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.
A month ago, I posted about how one of the cast members of “Teen Mom 2,” Kailyn Lowry, openly talked about her atheism on Twitter. Yesterday, one of her followers questioned her status as a role model because of that: @kaillowry you are atheist? And you are considered a “role model” ?— Alex Mendez (@amaaazing_alex) May 9, 2012 Not one to shy away from the label, Kailyn not only reaffirmed her atheism, she did it while giving a shout-out to… Read more
When the Secular Coalition for America opened for business in September of 2005, it was led by Lori Lipman Brown, a former state senator from Nevada who managed the SCA and lobbied Congress until she left the organization in January of 2009. (Lori was also hilariously interviewed by Stephen Colbert in a “Better Know a Lobby” segment.) With Edwina Rogers taking the helm of the organization, I asked Lori what the thought of the new appointment — especially in light… Read more
Last June, after a contentious battle that ended in a Ten Commandments banner being taken down, the school board in Giles County, Virginia voted 3-2 to rehang the display, surrounding it with other historical documents. Is that still government endorsement of religion? That battle is playing out in the courts right now. During oral arguments this week, Judge Michael Urbanski offered up a possible compromise as the case goes into mediation: “If indeed this issue is not about God, why… Read more
Over the weekend, this was posted at Postsecret: I’ve heard from a few of you who are in that type of predicament right now. Turns out the secret’s owner isn’t alone. From one reader: Five years ago, after growing up in and being educated in church institutions, I lost my faith. Trouble is, I’m married to a pastor and have since entered church employment myself — I lost my non-church job early in the economic crisis and a number of… Read more
In the wake of President Obama saying he supported same-sex marriage yesterday, most people were thrilled. I was. And why not? No American president has ever said that before and symbolic affirmation is significant. Yeah, some people weren’t impressed, but what else is new? Here’s a hypothetical: Regardless of what Obama said, what if it was Mitt Romney who had come out in support of marriage equality instead? What if he figured out that most of the people voting for… Read more
