Hemant Mehta's Blog, page 1722

Catholic Church Bell Hell in Vermont City

The state with the lowest church attendance in the country has a religion problem: Christ the King church keeps ringing its loud bells and they’re annoying the hell out of everyone:

“It’s not really music,” [Olga Lopatina] complained of the hymns as she stood in her backyard one recent evening after yet another unwelcome serenade. “This one, it sounds like a teenage iPhone recording, like the first generation ring tones that you pay 99 cents.”

…

Larry Miller said not only is the noise intrusive...

Irish Government Formally Responds to Open Letter to Eliminate Blasphemy Law

For years now, atheists in Ireland have led the charge to repeal the nation’s outdated and unnecessary blasphemy law. As it stands, Article 40.6.1 of the Irish Constitution includes this passage:

The publication or utterance of blasphemous, seditious, or indecent matter is an offence which shall be punishable in accordance with law.

It’s obvious why this law — especially the “blasphemous” mention — has no basis in a free society. It threatens freedom of speech and puts religious sentiments on a...

Atheist Activist Explains How She Shed Her Faith and Why She’s So Motivated to Help Others

If you read one interview with an amazing activist today, let it be this one with Sarah Morehead, who runs Recovering From Religion and launched the toll-free atheist hotline:

The loss of my faith wasn’t all at once, as it isn’t for many people. At first the changes were tiny. I remember the moment when I had the epiphany that American Baptists might not burn in hell. Later, Bible-believing Christianity stopped working for me, but for a long time I thought that was a problem with me, not with...

He Could Probably Sell Snake Oil, Too

That Jesus is one hell of a marketing guru…

(via Funny or Die. Thanks to Don for the link)

Why Ted Cruz’s Run for President Could Be a Gift to Atheists

The video below, part of The Atheist Voice series, discusses why Ted Cruz‘s run for President could be a gift to atheists.

A rough transcript of the video can be found on the YouTube page in the “About” section.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on the project — more videos will be posted soon — and we’d also appreciate your suggestions as to which questions we ought to tackle next!

And if you like what you’re seeing, please consider supporting this site on Patreon.

Amanda Berry on the Despair of Watching a TV Psychic Tell Your Mom You’re Dead

In Year Two of her ten-year terrifying captivity in the Cleveland home of Ariel Castro, 18-year-old Amanda Berry felt there was only one hope keeping her alive — knowing that her mother was fighting for her.

Glued to news of the outside world on the small black-and-white TV she was allowed, she felt a rare surge of joy in November of 2004, hearing that her mother was to appear on The Montel Williams Show to consult with a psychic they both admired, Sylvia Browne.

Berry revealed the details of t...

Someone Send Jesus a W-2

A reminder from Mrs. Betty Bowers that churches still don’t have to pay any taxes:

Rich pastors keep getting richer… all in the name of Jesus.

What Has Religion Done for Us This Month? Episode 16

Daniel is back with another montage of some of the awful things done in the name of God over the past month:

(via Religion Hurts Humanity)

Genesis Oven Mitts

If you’re looking for oven mitts — which is obviously why you come to this site — I got you covered.

Who made tonight’s dinner? I did… With the help of God.

They’re pricey, at nearly $70, but these meals won’t create themselves.

(via This Is Why I’m Broke)

California Educator Will Stop Showing the Bill Nye/Ken Ham Debate in Class After Being Reprimanded

Last week, we learned that high school science teacher Brandon Pettenger of Arroyo Grande High School in California was showing students the Bill Nye/Ken Ham debate in class, in addition to having them summarize blog posts on Creationist websites.

This doesn’t belong in a science class

Pettenger said he did this in order to “present both sides of the argument” to students — as if one form of anti-evolution nonsense takes precedence over all the others.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation and th...