Hemant Mehta's Blog, page 1782

Idaho Republican, Ignorant of Anatomy, Wonders if a Swallowed Camera Could Be Used in Remote Gynecological Exam

There’s a reason I cringe when politicians — usually Republicans — profess their ignorance about science. Like when Scott Walker can’t answer a basic question about accepting evolution or Bobby Jindal thinks teaching Creationism in public schools should be allowed.

Some people don’t seem to think these questions are relevant unless the politicians directly affect policy in these areas — but that’s foolish. Their responses speak more broadly to how they make their decisions: Do they defer to ex...

American Family Association Creates “Bigotry Map” Featuring Dozens of Atheist, Humanist, and Pro-LGBT-Rights Groups

The Southern Poverty Law Center is famous for their listing of “hate groups,” ones that “have beliefs or practices that attack or malign an entire class of people, typically for their immutable characteristics.”

So if you say nasty, untrue things about black people (like the KKK) or LGBT individuals (like the Illinois Family Institute), you’re on the list.

Evangelical churches aren’t on the list just because they think, for example, that homosexuality is a sin. “Loving the sinner while hating t...

The AP Says Rep. Aaron Schock, a Conservative Baptist, Used Donor Funds For Massages and Katy Perry Tickets

Life is good for GOP Boy Wonder Aaron Schock. Or at least it was until his financial ethics cameunder sustained fire.

First, in 2013,theOffice of Congressional Ethics said Schock probably violated campaign-financing rules(the House Ethics committee still considers that affair an active query). Now, Associated Press reportersJack Gillum and Stephen Braun have done some sleuthingof their own, and it doesn’t look good for the 33-year-old Congressman from Illinois.

Illinois Rep. Aaron Schock, a ris...

Icelandic Atheist Group Will Register All Citizens as Members Unless They Opt Out… Just Like the National Church

The Icelandic atheist group Vantrú has decided that everyone in the country will soon be automatically counted as members of their group:

“You, dear reader, will be a member of Vantrú, unless you specifically deregister yourself from membership,” reads a statement from the atheism society on their website. “Those who have children after March 1 do not need worry that they will miss out on this lively community, as we will automatically register children in Vantrú at birth, regardless of whethe...

Here’s the Raunchiest ISIS Recruiting Video You’ll See All Day

ISIS fighters love each other like brothers. Like passionate, sweaty, fabulousbrothers. (Caution: crude humor and smuttywords.)

(via Iranian Atheist)

A Scientific Look at Why Parents Might Not Vaccinate Their Children

Hank Green looks into the mindset of people who shun vaccines, trying to get to the bottom of the science behind the anti-vaccination movement:

Once their mind has been made up, confirmation bias sets in. Confirmation bias is simply our tendency to more readily, and with less scrutiny, accept information, anecdotes, and world views that confirm our existing beliefs. And, again, it is a completely normal thing that every person does. Indeed, trying to convince someone that a previously held bel...

Friendly Atheist Podcast Episode 43: Ross Blocher, Co-host of Oh No, Ross and Carrie!

Our latest podcast guest is Ross Blocher, co-host of the Oh No, Ross and Carrie! podcast.

On his podcast, the hosts don’t simply talk about the paranormal, but “dive right in by joining religions, attending spiritual events, undergoing “alternative” treatments, partaking in paranormal investigations, and more.”

Jessica caught up with Ross during a recent trip to Los Angeles and they spoke about how thepodcast began, along with some of his favorite investigations.

We’d love to hear your thoughts...

A Glimpse Into the Lives of Muslims Who Left the Faith

Voice of America’s Jerome Socolovsky recently attended a private party in Washington, D.C. hosted by Ex-Muslims of North America and got a glimpse into the lives of some courageous apostates:

The group invited VOA to talk to some of its members, under an agreement to protect the identities of those who fear retaliation. [Muhammad] Syed said the Internet has made it easier for former Muslims to find each other and encourages them to come out of the closet.

“The more people that speak out, the mo...

Girl, Possibly Just Seven Years Old, Is Suicide Bomber in Latest Boko Haram Atrocity

The effort to carve out an Islamic paradise in Nigeria continues unabated. The humantoll over the past six years, since Boko Haram began its slaughter, stands at 13,000 corpses and a million displaced Muslims. Every day, the count goes up — and sometimes, so does the level of depravity.It certainly did yesterday.

A girl thought to be as young as seven killed herself and five others in a suicide bombing in north-east Nigeria on Sunday. …

The attack on a market in the town of Potiskum is the late...

Michigan Town That Denied “Reason Station” in City Hall (but Allowed “Prayer Station”) Owes $100,000 in Settlement

Not that long ago, if you were to walk into the Warren (Michigan) city hall, you’d see a Prayer Station, a kiosk of sorts with pamphlets about God, manned by Christians eager to proselytize. It first went up in 2009.

So when resident Douglas Marshall filled out an application to set up a personal “Reason Station” to promote freethought and logic, you’d think he’d get a green light, too… hell, his application was almost word-for-word identical to that of Pastor Darius Walden, who set up the Pra...