"I suppose this is heresy to say this, but isn't it silly to argue so heatedly about the origins of the universe?"

But Joe . . . we're the universe made conscious and it's wonderful and awe-inspiring and humbling and incredible to be part of the whole thing. We're universe making art and talking and running and learning and contemplating ourselves and our surroundings.

Ultimately this is about learning who we are and where our place in this magnificent cosmos is . . . and when a few fanatics hijack both science and religion for their own ends and start forcing it down the throats of others we must not succumb. Do do so would be to turn the clock back and we've so far still to go . . .

It's not origins as such this discussion is about, it's how to teach those various viewpoints and the fact creation myth is not science and vice-versa.