Hemant Mehta's Blog, page 1694

“Jesus Welcomes You to Hawkins” Sign Isn’t Religious, Says Mayor of Texas Town

If you were to drive into Hawkins, Texas, you’ll be greeted by this 18-foot-wide sign saying “JESUS welcomes you to Hawkins”:

For some reason, this sign has been around since 2011, when Mayor Will Rogers requested that it be put up. But now that the Freedom From Religion Foundation is pointing out its illegality, we’re starting to hear the ridiculous arguments for why it should remain up:

Hawkins mayor Will Rogers said the city doesn’t have the money to battle FFRF in court, but he thinks it is...

Transhumanist Party Presidential Candidate Wants Atheists to Be Exempt from Airport Security Checks

Zoltan Istvan is running for U.S. President as leader of the Transhumanist Party.

In other words, he’ll get as many votes as you will.

But in the process, he’s using his candidacy to spread ideas to anyone who’ll listen.

Like this one:

As an aspiring politician, I strive to improve society by applying statistical analysis to decision making. I look at numbers and facts, and try to logically create policy that achieves the greater good for society, especially in a scientific transhuman way… Millio...

Ken Ham: Belief in God is the Only Thing Preventing Miley Cyrus from Committing Pedophilia or Bestiality

Creationist Ken Ham took to his blog yesterday to discuss Miley Cyrus‘ nude photo shoot and accompanying interview in Paper magazine (the same publication that “broke the Internet” with its provocative pictures of Kim Kardashian).

Ham’s thoughts are certainly worth reading — not because he makes sense, but because they offer more insight into his own views of the world.

After some pearl-clutching about Cyrus “shak[ing] her fist at God and promot[ing] sexual perversion,” Ham kindly explains the...

Christian Couple: If Australia Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage, We’re Getting Divorced!

One of the arguments the pro-LGBT-rights side often makes is that marriage equality hurts nobody. After all, if a gay couple gets married, how would that affect someone else’s straight marriage?

Well, Australians Nick and Sarah Jensen have a response to that: If gay marriage is legalized in their country, they’re getting a divorce after ten years together. So there.

My wife and I, as a matter of conscience, refuse to recognise the government’s regulation of marriage if its definition includes t...

After Being Selected for an Interview with God, Ike Has to Deliver an Important Message

When God selects random-typical-guy Ike Simmons for a one-on-one conversation, not even Ike understands why he was chosen. But God has a special message for him to deliver…

It’s all part of this short film by Eli Shapiro:

(via Boing Boing)

Rick Santorum Questions the Pope’s Use of His Moral Authority to Address Climate Change

Rick Santorum recently made some eyebrow-raising comments about how the Pope should leave science to the scientists with regards to climate change. It was strange not only because those words were coming from Rick Santorum (who is both a climate change denier and a Creationist), but also because he was criticizing Pope Francis for embracing the scientific consensus on the issue.

This incongruity did not escape Fox News host Chris Wallace, who raised the issue during an interview this past week...

Despite What Some Conservatives Are Suggesting, Patrick Stewart Isn’t Jumping Ship on LGBT Rights

There’s been a minor Internet kerfuffle over some comments iconic actor Patrick Stewart recently made in defense of Christian bakers in Northern Ireland who refused to make a cake with a pro-gay marriage slogan on it, and who were subsequently fined.

This seems to have caused particular delight in some quarters of the anti-gay marriage crowd since Stewart is a longtime advocate for LGBT rights and equality — not the kind of person you’d expect to resurrect the standard religious persecution na...

How Creationism Was Created

With so many Christians harboring Creationist beliefs and using the anti-gay refrain “It’s Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve,” the role of the First Man Ever isn’t one we can immediately dismiss. Adam (and what he represents) looms large over the faith.

Karl W. Giberson, a scientist and former evangelical Christian, has now written a book explaining the consequences of belief in Adam. It’s called Saving the Original Sinner: How Christians Have Used the Bible’s First Man to Oppress, Inspire, and...

Christianity Today: Don’t Worry, Evangelicals! We Still Oppose Marriage Equality

This week, we’ve seen evangelical heavyweights like Pastor Tony Campolo and former Christianity Today editor David Neff voice their support for marriage equality.

But the current editor of Christianity Today, Mark Galli, would like to remind readers everywhere that his publication isn’t wavering on this issue at all.

The leaders at CT still believe LGBT people don’t deserve the same rightsas straight people, and they will continue to demean gays and lesbians by making the case for why they don’...

Acupuncturist Finds New Way to Separate Yuppies From Their Money

The other day, my Facebook News Feed was all abuzz about an NPR story titled, “Lost Posture: Why Some Indigenous Cultures May Not Have Back Pain.” Between the shares from my critical thinking friends and NPR, I figured this article must have merit and was worth my time to read.

The opening claims seemed reasonably true: Americans often suffer from back problems, while other cultures, specifically indigenous tribes, have virtually no back problems. Alright, let’s get on to the credible scientif...