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.
This is a guest post written by David G. McAfee. … You know what they say: Never discuss religion or politics… that is, of course, unless you want to engage in discussion about some of the most important topics of this or any generation. Studying religions has always been a passion of mine. From a very young age, I remember being intrigued by what my friends and family believed — and why. But, in my culture and many others, to discuss the topic in any substantive way was considered taboo. Now, as a religious studies graduate and the author of secular-themed works, I’ve had to get used to dealing with religious debates in a calm, rational, and friendly manner. As a result, I’ve learned that, contrary to popular opinion, you can reach some believers through rational dialogue. Indoctrination is difficult to undo, but not impossible. It’s a lesson that Bill Nye may want to take to heart as he gears up for his upcoming debate against Creationist Ken Ham. … Here are some tips on how to have a friendly and effective religious debate: Read more
If you’re an LGBT individual who lives in Arizona, the anti-discrimination laws are not on your side. You have legal recourse if a Christian boss fired you for being a Muslim, but if a Christian baker doesn’t want to make a cake for your same-sex commitment ceremony, you’re out of luck. If you and your same-sex partner want to get a hotel room, a Christian manager could say no and that could be the end of it. A new bill currently being discussed in the state’s Senate, SB 1062, is about to change that, giving special protection to… Christians. And all religious people. Because they’re the real victims here: Read more
This is a guest post written by Herb Silverman. … For years I’ve been advocating for “big-tent” atheism, which includes agnostics, humanists, secular humanists, freethinkers, and more. It’s a tent where people can choose activities according to their circumstances and comfort levels, a tent where they can follow their passion while respecting and supporting those with a different emphasis… My atheist tent is usually not big enough to include religious fundamentalists, but I’ll offer eight examples of such agreement: Read more
Kansas City Star columnist Cindy Hoedel believes 2014 is the year society should start accepting atheists and that begins by giving society someone to accept: I suspect a large number of the 33 million are in-the-closet atheists who don’t want to be the only person in their family, workplace or book club to use the “A”-word. Let me go first: My name is Cindy, and I am an atheist. I really want to like this article. I mean, she’s advocating for something I obviously support. But I’m having a hard time. It starts with the line “Let me go first.” The admission is welcome, but Hoedel isn’t even close to being first. (Hell, she’s not even the first newspaper columnist to use her platform to come out. That link’s from a decade ago, but I’m sure it happened before then, too.) Then there’s this line: Read more
