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.
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In a new campaign ad for the 2014 elections, Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR) makes a case for why he should be re-elected to his position. You see, he argues that his policy decisions and ability to pass legislation are–oh wait, I’m sorry, he doesn’t talk about any of that. He just tells everyone how much he loves the Bible. Read more
Todd Starnes, the Fox News commentator who frequently spins stories to raise the ire of fellow conservatives, has done it again with a tale about a Georgia elementary school that “confiscates Christmas cards.” Here’s Starnes’ version of the story: For as long as anyone can remember, teachers at Brooklet Elementary School have posted Christmas cards in the hallways outside their classrooms — until Monday. … When boys and girls returned from Thanksgiving break, they discovered that their teachers’ Christmas cards had been removed — under orders from the Georgia school’s administration. Robb Kicklighter’s wife is a third grade teacher at the school. He said many teachers are disgruntled by the school’s decision to confiscate the Christmas cards. “They took down the cards so the kids can’t see them,” he told me. “Some of the cards had the word ‘Christmas’ and some had Nativity scenes.” Assuming that the display of cards wasn’t just limited to those professing faith in Jesus, why would the display be a big deal? Answer: It’s not. Starnes’ story is pure spin. Read more
Steven Furtick, the pastor of Elevation Church in North Carolina, has been under fire recently because of church’s shady finances. In short, the church takes in tens of millions of dollars every year (tax-free, of course), pays Furtick an undisclosed salary decided by a “Board of Overseers” consisting of his celebrity pastor friends, and never bothers to tell the congregation where exactly all their money is going. (All volunteers and employees of the church have to sign a confidentiality agreement promising never to reveal the church’s finances.) Whatever Furtick’s making, though, it’s gotta be pretty sweet considering he just bought a $1,700,000 home: When a local news team started running stories about the church’s lack of transparency and Furtick’s own extravagant lifestyle, he responded by playing dumb, saying “it’s not that great of a house” and he didn’t understand why a helicopter was flying over it. Well, there’s a good reason for that: Read more
I’m losing track of all the atheist/Creationist billboards in Times Square, but the latest salvo in the mythical War on Christmas belongs to American Atheists. Today, they’re launching a 15-second digital billboard reminding viewers that even atheists can celebrate the holiday season. The main message reads: “Who needs Christ during Christmas? Nobody.” Read more
… then Americans United for Separation of Church and State would love to hear from you: If you work for Hobby Lobby, Conestoga Woods, Eden Foods or any other company that is challenging the contraceptive mandate and you’re worried about your ability to obtain contraception coverage, we want to hear from you. Your information will be kept strictly confidential: it won’t go to your employer or to the media. Your story stays with us. You can get in touch with them here. Read more
