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.
One of the most significant stories of 2015 was the death of several Bangladeshi atheists (and people connected to them) by Islamic radicals. The Dissident blog — a product of the Swedish PEN society — has a collection of articles, poetry, and illustrations relating to the murders in a special issue: Read more
After the Paris and San Bernardino terrorist attacks, followed by Donald Trump’s inflammatory speech on the aircraft carrier Yorktown near my home in Charleston, South Carolina, my wife Sharon and I wanted to do something to counter some of the unfair anti-Muslim sentiment in our state and country. So we made an appointment to stop at the local mosque and say how pleased we are to live in the same community with Muslims. Waiting to greet us were the imam and three other leaders, and they appreciated our taking the time to stop by. I mentioned that atheists are also sometimes demonized, and it’s important for those of all faiths and none to find common ground and work together. Read more
