Hemant Mehta's Blog, page 1677

Episcopalians Vote Yes to Gay Marriage in Church, But Are They Too Late?

Yesterday, during the Episcopal General Convention meeting in Salt Lake City, both clergy members and lay participants voted to allow same-sex marriages within the Church. While many Episcopalians embraced openly gay Bishop Gene Robinson more than a decade ago, this was a dramatic leap forward:

The vote eliminates gender-specific language from church laws on marriage so that same-sex couples could have religious weddings. Instead of “husband” and “wife,” for example, the new church law will re...

Creationist Explains to Eighth Grader How Humans Came Into Existence: “POOF! God Made ‘Em”

Regular readers of this site are undoubtedly familiar with Chad by now. He’s the young atheist who has flummoxed a number of Christian debaters over the years.

Looks like he’s still at the top of his game when it comes to asking questions that trip up Creationists. In a recent debate between atheists Bernie Dehler and Marco Balogh and Christians Ron Kincaid and Dr. Bart Rask, Chad asked Rask what alternative he had in mind if he denied evolution:

Rask’s initial response, to nobody’s surprise, i...

What It Was Like Running for Congress as a Progressive Atheist from Arizona

This week, American Atheists released several hours of video from both their 2014 and 2015 conventions.

I really like this talk by James Woods, who ran for Congress in Arizona:

There are so many powerful speeches in this collection — from people who have been physically attacked for challenging religion to atheist politicians to former Survivor contestants (Mark Burnett, call me!) — so go through them when you get a chance!

Tennessee Store Owner with “No Gays Allowed” Sign Backtracks a Little Bit

A day after Jeff Amyx, owner of Amyx Hardware & Roofing Supplies in East Tennessee, posted a signed on his door saying “No Gays Allowed,” he’s made a few changes in order to come off as a little nicer.

So how does a jackass show off his good side?

By changing the sign to this:

“We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone who would violate our rights of freedom of speech & freedom of religion.”

I’m not even sure how anyone could take those rights away from him… If he’s worried about people vi...

Tennessee Store Owner Puts Up “No Gays Allowed” Sign

There are some Christians who use the “love the sinner, hate the sin” line — which is bad enough — and then there are Christians like Jeff Amyx.

He’s the owner of Amyx Hardware & Roofing Supplies in east Tennessee and this is the sign he put up on his door:

“No Gays Allowed.”

Not “We oppose the Supreme Court’s decision,” but no gay people allowed into his store at all.

(As if all gay people wear giant signs explaining their orientation so he can tell who to kick out.)

“They gladly stand for what t...

Lawyer for Alabama’s Christian Chief Justice Roy Moore: “Public Officials Are Ministers of God”

Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore, the man who constantly thinks he’s above the law, is furious with the recent marriage equality ruling. So is everyone, it seems, inside his social circle.

In a letter written by one of his lawyers, Win Johnson (below) — presumably without Moore’s knowledge and presumably to Governor Robert Bentley (though he’s never mentioned by name) — the conservative Christian laments the state’s decision to comply with the new law.

Johnson urges the reader to r...

A New Board of Trustees Could Put an End to Eruvs in Westhampton Beach

Under Jewish law, on the Sabbath (Friday night to Saturday night), you’re not supposed to carry any of your possessions between private domains (like your home) and public domains (like outside your home). But what if you want to take your baby to synagogue? What if you want to carry your keys from inside your home to outside where your car is parked? You can’t do it. Jewish law forbids it.

But Orthodox Jews figured out a loophole. All they have to do is turn a “public” domain into a “private”...

Orange, California Mayor Used Government Resources to Sponsor Christian Prayer Breakfasts

For the past couple of years, Orange, California Mayor Teresa Smith (below) has hosted a prayer breakfast. These events usually avoid being subject to lawsuits because officials don’t directly promote one particular faith, opting instead for a general “Yay, religion” attitude.

But new information obtained by the Freedom From Religion Foundation offers evidence that city workers were tasked with coordinating religious aspects of the event, from finding the right Bible verses to picking the reli...

I Was a Guest Speaker at a Church Last Sunday

In May of 2013, Kile Jones launched a nation-wide project called Interview an Atheist at Church Day where he matched atheists and preachers for video-recorded conversations in their churches. I had immediately signed up as a candidate, but he was not able to find a match for me. Since then, he has continued to do interviews of his own and to pair up several more atheists with pastors. Finally, several weeks ago, he introduced me to Dr. Scott Colglazier, the pastor of the First Congregational...

Arkansas State Senator: The Majority Grants the Minority Their Rights “By Choice”

After the Supreme Court’s marriage equality ruling, Arkansas State Senator Jason Rapert was livid. (You may recognize him as the same politician who recently passed a bill to erect a Ten Commandments monument on Capitol property.)

He made a Facebook post whining about the inevitable Christian persecution — as if gay weddings will now end by sacrificing a priest — when one commenter told him that the “Rights of minorities are not overruled by the whims of the majority.”

She’s absolutely right, o...