Hemant Mehta's Blog, page 1772
March 5, 2015
A Texas High School Student Recorded His Principal Reciting Bible Verses During Morning Announcements
Every morning, studentsat White Oak High School in Texas hear their morning announcements… along with a daily Bible verse read by Principal Dan Noll.
If you’re thinking that sounds illegal… you’d be right. The 1963 Supreme Court case Abington School District v. Schempp put a stop to school-sponsored Bible readings and subsequent rulings have only affirmed that idea.
Even Texas should’ve caught up with the law by now.
How do we know this is going on?
A student at the school recorded the announceme...
Christine Weick, Who Denounced “Satanic” Monster Energy Drinks, Weighs In On “Stigmata Soda” On Tosh.0
[Caution: This post is possibly NSFW]
We’re not the only ones who can’t get enough of Christine Weick, the crazy Christian lady who warned last year thatMonster energy drinks are the work of the devil. Weick, who has since drawn attention to herself and her faith in other questionable ways, appeared on comedian Daniel Tosh‘s eponymous TV show the other night. Not that she’s a big fan: the name Tosh, Weick says twice, is an acronym for “Taking Others Straight to Hell.”
But the two were (almost)...
Michigan Public School District Seeks Superintendent with “Strong Christian Background and Philosophy”
The McBain Rural Agricultural School district in northern Michigan is looking for a new Superintendent.
But none of you can apply because one of the requirements is a “strong Christian background and philosophy”:
Looks like that’s about to change, however, now that the ACLU is involved. In a letter to district officials, the group said:
Of course, there is nothing wrong with a public school district hiring a superintendent who happens to be religious. However, the religious beliefs of a candidat...
Sam Harris and ISIS Expert Graeme Wood Discuss “the True Believers” of Islamism
Sam Harris doesn’t do short. Even his blog posts often run the length of many, many screens, and his latest piece is no exception. Posted last night, it’s a 12,000-word meeting of the mindsbetween Harris and Graeme Wood, the author of the excellent March cover story in the Atlantic titled “What ISIS Really Wants.”
I’d recommend reading the Atlantic piece first. But even if you don’t, the following extract from the Harris-Wood conversation should stand on itsown, and it’ll give you a good idea...
I Knew It! Jesus Is Full of Hot Air
This Easter, Sky Sail Balloons Inc. will be renting out this hot air balloon:
The balloon ride business offers the opportunity to share a totally unique perspective of God’s creation. The extension of using a balloon to introduce to, and remind people of, the Good News was a step that made a lot of sense, not to mention the obvious comical irony of having a resurrection themed balloon named “RISEN!”
Though none of you will be able to rent it:
The Risen Balloon is available to attend balloon even...
March 4, 2015
Is Homosexuality Nature’s Way of Preventing Overpopulation? Of Course Not, Explains Richard Dawkins
Google’s Digital Truth Serum: Could a New Algorithm Cut Down on Internet Lies, Disinformation, and Woo?
It’s almostimpossible totraverse the Internet for even an hour without coming across a hoax, a half-truth, or a bit of satire that others (never we, of course!) think is real.If you’re anything like me, you’ve spent hundreds of hours checking out and refuting such fare (Dutch boy, dike, you get the picture).
What if the bullshit sank to the bottom, floatingway down the Google page ranking to a spot where we could still find it if if we wanted to, but where fewwould likelyjustchance upon it?
Leonard Nimoy Redux: Mr. Spock Is Now Shown On Canadian Currency (via Pens and Sharpies Only)
Canadian Star Trek fans are not about topass up an opportunityto honor Leonard Nimoy, a.k.a. Mr.Spock, who died on Friday.
His death sparked various memes worldwide including a group ofCanadians who began “spocking” their five dollar bills. “Spocking” [means]drawing over the official image of former Canadian Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier. The Laurier image is being defaced with Spock’s signature bowl hairstyle, pointed Vulcan ears, and upslanted eyebrows.
Before:
And after:
Great makeover!
Canada...
Seven More Atheist Billboards Are Up in Chicago
Last December, the Chicago chapter of the Freedom From Religion Foundation put up 11 billboards throughout the city featuring local atheists (including myself). Three more billboards, featuring groups of people, went up in January.
And now there are seven more billboards showcasing proud local atheists:
These billboards are going up on the north side of the city. I love that they feature a retired minister, several couples, and physicians.
So far, there really hasn’t been any backlash to the bil...
No, Time Magazine Did Not Publish a Cover Calling Craig Stephen Hicks “The Face of American Terror”
I’ve seen an image doing the rounds on social media that is not what it seems. Some of the commenters at Friendly Atheist were also more or lesssnookered by it, following its inclusion in a YouTube video by the abominable Gordon Klingenschmitt that Hemant featured in a post yesterday. So let’s set the record straight.
No, Time magazine did not come out with a cover that calls Craig Stephen Hicks, the killer of three Muslims in Chapel Hill, “The Face of American Terror.”
That image is a ‘shopped...
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