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.
Last week, using information from the Huffington Post, Amnesty International (UK), and the Times of India, I posted a story about how two Indian women were sentenced to be raped as punishment for their brother’s adultery. Reporters for Reuters have been looking for confirmation of this story, conducting interviews with locals and even talking with the family members themselves. As far as they can tell, there’s no evidence of this punishment being handed down. The family asked for protection, yes, but there’s no evidence the council actually issued the grotesque punishment in the first place. Read more
More than two years ago, after Bobby Gutierrez retired as Constable, the commissioners in Williamson County (Texas) had to replace him. They interviewed five candidates and asked them each a series of important, relevant questions: Are you for or against gay marriage? Are you pro-life or pro-choice? Who did you vote for in the last election? What are your religious beliefs? Because, if you want to be a cop, you better be a good conservative Christian. Read more
While many are quick to sing the praises of Pope Francis, the Vatican has once again revealed its true colors and incapacity to welcome every creature they claim their God created. In a decision that screams intolerance and feels right at home in the Catholic Church, Vatican officials refused to allow a transgender man to become his nephew’s godfather, calling his identity “contrary to human nature.” Read more
Perhaps it’s not surprising that, while Kim Davis is sitting in a Kentucky jail, we’re hearing another story of someone requesting religious accommodations at work. Charee Stanley is a flight attendant for ExpressJet Airlines. She became a Muslim a year after accepting the job and now believes she should be able to get out of serving drinks to passengers because it goes against her faith. Read more
Arkansas State Senator Jason Rapert is the politician who filed a bill — now a law — to install a Ten Commandments monument on the Capitol grounds. He’s also the guy who refused to debate a representative from The Satanic Temple because “the Devil is a liar [and] why would I want to debate anyone who worships a liar”… even though the Satanists in question don’t actually worship the devil and anyone who researched the issue would know that. So what has the Christian politician done to embarrass himself now? Read more
