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.
Here’s an awful story: Three-year-old Brooklyn Hunter was shaken, beaten, and abused by her stepfather last month, shattering her skull and putting her in the ER. There’s some good news: She’s doing better. She’s conscious of what’s going on around her. She knows it’s Christmas. She wants a doll, etc… and she’ll go in for another surgery soon. But what stands out in this article is the boneheaded thing one of her doctors said: Since the incident, [mother] Hunter and… Read more
Adidas recently tried to trademark the term “adiZero” for a new line of footwear/clothing… but the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office denied the request. Why? Because it’s dangerously close to a phrase the Christian Faith Fellowship Church in Zion, Illinois has already trademarked: “Add a zero.” As in: Add a zero to the amount you’re already tithing us because Jesus needs more cash. As in: Giving us $100? Now give us $1,000. (***Edit***: Or, as some commenters point out, Giving… Read more
The Secular Coalition for America has just published a report card for the 2012 presidential candidates… and while you can make a pretty strong prediction as to how this will pan out, the differences are really remarkable. (Keep in mind that the SCA does not endorse candidates.) The grades break down like this: An A means the candidate has been “consistently positive” on that issue. A B means the candidate has been “neutral or occasionally positive” on that issue. A… Read more
Several black atheist groups — yep, there are many of them these days — are planning a Day of Solidarity on February 26th and hoping that it becomes a yearly tradition. The idea is the brainchild of Donald Wright, author of The Only Prayer I’ll Ever Pray: Let My People Go: The idea of a Day of Solidarity occurred as a result of me pondering Black History Month with more focus on black free thinkers and non-believers. I felt that… Read more