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.
We don’t know the exact number of people who have become atheists since Sam Harris’ The End of Faith began the “New Atheism” boom in 2004, but it’s undoubtedly huge. Is there anything we can say about those “newer atheists,” those who became atheists only in the past decade? Brother Richard thinks so, and he offers a few clarifications to critics who go after them, though some of them could also apply to people like me who became atheists before 2004: [Click headline for more…] Read more
This is a guest post by Ellery Schempp. I was in a contemplative mood as I wrote this. Somewhat overwhelmed by good wishes from good people. I thank you for remembering this anniversary. I am happy to have lived long enough to remember not only the Abington decision (1963), but also pioneers like Vashti McCollum (1948), Steve Engel (1962), Madalyn Murray (joined with Abington, 1963), and later cases such as Lemon and Weismann, Epperson, Edwards, Griswold, many others. All these cases came from real people, and often the children suffered. [Click headline for more…] Read more
A few weeks ago, I wrote about The Hotline Project, a proposed 24/7 hotline for people who were struggling with religious doubt: In order to get the project off the ground, the group putting it together, Recovering From Religion, needed to raise about $30,000 before the end of this month. Well, with all the recent media attention given to the project (some, courtesy of Christian ignorance), there’s good news to report: With more than a week to spare, The Hotline Project has raised the money! And they’re ready to hear from volunteers. [Click headline for more…] Read more
Given that its President Alan Chambers is already going on Oprah Winfrey’s network Thursday night to offer an on-camera apology to all those members of the LGBTQ community he may have hurt, this may not be a major surprise, but it’s still big news: Exodus International is shutting down: [Click headline for more…] Read more