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.
This is a little belated but what a wonderful story. On Christmas, Asheville (North Carolina) resident Angelica Jasso extended an open invitation to anyone in her community to drop on by her home to get a hot, fresh, free meal. She was compelled to do that because, as an atheist, she knew God wasn’t about to fill anyone’s stomach. Read more
Jane Flint has a nifty new job title: “Non-Religious Pastoral Carer for Leicester Hospitals NHS Trust.” She’s basically a secular “chaplain” for people in the hospital. Instead of a Bible-bearing priest coming buy to offer religious advice, this is a wonderful option for people who aren’t religious — a label that includes about a quarter of people in the UK according to the last census. Read more
You’d think having kids say the Pledge of Allegiance would get the God fix out of the way for administrators who want religion in school. At Glenview Elementary School in New Jersey, however, students are told to say “God bless America” after the Pledge — because I guess if the kids don’t say it, Jesus won’t get his wings. It’s a tradition that’s been going on since 9/11. Now, the ACLU is telling the District to put a stop to it, arguing that there’s no way invoking God like that is merely ceremonial. Principal Sam Sassano says the school will back down from making it a formal part of the day, though it’s clear that students will still be encouraged to say it on their own. Read more
