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.
Our latest podcast guest is Chaz Stevens, an activist who’s especially passionate about the First Amendment. Stevens is an activist who’s especially passionate about the First Amendment. In response to a Nativity scene in the Florida Capitol Building last year, he put up an 8-foot-tall Festivus pole made of Pabst Blue Ribbon cans. This year, he’s attempting something similar with a 6-foot pole covered in rainbow colors. He has also been requesting to deliver invocations as a Satanist, forcing several city councils to abandon the prayer practice altogether. I spoke with him about what a Satanist invocation would look like if he ever got to deliver one, why he prefers an over-the-top approach, and what he hopes to accomplish with his activism. Read more
If a university chancellor stole money from the school, didn’t treat students with response, or covered up some scandal, I wouldn’t be surprised if people demanded a resignation. University of Tennessee-Knoxville Chancellor Jimmy Cheek didn’t do any of those things, but lawmakers in the state are still calling for him to step down. Why? Because the school’s website makes clear that departments having holiday parties should be mindful that not everyone’s a Christian. Read more
For about 24 hours, I was very impressed with Roselle Park (New Jersey) Councilwoman Charlene Storey. On Thursday night, the city council voted 4-2 to change the perfectly fine name of a local ceremony from “A Tree Lighting” to “A Christmas Tree Lighting” (presumably because “up yours, Jews, atheists, Muslims, Hindus, and everyone else who doesn’t believe in the majority’s God” didn’t fit on the signs). That’s when Storey submitted her letter of resignation out of protest: Read more
It’s one thing for conservative Christians to align themselves with the Republican Party. But telling everyone to carry weapons while spewing Donald Trump-style hate-rhetoric? It takes a special kind of despicable fundamentalist to stoop that low. Which is why it happened at Liberty University. President Jerry Falwell Jr. told students at Friday’s mandatory convocation that they should all obtain permits to carry guns. Because Jesus now guides your trigger finger. If that wasn’t enough, he told them who their targets would be: Read more
