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.
The Grundy County Courthouse in Illinois has long had a Nativity scene up on the front lawn, leading to warnings from church/state separation groups over the past two years. This year, in order to avoid a lawsuit, county officials opened up the forum to anyone who requested a display. Which is why you’ll now see a large menorah, an interfaith banner (on the way), and a secular Bill of Rights display: Read more
When I first saw that some Beaumont (Texas) police officers were suing the city for stopping their “voluntary bible study” during lunch breaks, I thought it was a joke. Of course they had a right to gather during lunch and discuss the Bible. Why would any church/state separation group get in the way of that? Read more
Last week, the new mayor of Franklin, North Carolina, Bob Scott, took his oath of office on a Constitution instead of a Bible. He told the American Humanist Association that he made the decision because “there is so much controversy surrounding separation of church and state. I am a firm believer in keeping religion and government separate.” Good for him! You’d hope other politicians follow suit, regardless of their theological views, since they’re being elected to uphold our Constitution, not one religion’s holy book. But Rev. Mark H. Creech, Executive Director of North Carolina’s Christian Action League, says Scott’s decision is “troubling.” I repeat: Creech is upset because a politician took an oath of office on the Constitution instead of his preferred brand of mythology. Read more
In the latest issue of GQ, reporter Taffy Brodesser-Akner interviews Carl Lentz, the Christian pastor with a reputation for being cool because, you know, he wears a leather jacket and skinny hipster jeans and hangs out with celebrities. The premise of the piece seems to be: Religion is fading away, especially among younger people, but if there’s any hope for the church to connect with that generation, Lentz could be the guy to do it. So is it working? But when Lentz speaks, you realize he’s just as awful as the older evangelical Christians who lost the culture wars: Read more
