Hemant Mehta's Blog, page 1701

New Documents Reveal Even More Sad Details About the Josh Duggar Child Molestation Scandal

In Touch magazine, which first broke the Josh Duggar child molestation scandal, has obtained even more damning documents that make everything worse.

Here’s what we now know:

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Josh Duggar confessed three separate times to his father about what he was doing.He was 15 when he molested his 5-year-old sister. (And they were not “playing doctor.”)He committed at least seven such acts.His parents knew about all of this for 16 months before doing anything… and even then, it was har...

U.S. House Introduces Resolution Calling for the Global Repeal of Blasphemy Laws

It’s bipartisan and sorely needed.

Rep. Joseph Pitts (R-PA) and Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) have introduced H. Res. 290, calling for the global elimination of blasphemy laws:

Whereas many countries have blasphemy laws that punish expression deemed blasphemous (contemptuous of God or sacred things), defamatory of religion, or insulting to religion or religious symbols, figures, or feelings, and such punishment can include fines, imprisonment, and even death;

…

Whereas blasphemy laws also are in...

Despite Ample Evidence of ACLU Defending Christians, Creationist Ken Ham Still Preaches Persecution Myth

A Native American high school senior made headlines recently because he wanted to wear an eagle feather, a symbol of his faith, during his graduation ceremony. The Clovis Unified School District in California said no. The student sued. And he won, which was the right call. This was hardly a disruptive religious symbol and it was student-initiated.

The ACLU defended that student, Christian Titman, and that shouldn’t surprise anybody. The group defends religious people whose civil rights have be...

Wu-Tang Clan Affiliate Killah Priest Will Speak at Milwaukee Mythinformation Conference

The second annual Mythinformation conference will take place in Milwaukee this September and I think my eyes almost popped out when I saw who they had booked to speak there:

Killah Priest, an affiliate of the Wu-Tang Clan?!

That’s about as far away from the Richard-Dawkins-like atheist stereotype as you can get. Nicely done, organizers!

Killah Priest will be presenting on how religion has influenced his music and where it has taken the direction of his art.

If you’re unfamiliar with him, “B.I.B.L...

Atheist Minister Facing “Review” by United Church of Canada Leaders Sees Ray of Hope

A few days ago, I mentioned that Gretta Vosper, a reverend for the United Church of Canada who doesn’t believe in God, was in danger of being stripped of her position even though her congregation was 100% on her side. (Her stance isn’t as hypocritical as you may think. The UCC is a very liberal congregation that has long ordained women and LGBT individuals. You could argue that an atheist who supports the community and philosophies of the church is not at all out of line.)

Still, a subcommitte...

Catholic Priest: Caitlyn Jenner is Just a “Man Dressed Up as a Whore”

I love writing for Patheos, but one of the downsides to the platform is that we share a network with certain religious writers who spew their own brand of bigotry.

On the other hand, there’s also nothing stopping me from calling them out on their bullshit…

Catholic priest Fr. Dwight Longenecker has a hateful reaction to the new Vanity Fair cover featuring Caitlyn Jenner:

It has been difficult not to have one’s nose pushed into a particular image this week.

It is that of a former Olympic athlete d...

What Religious Cults Seem to Have in Common

Jeff C. Stevenson first heard of the “All Saved Freak Band” in the 1970s. He listened to their music, thought it was unique, and continued to acquire their albums over the years. It was only later that he realized the band was really just an outreach tool for Rev. Larry Hill’s Church of the Risen Christ, a group with a mysterious and seemingly-shady history.

When he finally got in touch with one of the band members to hear the backstory, he also gained access to several other members of the ch...

Mike Huckabee: If They Let Me, I Would’ve Said I’m Transgender to Shower with Girls in High School

Back in February, Mike Huckabee gave the closing speech at the 2015 National Religious Broadcasters Convention in Nashville, Tennessee. But his comments didn’t go online until this weekend (thanks, WND… I think).

Now, the man who defended Josh Duggar for molesting five little girls when he was younger is making headlines for his statements about transgender people.

According to Huckabee, allowing transgender people to use the restroom that’s appropriate for them means putting little children in...

Indiana Family Sues School District Over Prayers at Athletic Events, School Board Meetings, and Graduation

How many church/state separation violations can one school district be guilty of? The River Forest Community School Corporation in Indiana must be trying to break a record.

An image on the District’s front page. Apparently, they teach children to “Serve God.”

J.B. is a student completing his sophomore year there and he and his parents have noticed several problems with the way the District handles religion.

There were the coach-led sectarian prayers before J.B.’s football, basketball, and track...

If You Promote a Story That Turns Out to Be False, Don’t You Have an Obligation to Correct It?

As anyone who reads atheist blogs is probably aware, there have been some high-profile (at least within this community) cases of sexual harassment (and worse) over the past few years.

One case in particular involved Ben Radford, a prominent skeptical writer. He was accused of “stalking, sexual harassment, and both physical and sexual assault” by his former girlfriend Karen Stollznow (a prominent skeptic in her own right). It’s been going on for a couple of years with both sides raising money f...