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.
The Foundation Beyond Belief blog reports some really cool news: The Triangle Freethought Society is featured on the cover of North Carolina’s Light the Night campaign handbook, representing all of us who walked during an event last year: The caption reads “FBB 2012 Top non corporate team in the country.” [Click headline for more…] Read more
This is Christian leader Bryan Fischer, talking about the Atheist Hotline Project more than two weeks ago: When asked by [the Christian Post] if he felt the atheist group would reach their fundraising goal, Fischer replied that “this effort is doomed to fail.” “I can’t imagine a more fruitless and depressing endeavor than trying to raise money to help people create distance between themselves and God,” said Fischer. “God isn’t going anywhere, and the Scriptures make clear in places like Psalm 139 that’s impossible to flee the presence of God even if you want to. He will always stand ready to draw near to anyone who wants to draw near to him, no matter how far from him they’ve tried to get.” [Click headline for more…] Read more
Here’s the story as the conservative media tells it: Linda Brunton, a liberal professor at Columbia State Community College in Tennessee, forced students to wear rainbow ribbons and tell people who asked them about it that they were supporters of gay rights. Students then had to observe public reaction and write a paper about how they were allegedly “discriminated against” while wearing the ribbons. When several students objected to being forced to support conduct that violates their faith convictions, Brunton brushed aside their concerns, described their views as “ignorant and uneducated,” and explained that she hoped this assignment would cause them to change their beliefs. Regardless of their convictions, students had to express the views she mandated in order to receive class credit. The Christian legal group Alliance Defending Freedom even sent the school a letter (PDF) demanding an apology and a promise that this assignment will never be given again. Of course, I’m having a hard time believing that a professor would “force” students to do this against their will. But let’s take this one issue at a time. [Click headline for more…] Read more