Pope’s anti-condom message is sabotage in fight against Aids Stance makes Catholic church a major global public health problem Ben Goldacre The Guardian, Saturday 11 September 2010 Article history Condoms do not immunise against infection but they are an effective barrier against the HIV virus. Photograph: Digital Vision / Alamy/AlamyThis week the pope is in London. You will have your own views on the discrimination against women, the homophobia, and the international criminal conspiracy to cover up for mass child rape. My special interest is his role in the 2 million people who die of Aids each year. In May … Continue reading The Pope and the Condom

No one has a hotline to God It is arrogant and absurd for any religion or sect to claim a monopoly on God’s truth Tony Bayfield The Guardian, Saturday 11 September 2010 Article history Within Judaism, Christianity and Islam, there are minorities who have big problems with the modern world. In Islam, some would clearly like to return to the society in which Qur’anic law was born. In Christianity, the Amish are a quaint example of a wider hankering to go “back to the basics” of the New Testament. Photographically if not numerically, the Jewish world is often seen in … Continue reading Exclusive ‘Hotline to God!’

Prisoner of Bush’s ‘war on terror’ Two years into his presidency and nine years after 9/11, Barack Obama has yet to articulate a coherent message on terrorism Michael Boyle guardian.co.uk, Saturday 11 September 2010 11.00 BST Article history A firefighter at the site of the World Trade Centre in New York on 11 September 2001. Photograph: Graham Morrison/APDuring his campaign for the presidency, Barack Obama made a number of impassioned calls for the United States to move beyond the psychological scars inflicted by the 11 September attacks and to adopt a more mature and realistic approach to dealing with the … Continue reading Obama a prisoner of Bush’s ‘war on terror’

COMMENT: New sin cards with unlimited… —Nasir Abbas Mirza A month of piety is unfair and unjust and it encourages more degeneracy during the remaining 11 months. What are these people thinking when they do this? Do they think God is like the government of Pakistan? Do they think it is a scheme to trick God? Is Ramzan a soul-laundering scheme? Attention, all ye pathetic sinners! The holy month is about to end and your 30-day hiatus of sinlessness is about to end. Come Eid day and you will all receive new sin cards for the next 11 months. Refuelled … Continue reading Beware the piety of the Ramzan variety!

“There’s a bad perception that Pakistan is a terrorist nation,” Qureshi told the crowd in 23,000-seat Arthur Ashe Stadium. “We’re a friendly, loving, caring people. We want peace as much as you guys. May God bless us all.” —Reuters Photo Media Gallery Aisam’s historic US Open journey NEW YORK: Long after dust gathers on the US Open trophy that barely eluded Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, the message he sent on a grand stage in New York still will echo loudly. After two sets of riveting tennis during which Pakistan’s Qureshi and India’s Rohan Bopanna came a scant few points short of winning … Continue reading Qureshi delivers where diplomats fail

Part II: Who is the real cheat in spot-fixing saga? By Rashid Latif Pakistan team manager Yawar Saeed and associate manager Shafqat Rana read the damning News of the World paper on the fourth morning of the Lord’s Test. —Reuters Photo Sport UK paper says Dilshan under ICC scanner, SL board denies I have also noticed another blunder in the reported conversation between Mazhar Majeed and Mazhar Mehmood, published by the NOTW, which gave me the initial feeling that this saga could be a made-up thing. The conversation went on like this: Reporter: What does that mean, a script? Majeed … Continue reading Who is the real cheat in spot-fixing saga?

Christianophobia: The Lesson of Terry Jones By TIM PADGETT Friday, Sep. 10, 2010 ENLARGE PHOTO+ Pastor Terry Jones, right, of the Dove World Outreach Center speaks to the media in Gainesville, Fla., as Imam Muhammad Musri of the Islamic Society of Central Florida looks on Phil Sandlin / AP Even ogres can serve a purpose. The “Reverend” Terry Jones has at least shown us the ugly consequences of the Islamophobia that was this summer’s political fad — by turning the tables. How does it feel to be caricatured as a nation of Koran-burning radicals? Americans were appalled to find that a … Continue reading Christianophobia – How is it for you to be called raving fanatics for a few days?