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.
Anyone who’s read Sam Harris’ books or essays, or listened to his podcasts, knows one of his longstanding goals has been to get people to see what’s actually written in the Qur’an (and the Hadith). He doesn’t believe Islam is a “religion of peace” — as if any religion ever could be — though he readily admits many, many practicing Muslims are peaceful. Now, in an attack written by Andrew Aghapour and Michael Schulson of Religion Dispatches, the authors ask whether Harris is a white supremacist. Read more
Silly John Oliver, trying to debunk Donald Trump’s Great Wall using facts and humor… The Last Week Tonight host took another crack at Drumpf last night by exploring the actual policy issues surrounding the Wall. Will Mexico pay for it? (Not a chance.) How much will it cost? (Lots more than Trump says.) Will it work? (No.) And how will it affect Texans? (Just wait till you see the golf course!) Read more
Our latest podcast guest is Anthony Magnabosco, a Street Epistemologist. He’s like a preacher you might run across on your college campus, except he’s not trying to convert you. He just wants to ask you questions about religion and get you to think. He posts videos of these interactions on YouTube and they’re fascinating to watch, in part because he deconstructs what went right and wrong each time. We spoke with Anthony about his surprising goals when it comes to chatting with people about religion, why people would ever talk to him at all, and whether debates about God are ever useful. Read more