Hemant Mehta
@friendlyatheist.com
Jeopardy! champ everywhere but Canada. Writer. YouTuber. Podcaster. [email protected]. (Send me story tips!) http://linktr.ee/HemantMehta
Articles at https://friendlyatheist.com
Articles at https://friendlyatheist.com
Hi, Cora - Do you have a copy of this lawsuit? It's not posted online but I'd love to see it for a story (with credit, of course).
January 10, 2026 at 2:02 AM
Hi, Cora - Do you have a copy of this lawsuit? It's not posted online but I'd love to see it for a story (with credit, of course).
Reposted by Hemant Mehta
Basically, it's not a big deal to sexually abuse children, but it is so unethical to warn others about someone sexually abusing children that it warrants a life-destroying fine.
This is the real world we live in.
This is the real world we live in.
A whistleblower was fined $400,000 for warning a Catholic school about a staff chaplain with a dark history.
The fine just survived appeal.
None of that is a typo.
www.friendlyatheist.com/p/court-upho...
The fine just survived appeal.
None of that is a typo.
www.friendlyatheist.com/p/court-upho...
Court upholds $400,000 fine against lawyer who warned Catholic school about predator on staff
"I did what I had to do," Richard Trahant told reporters after his punishment was upheld
www.friendlyatheist.com
January 9, 2026 at 5:20 PM
Basically, it's not a big deal to sexually abuse children, but it is so unethical to warn others about someone sexually abusing children that it warrants a life-destroying fine.
This is the real world we live in.
This is the real world we live in.
Reposted by Hemant Mehta
Here’s how pliable bible-based “morality” is: she swerved right past “thou shalt not kill” and found a verse to justify killing someone for defying authority.
If your ethics can be weaponized that easily, it’s not morality.
If your ethics can be weaponized that easily, it’s not morality.
January 9, 2026 at 5:54 PM
Here’s how pliable bible-based “morality” is: she swerved right past “thou shalt not kill” and found a verse to justify killing someone for defying authority.
If your ethics can be weaponized that easily, it’s not morality.
If your ethics can be weaponized that easily, it’s not morality.
A whistleblower was fined $400,000 for warning a Catholic school about a staff chaplain with a dark history.
The fine just survived appeal.
None of that is a typo.
www.friendlyatheist.com/p/court-upho...
The fine just survived appeal.
None of that is a typo.
www.friendlyatheist.com/p/court-upho...
Court upholds $400,000 fine against lawyer who warned Catholic school about predator on staff
"I did what I had to do," Richard Trahant told reporters after his punishment was upheld
www.friendlyatheist.com
January 9, 2026 at 2:30 PM
A whistleblower was fined $400,000 for warning a Catholic school about a staff chaplain with a dark history.
The fine just survived appeal.
None of that is a typo.
www.friendlyatheist.com/p/court-upho...
The fine just survived appeal.
None of that is a typo.
www.friendlyatheist.com/p/court-upho...
Yes! Posted about it earlier!
January 9, 2026 at 1:52 PM
Yes! Posted about it earlier!
Reposted by Hemant Mehta
40% of Bluesky have been contestants on Jeopardy making us a very smart website but all of them came in third so its not like that impressive
January 9, 2026 at 3:25 AM
40% of Bluesky have been contestants on Jeopardy making us a very smart website but all of them came in third so its not like that impressive
I'll be going live tonight to talk about the past week in church/state separation!
We'll be talking about the Chick-fil-A that congratulated a gay couple, measles at Ark Encounter, and so much more...
youtube.com/live/_E-1MB9...
We'll be talking about the Chick-fil-A that congratulated a gay couple, measles at Ark Encounter, and so much more...
youtube.com/live/_E-1MB9...
LIVE: Friendly Atheist News Roundup 1/8/2026
YouTube video by Friendly Atheist
youtube.com
January 8, 2026 at 7:46 PM
I'll be going live tonight to talk about the past week in church/state separation!
We'll be talking about the Chick-fil-A that congratulated a gay couple, measles at Ark Encounter, and so much more...
youtube.com/live/_E-1MB9...
We'll be talking about the Chick-fil-A that congratulated a gay couple, measles at Ark Encounter, and so much more...
youtube.com/live/_E-1MB9...
Today's @slate.com crossword is mine, with a clue in the middle that should make you groan (heh) and a clue right up front that will make sense tomorrow!
slate.com/life/2026/01...
slate.com/life/2026/01...
Slate Crossword: The Pink Half of a Pink-and-Green Cinema Power Couple (Seven Letters)
Ready for some wordplay? Sharpen your skills with Slate’s puzzle for Jan. 8, 2026.
slate.com
January 8, 2026 at 3:51 PM
Today's @slate.com crossword is mine, with a clue in the middle that should make you groan (heh) and a clue right up front that will make sense tomorrow!
slate.com/life/2026/01...
slate.com/life/2026/01...
Reposted by Hemant Mehta
Definitely scarier that people take him seriously.
There have always been Kunnemans and Trumps, but the reason we’re in this mess is that they’re now wielding real power.
There have always been Kunnemans and Trumps, but the reason we’re in this mess is that they’re now wielding real power.
I don't know what's scarier:
That preacher Hank Kunneman says God supports Trump's Venezuelan takeover for the oil?
Or that there are people who take him seriously?
www.friendlyatheist.com/p/evangelica...
That preacher Hank Kunneman says God supports Trump's Venezuelan takeover for the oil?
Or that there are people who take him seriously?
www.friendlyatheist.com/p/evangelica...
Evangelical preacher claims God backed Trump’s invasion of Venezuela
Hank Kunneman's sermon shows how Christian Nationalism can turn greed and war into extensions of God’s will
www.friendlyatheist.com
January 8, 2026 at 3:32 PM
Definitely scarier that people take him seriously.
There have always been Kunnemans and Trumps, but the reason we’re in this mess is that they’re now wielding real power.
There have always been Kunnemans and Trumps, but the reason we’re in this mess is that they’re now wielding real power.
I don't know what's scarier:
That preacher Hank Kunneman says God supports Trump's Venezuelan takeover for the oil?
Or that there are people who take him seriously?
www.friendlyatheist.com/p/evangelica...
That preacher Hank Kunneman says God supports Trump's Venezuelan takeover for the oil?
Or that there are people who take him seriously?
www.friendlyatheist.com/p/evangelica...
Evangelical preacher claims God backed Trump’s invasion of Venezuela
Hank Kunneman's sermon shows how Christian Nationalism can turn greed and war into extensions of God’s will
www.friendlyatheist.com
January 8, 2026 at 2:13 PM
I don't know what's scarier:
That preacher Hank Kunneman says God supports Trump's Venezuelan takeover for the oil?
Or that there are people who take him seriously?
www.friendlyatheist.com/p/evangelica...
That preacher Hank Kunneman says God supports Trump's Venezuelan takeover for the oil?
Or that there are people who take him seriously?
www.friendlyatheist.com/p/evangelica...
Christian "prophetess" Kat Kerr says she's been able to control the weather ever since she was a child.
"We learned how to tell the weather it wasn't going to rain... It literally crossed the street and rained there but not on us. So we knew we had authority over the weather."
"We learned how to tell the weather it wasn't going to rain... It literally crossed the street and rained there but not on us. So we knew we had authority over the weather."
January 8, 2026 at 1:42 AM
Christian "prophetess" Kat Kerr says she's been able to control the weather ever since she was a child.
"We learned how to tell the weather it wasn't going to rain... It literally crossed the street and rained there but not on us. So we knew we had authority over the weather."
"We learned how to tell the weather it wasn't going to rain... It literally crossed the street and rained there but not on us. So we knew we had authority over the weather."
Reposted by Hemant Mehta
The “prosecute the former regime at every level” candidate has my vote in 2028.
January 7, 2026 at 8:26 PM
The “prosecute the former regime at every level” candidate has my vote in 2028.
My friend @katecohen.bsky.social published a really interesting piece at her new site about the difficulty of creating a secular "community" with examples of some that work really well.
Check it out!
scratchcolumn.substack.com/p/how-to-mak...
Check it out!
scratchcolumn.substack.com/p/how-to-mak...
How to Make a "Church"
what it takes to create a secular community
scratchcolumn.substack.com
January 7, 2026 at 4:44 PM
My friend @katecohen.bsky.social published a really interesting piece at her new site about the difficulty of creating a secular "community" with examples of some that work really well.
Check it out!
scratchcolumn.substack.com/p/how-to-mak...
Check it out!
scratchcolumn.substack.com/p/how-to-mak...
There's a public beach in Ocean Grove, New Jersey managed by Christians.
For 15 weeks every summer, on Sunday mornings, they blocked access to the shore.
The state has finally stepped in to put a stop to that.
www.friendlyatheist.com/p/new-jersey...
For 15 weeks every summer, on Sunday mornings, they blocked access to the shore.
The state has finally stepped in to put a stop to that.
www.friendlyatheist.com/p/new-jersey...
New Jersey finally stops Christians from blocking access to a public beach on Sunday mornings
After years of litigation, the state shut down Ocean Grove’s attempt to turn a public shoreline into a religious privilege
www.friendlyatheist.com
January 7, 2026 at 2:29 PM
There's a public beach in Ocean Grove, New Jersey managed by Christians.
For 15 weeks every summer, on Sunday mornings, they blocked access to the shore.
The state has finally stepped in to put a stop to that.
www.friendlyatheist.com/p/new-jersey...
For 15 weeks every summer, on Sunday mornings, they blocked access to the shore.
The state has finally stepped in to put a stop to that.
www.friendlyatheist.com/p/new-jersey...
Reposted by Hemant Mehta
THIS: "When the mere depiction of LGBTQ people is framed as a personal injury, the law is no longer protecting religious freedom. It’s just enforcing religious fragility, the idea that public schools always need to work around the most intolerant parent in the system."
If your faith requires "damage control" because your kid might learn that gay people EXIST, the problem isn’t the book.
It’s your religion.
Unfortunately, because of SCOTUS, a judge has sided with the Christian dad.
www.friendlyatheist.com/p/judge-says...
It’s your religion.
Unfortunately, because of SCOTUS, a judge has sided with the Christian dad.
www.friendlyatheist.com/p/judge-says...
Judge says school must shield kindergartner from all things LGBTQ at Christian dad's demand
A federal ruling has forced a public school to accommodate one Christian parent’s faith-based hostility
www.friendlyatheist.com
January 6, 2026 at 3:49 PM
THIS: "When the mere depiction of LGBTQ people is framed as a personal injury, the law is no longer protecting religious freedom. It’s just enforcing religious fragility, the idea that public schools always need to work around the most intolerant parent in the system."
Reposted by Hemant Mehta
The American people electing Trump after he staged a coup attempt 5 years ago was a nail in the coffin of our democracy. You can rationalize it all you want - But inflation! But wokeness! - but ultimately it was a societal suicide attempt and probably the dumbest collective voting decision ever made
January 6, 2026 at 2:51 PM
The American people electing Trump after he staged a coup attempt 5 years ago was a nail in the coffin of our democracy. You can rationalize it all you want - But inflation! But wokeness! - but ultimately it was a societal suicide attempt and probably the dumbest collective voting decision ever made
If your faith requires "damage control" because your kid might learn that gay people EXIST, the problem isn’t the book.
It’s your religion.
Unfortunately, because of SCOTUS, a judge has sided with the Christian dad.
www.friendlyatheist.com/p/judge-says...
It’s your religion.
Unfortunately, because of SCOTUS, a judge has sided with the Christian dad.
www.friendlyatheist.com/p/judge-says...
Judge says school must shield kindergartner from all things LGBTQ at Christian dad's demand
A federal ruling has forced a public school to accommodate one Christian parent’s faith-based hostility
www.friendlyatheist.com
January 6, 2026 at 2:11 PM
If your faith requires "damage control" because your kid might learn that gay people EXIST, the problem isn’t the book.
It’s your religion.
Unfortunately, because of SCOTUS, a judge has sided with the Christian dad.
www.friendlyatheist.com/p/judge-says...
It’s your religion.
Unfortunately, because of SCOTUS, a judge has sided with the Christian dad.
www.friendlyatheist.com/p/judge-says...
Reposted by Hemant Mehta
A devastating story about the life and death of Lia Smith, a transgender woman and college student targeted by conservatives online because she briefly participated on the school's diving team. Lia was found dead by suicide last fall at the age of 21.
(Unlocked article below)
(Unlocked article below)
At Middlebury, She Hoped to Start Fresh. In Trump’s America, It Seemed Impossible.
www.nytimes.com
January 5, 2026 at 8:40 PM
A devastating story about the life and death of Lia Smith, a transgender woman and college student targeted by conservatives online because she briefly participated on the school's diving team. Lia was found dead by suicide last fall at the age of 21.
(Unlocked article below)
(Unlocked article below)
Reposted by Hemant Mehta
“The conservative Christian base is shrinking, which means they’ll only get more extreme. They need outrage to be relevant. They act like the sky is falling but the reality is that fewer people are buying what they’re selling.”
You love to see it.
You love to see it.
Conservative Christians are furious because Chick-fil-A didn’t condemn a franchise for congratulating a newly married same-sex couple.
That’s it.
That’s the whole scandal.
It's a textbook example of manufactured outrage.
www.friendlyatheist.com/p/a-single-c...
That’s it.
That’s the whole scandal.
It's a textbook example of manufactured outrage.
www.friendlyatheist.com/p/a-single-c...
A single Chick-fil-A store congratulated a gay couple, and conservatives lost their damn minds
A harmless Facebook post exposed the emptiness of the conservative culture war
www.friendlyatheist.com
January 5, 2026 at 4:25 PM
“The conservative Christian base is shrinking, which means they’ll only get more extreme. They need outrage to be relevant. They act like the sky is falling but the reality is that fewer people are buying what they’re selling.”
You love to see it.
You love to see it.
Conservative Christians are furious because Chick-fil-A didn’t condemn a franchise for congratulating a newly married same-sex couple.
That’s it.
That’s the whole scandal.
It's a textbook example of manufactured outrage.
www.friendlyatheist.com/p/a-single-c...
That’s it.
That’s the whole scandal.
It's a textbook example of manufactured outrage.
www.friendlyatheist.com/p/a-single-c...
A single Chick-fil-A store congratulated a gay couple, and conservatives lost their damn minds
A harmless Facebook post exposed the emptiness of the conservative culture war
www.friendlyatheist.com
January 5, 2026 at 2:22 PM
Conservative Christians are furious because Chick-fil-A didn’t condemn a franchise for congratulating a newly married same-sex couple.
That’s it.
That’s the whole scandal.
It's a textbook example of manufactured outrage.
www.friendlyatheist.com/p/a-single-c...
That’s it.
That’s the whole scandal.
It's a textbook example of manufactured outrage.
www.friendlyatheist.com/p/a-single-c...
Reposted by Hemant Mehta
me every single day
January 3, 2026 at 5:29 PM
me every single day
Reposted by Hemant Mehta
The New York Times and Washington Post learned of the impending commission of a major crime and did nothing
(Semafor) - The New York Times and Washington Post learned of a secret US raid on Venezuela soon before it was scheduled to begin Friday night — but held off publishing what they knew to avoid endangering US troops ..
@semafor.com
www.semafor.com/article/01/0...
@semafor.com
www.semafor.com/article/01/0...
January 4, 2026 at 2:15 AM
The New York Times and Washington Post learned of the impending commission of a major crime and did nothing
Reposted by Hemant Mehta
Best thing I’ve read this morning, from a human rights lawyer in Mexico. Translation is in the ALT-text.
January 3, 2026 at 2:16 PM
Best thing I’ve read this morning, from a human rights lawyer in Mexico. Translation is in the ALT-text.
Christian Nationalists are rooting for the invasion of Venezuela so that there can be a “revival.”
(80% of the country is Christian.)
(80% of the country is Christian.)
January 3, 2026 at 10:52 PM
Christian Nationalists are rooting for the invasion of Venezuela so that there can be a “revival.”
(80% of the country is Christian.)
(80% of the country is Christian.)