that ordinary Egyptians do not; as a journalist she can write people’s stories and shed light on what is happening in Egypt.

Read full transcript of the interview and watch the interview here: http://www.democracynow.org/2011/11/28/as_egypt_holds_vote_journalist_mona

The morning after pill is to be given out free over the phone for the first time, under a scheme to be announced today.

Read full article here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8935425/Morning-after-pill-given-out-free-over-the-phone.html