Hemant Mehta's Blog, page 1723

Is Christianity Toxic in Manhattan? This Summer, New York’s Museum of Biblical Art Will Be Closing For Good

Ever been to theMuseum of Biblical Art, aManhattan spacethat “celebrates and interprets art inspired by the Bible”? Better make it quick. After 10 years, the place is just months away fromclosing its doors.

MOBIA opened under the auspices of the American Bible Society, an organization devoted to Bible translation and distribution. In 2005, it spun off into its current entity, an independent secular and scholarly museum devoted to examining the Bible’s influence on Western art. But it has never...

New Zealand Church Kicks Out Tai Chi Class for Elderly Women for Threatening Members’ “Spiritual Wellbeing”

For the past five years, about twenty older women (many with arthritis) have met in Central Southland Presbyterian Parish to practice tai chi. It’s a great form of exercise and the space was perfect.

Example of a tai chi class

But last month, the group leader was told she needed to get the hell out of the church. Why?

[Parish council clerk John] Willis said while the council understood the programme did not include any religious content, it believed tai chi conflicted with the church’s teachings...

These Courageous Egyptian Atheists Have Launched a YouTube Channel

Last year, a YouTube channel was created with content aimed directly at a Middle Eastern viewing audience. Free Mind TV is edited and produced in the U.S., but it’s filmed in a secret location in Egypt, using a green screen to fake a larger studio.

Ex-Muslim host Ahmed Harqan hopes the show can reach other viewers in a place where it’s increasingly difficult to be an open atheist.

Harqan said that in one instance, people on the street were trying to kill him and his wife, Nada Mandour, so he ra...

U.S Court of Appeals Rules Against Santa Monica (CA) Christian Group in Years-Long Nativity Scene Battle

In 2011, in Santa Monica, California, several people entered a lottery to determine who would get to put up holiday displays in the 21 lots available in Palisades Park. Traditionally, the spaces always ended up in the hands of Christians because no one else wanted them.

But that year, most of the applicants were atheists. When all was said and done, they won an astonishing 18 of 21 spaces. Christians won 2 of the remaining spots and a Jewish person won 1.

These are some of the signs the atheist...

Anti-Gay Rep. Randy Boehning, Republican of North Dakota, Is Outed After He Trolls For Men On Grindr

Move over, Ted Haggard, George Rekers, and Larry Craig.

North Dakota state Rep. Randy Boehning (R) has come out as a member of the LGBT community after he was caught sending explicit photos on a gay dating app.

Boehning, whovoted against a bill earlier this monththat would extend housing, workplace and other protections to LGBT North Dakota residents, revealed … this week that he isattracted to both men and women.

Turns out that Boehning is an avid sexter who shared dick pics of himself onGrindr...

Diabetic Child Dies After Parents Take Him to Alt-Med Practitioner Who Advocated “Slapping Therapy”

Aidan Fenton, a seven-year-old diabetic boy from Australia, is dead because his parents took him to an alternative medicine practitioner instead of a qualified doctor.

When you hear the specifics of what that alternative doctor (below) did to him, you’re going to be horrified:

[Hongchi] Xiao had been in Sydney following a tour of New Zealand to promote his “Paida-Lajin” therapy, which involves slapping the body until it bruises to “unblock meridians and drive out poisons”.

…

It is understood Mr X...

“Because the Bible Said So”: An Awful Argument Against Gay Marriage

Here’s a handy flowchart for those who oppose gay marriage for biblical reasons…

Check out the rest of Scott Bateman‘s image at The Nib

(via Why Evolution is True)

Freedom of Speech… As Long It’s Speech I Agree With

Jesus and Mo discuss freedom of speech… which is awesome, as long as other people aren’t allowed to use it.

Full comic over here.

Atheist Groups Are Making Large Donations to Help Nepal Relief Efforts

I mentioned earlier this week that Foundation Beyond Belief’s Humanist Disaster Recovery team was raising funds to help victims and families affected by the Nepal earthquake.

We just announced that the first beneficiary of the fundraiser is the Women’s Foundation Nepal:

The Women’s Foundation Nepal was founded in 1988 by a group of Nepalese women and has continued to be a locally run organization. In non-emergency times, they support women and children who are victims of violence and poverty by...

High School Principal Suspended After Leading Prayers at Fellowship of Christian Athletes Meeting

How hard is it to understand that teachers and administrators cannot lead prayer in public school? It doesn’t matter if you’re a coach or the faculty sponsor of the Bible Club. It’s not your job to lead prayers. Students can do it. You just get to stand back and watch. It’s that simple.

Apparently that lesson never made its way to Meriwether County, Georgia. Manchester High School Principal Dr. Michael Lehr (below) recently filled in for the sponsor of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, whi...