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.
Over a year ago, Vic Wang wrote up a list of annoying things that atheists say that we really need to stop saying. Over the past year, he’s added to his list to include these gems: Saying that religious claims “don’t make sense”: It’s true there are countless religious claims which don’t make sense, and can never make sense. But I’ve always felt that saying something “doesn’t make sense” sounds a little too close to “I don’t understand it”. It’s… Read more
Yesterday, Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ) introduced H. Res. 467 (now available for viewing) on the floor of the House, expressing his support for the recognition of February 12th as Darwin Day: “We’re pleased to join Rep. Holt again in support of a Congressional resolution honoring Darwin’s contributions to science and humanity,” said Roy Speckhardt, executive director of the American Humanist Association. “Too many people are being influenced by the dangerous creationism and so-called ‘intelligent design’ movements, and it’s time for others in Congress to stand up for true science.” Last year, Holt introduced identical legislation as did Congressman Pete Stark (D-CA) in 2011: Read more
Two weeks ago, when the Academy Award nominees were announced, there was a surprise inclusion in the category for Best Original Song: “Alone, Yet Not Alone” from a little-known Christian movie of the same name, written by Bruce Broughton and Dennis Spiegel and sung by Joni Eareckson Tada. The song was in a lineup that included “Happy” by Pharrell Williams and “Ordinary Love” by U2. Even Tada, a quadriplegic, was pleasantly shocked that the song made it in: Read more