Hemant Mehta

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Hemant Mehta in 2014
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Ridiculing the Bible is not my life's mission. It's just something I do when I'm awake. [1]

Hemant Mehta is an American atheist activist, blogger, and author. He's known for selling his soul on eBay, eating babies,[2] and not being an asshole to believers. Mehta was a math teacher but is now a full-time atheist activist. If you are looking for a popular atheist YouTuber, his channels "The Atheist Voice"[3] and "Friendly Atheist"[4] may be far better alternatives to that other guy.

The Friendly Atheist[edit]

Hemant Mehta's blog, Friendly Atheist, is currently hosted on Patheos. Mehta features issues like separation of church and state,[5] gay rights,[6] the use of religion to explain the origin of the universe,[7] the non-existence of the soul,[8] Santa Claus,[9] and the many problems Christianity has.[10]

While the Friendly Atheist is primarily Mehta's blog, he has a number of co-bloggers, and he also accepts submissions.

Women's issues[edit]

Mehta took up the case of a pastor's wife who was treated unsympathetically by a group of Christians after she filed for separation from her husband citing physical, spiritual and emotional abuse.[11] Mehta also criticised Christians who oppose abortion rights,[12] described how anti-abortion activists who tried to undermine Planned Parenthood broke the law,[13] and has opposed proposed Illinois legislation that would deny financial support for mothers of children who cannot name the father in a birth certificate.[14]

Mehta acknowledges that many Christians recognize the sexism inherent in biblical stories about God.[15]

Books[edit]

Mehta has written several books. He gained a degree of prominence following the events described in I Sold My Soul on eBay (2007, ISBN 978-1400073474).

The Young Atheist's Survival Guide: Helping Secular Students Thrive (2012, ISBN 978-1939221070) is intended to help students cope with the social consequences of coming out as atheists and stand up to teachers and administrators trying to inject religion in public schools.

External links[edit]

References[edit]