Hemant Mehta is the founder and editor of FriendlyAtheist.com, a YouTube creator, and podcast co-host. He is a former National Board Certified math teacher in the suburbs of Chicago. He has appeared on CNN and FOX News and served on the board of directors for Foundation Beyond Belief and the Secular Student Alliance. He has written multiple books, including I Sold My Soul on eBay and The Young Atheist's Survival Guide. He also edited the book Queer Disbelief.
A couple of weeks ago, Tennessee legislators voted to make the Bible the official state book. Their bill went against the advice of Attorney General Herbert Slatery, who called it unconstitutional, and Governor Bill Haslam. But saying you don’t like the bill is different from taking action against it, which is why it’s a breath of fresh air to see that Haslam has indeed vetoed the bill as he suggested he would. Read more
In case you missed it the other night, Rachel Maddow had a great segment on how Donald Trump is basically destroying the powerhouses of the Religious Right. We already know how he’s showing you don’t need to be authentically evangelical — or even accept conservative Christian “morality” — to get that crowd’s votes. Now, Phyllis Schlafly’s organization, Eagle Forum, which has had an outsized effect on conservative politics over the past few decades, is going through an upheaval because there’s a difference in opinion over her support of Trump. It’s a 20-minute segment but well worth your time: Read more