Hemant Mehta's Blog, page 1800

Mad Bill Donohue Demands Apology From Obama For the President’s Mention of the Crusades and the Inquisition

Trapped in aperpetual state of agitation andpique, Catholic League president Bill Donohue can no more swear off being angrythan he can avoid moving his bowels.

He produced another steamer yesterday, regarding the National Prayer Breakfast, where President Obamacondemned Islamic terrorism with these words:

“From a school in Pakistan to the streets of Paris, we have seen violence and terror perpetrated by those who profess to stand up for faith, professed to stand up for Islam, but, in fact, are...

Despite Challenge from Atheists, Judge Rules in Favor of Keeping the Pledge of Allegiance in New Jersey Schools

The American Humanist Association’s Appignani Humanist Legal Center announced last year that it had filed a lawsuit against the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District in Monmouth County, New Jersey. If successful, the lawsuit would put an end to saying the Pledge of Allegiance in the state’s public schools.

Much like their (failed) lawsuit in Massachusetts, the plaintiffs were anonymous (presumably to avoid harassment from Christians) and the argument was all about discrimination. They were...

Alcoholics Anonymous in Des Moines Won’t List Non-Religious Group’s Meeting Times in Its Master Schedule

Alcoholics Anonymous is a religious organization — several of its famous Twelve Steps reference God (though a Higher Power is an acceptable alternative).

One of the rules about forming AA groups is that you just need two people who have a desire to stop drinking and *boom*… you have a group!

In Des Moines, Iowa, the AA central office has a list of all the groups’ meetings in the area, but they left off the meetings of one group: The Broad Highway.

That’s for alcoholics who want to find sobriety...

Can You Guess In Which States Fifty Shades of Grey Is Already a Box Office Success?

From Time, proof that smut and Christian fundamentalism get along just fine:

Excitement over the highly-anticipated filmFifty Shades of Greyis heating up in places few could have guessed. According to online box officeFandango, ticket pre-sales in Mississippi, where until recently it was actually illegal to sell sex toys, are four-times higher than the site expected.

And the Magnolia State isn’t the only Southern locale where pre-sale tickets are selling rapidly. In Arkansas, West Virginia, Ken...

Get Your Free “Vaccinate” Stickers

You know you want this sticker:

The Center For Inquiry will send you two of them for free (so you can give one to a friend) — all you have to do is fill out this form!

I’m pretty sure the way it works is you take the stickers and put them over the mouths of anti-vaxxers so they stop spreading misinformation.

The Power of Christ Compelled Him: Toronto “Exorcist” Pastor Wayne Marlon Jones Is Accused of Rape, Fraud

I can’t understand what, you know, possesses these people.

When awoman in Toronto tried to get rid of her “demons,” the pastor she hired for the taskdid more demonstrable harm than the fantasy creatures that unnerved her. Police have now charged PastorWayne Marlon Jones with sexual assault and three counts of fraud.

A 53-year-old Toronto pastor is facing charges after police say he sexually assaulted a woman while performing exorcisms on her.

Between May 2011 and May 2013, police say the man off...

Mr. Deity Is Back… with Richard Dawkins (of The Shellfish Gene)

It’s easily the best Mr. Deity episode since David Silverman was on. Even the money request at the end, after the Dawkins bit is over, is great. Enjoy.

Once Again, President Obama Defends Right to “Practice No Faith at All” at National Prayer Breakfast

I wish it wasn’t such a given to see the President of the United States speak at an event called the National Prayer Breakfast, but he did it again today. President Obama honored religious leaders and spoke about the importance and goodness of faith… before adding all the obvious ways faith is used to do horrific things:

… We see faith driving us to do right.

But we also see faith being twisted and distorted, used as a wedge — or, worse, sometimes used as a weapon. From a school in Pakistan to...

For the First Time Ever, a Darwin Day Resolution Has Been Introduced in the Senate

A few days ago, Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT, below) introduced House Resolution 67 (a.k.a. the Darwin Day Resolution) to designate Charles Darwin’s birthday, February 12, as a national day to recognize “the importance of science in the betterment of humanity.”

Now, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT, below) has introduced a companion bill in the Senate, making it the first time the Darwin Day Resolution has been introduced in that body. The text of S.Res. 66 hasn’t been released yet, but it should be pret...

Granddaughter of Trinity Broadcasting Network Founder Alleges Corruption Involving More Than $100,000,000

Just over a year ago, Paul Crouch, the man who founded Trinity Broadcasting Network and made millions of dollars on the backs of gullible viewers, died.

Now, his family is in the middle of a lawsuit that alleges all sorts of corruption within the organization:

Brittany Koper, a granddaughter of Paul Crouch Sr., founder of Trinity Broadcasting Network, the world’s largest Christian network, alleged in a lawsuit filed Thursday that top bosses in the organization threatened her life with a gun and...