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.
If you look up to Lori Lipman Brown and Sean Faircloth, the Secular Coalition for America is looking for their next Executive Director and you could be following in their footsteps: The Executive Director will be the primary public face for the organization, be a central force in leading the organization, and cultivate relationships with current and prospective donors, member organizations, the media, and legislators. Additionally, the Executive Director must play an active role in nurturing the relationships between the… Read more
This video by DarkMatter2525 is completely depressing (and possibly NSFW), but the point is an important one. Religious people are conditioned to believe God is the answer to everything, no matter the outcome. And it’s an absolutely delusional way to think: I can’t believe I used to reason that way. If I just missed getting into an accident, it was God’s will. If someone died in an accident, it was a part of God’s Master Plan. If I survived a… Read more
For the first time since the story broke, the Foundation Beyond Belief’s Executive Director Dale McGowan has responded to the rejection from the American Cancer Society: It’s common practice for non-profits to decline support when they feel an association would result in a greater loss of support from other donors. Several such incidents have been in the news over the years. Unfortunately, such policies can have the effect of reinforcing stereotypes by keeping a perceived pariah on the cultural margins…. Read more
Rebecca Skloot, the author of the *wonderful* book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, has a new project in the works! In her new book, which is as yet untitled, Ms. Skloot will employ the intimate storytelling and masterful reporting that made The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks a favorite of readers and critics alike. She will explore, among many other subjects, the neurology of human-animal relationships, human nature and responsibility, and the unexamined ethics of our relationship with animals…. Read more
Last night, Dave Silverman of American Atheists debated Dinesh D’Souza at the University of Pennsylvania. Staks Rosch was there and gives his recap here. Shaun McGonigal also offers his own summary. I wasn’t there, but I’m guessing Silverman pulled out a lot of these: … Meanwhile, Jerry Coyne debated theologian John Haught over the topic: “Science and Religion: Are They Compatible?” at the University of Kentucky and gives his own interpretation on the event. (Video of the event is forthcoming,… Read more
