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.
Rhode Island’s Governor Lincoln Chafee is getting criticized for not excluding non-Christian citizens this holiday season: … lawmakers [are] upset with his decision to call the blue spruce erected in the Statehouse a “holiday tree” instead of a “Christmas tree” … Chafee insists he’s just respecting the state’s history as a place respectful of all religions. In a state home to the nation’s “oldest surviving Jewish synagogue,” you would think that state politicians could at least pay some lip service… Read more
***Update***: The sign will also be going up this Monday in the Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson! … In a year when we’ve seen so many atheist billboards, it’s hard to believe that the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s Winter Solstice message, currently sitting in the Wisconsin Capitol building through the end of December, might not be the most controversial sign we’ve talked about this year: “At this season of the Winter Solstice, may reason prevail. There are no gods, no… Read more
For the past couple of years, there has been a battle in Loudoun County, Virginia over which displays, if any, should be allowed in front of the county courthouse. Last year, the courthouse Grounds and Facilities Committee wanted to ban all displays, while the county Supervisor and other community members wanted to continue to allow all displays — including atheist ones. (Both options would’ve been legal.) Even the state’s notoriously conservative Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli weighed in on the matter… Read more
Remember when Deepak Chopra appeared on Bill O’Reilly’s show last month? O’Reilly had previously invited Richard Dawkins on his show to discuss his book The Magic of Reality. Now, it was Chopra’s turn to refute what Dawkins had said. Even though Dawkins wasn’t present to defend himself, Chopra took the bait from O’Reilly and went off on the famous atheist and author. Among the things Chopra complained about was an interview that Dawkins had with him for a documentary called… Read more