Fresh from initiating dissension in what was otherwise a valuable discussion over secularism in government, I want to focus on one of my own particular fascinations:

The insistence that certain religiously oriented individuals have on mandating what can and cannot be discussed in science and public life.

In the recent past, the Kansas City school board and at least one other have tried to blur the distinction between how biology is taught in the public schools, more specifically reducing the Darwinian Theory of Evolution to the same level as Biblical Genesis, which is popularly called 'Creationism' in order to give it a more secular cover story.

I am curious as to whether our President has weighed in on this issue. Does anybody know?

I was once staying at the home of some very nice people in Eagle, Alaska. I was not surprised to find out they were evangelical Christians, which is fine. I volunteered that one of my personal saints was Charles Darwin and a fine discussion ensued. My primary point with them was that a belief in Darwin's theory does not preclude a rich religious belief, but religious belief should not get in the way of science.

The insistence of many of the so-called 'religious right' to inveigh their doctrine on real science is to me a sign of the very heart of what is wrong with religion in public life. When it goes wrong, it goes very wrong.

Scientists can go wrong, too. There is plenty of dogma to go around. But science is supposed to have corrective traditions built in. A theory is subject to test and counter-theory. Religious dogma is not subject to these constraints. It is a product of interpretation of texts (and often lungpower). This is euphemistically called "Revealed Truth".

Not for nothing, my father defined religion as "The awe in which we hold our ignorance."

Our President has already made scientific pronouncements based on moral considerations. His take on genetic exploration and certain medical procedures come chief to mind.

I wish somebody would get his opinion on evolution. He must have one.