More material for your Sunday School class

Way back when, I made a snarky (but I meant it seriously) comment about scientists invading churches and teaching Sunday School. I've been doing some reading, and I think that Daniel C. Dennett is the man for such a job.

Mr. Dennett is a philosopher by trade, but he has done a good deal of studying in the hard sciences of biology and paleontology. One of his books, "Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon," asks the question, Does the human penchant for religious belief have an evolutionary basis? Not only is Dennett an unbeliever in any religion, he posits that religious belief is a biological phenomenon. This idea is not new, but it is probably shocking to many.

The book is actually a call for more scientific research on the subject, because there are many questions that have to be answered, not the least of which is, If religion is a product of evolution, what benefit(s) has it conferred on the human race? In other words, if religious belief has been selected for, who benefits?

If you're a person who believes that the Bible contains everything you need to know, you probably won't want to read "Breaking the Spell." But if you have a suspicion that other books have something to teach you, here's a good one. Bring it to Sunday School, if you dare.

Choking hazard

The Teabaggers and Libertarians are complaining that the government is ramming health care reform down their throats. They behave as if Barack Obama and the Democratic party staged a coup, instead of being elected by a wide margin.

Folks, we live in a country where the majority rules. A majority of Americans voted the Democrats into power because the Republicans abused power and wrecked the economy. Teabaggers didn't notice anything amiss about the Bush administration, but that's another matter.

There has been no coup, the Republicans just lost the election. Say aaahhhhh.

Who vs. who?

It's not a matter of East vs. West, or Christian vs. Muslim. It's a matter of rationalism vs. religious fundamentalism. Both the Christians and Muslims of the fundamentalist type believe that only purity--their kind of purity--can save the world.

I'm not a fan of purity. With theocracy of any kind, we are lost.

And the separation of Church and State is the only guarantee of religious freedom.

I am not a religious person, as my posts prove, but I am perfectly happy to not interfere in the lives of the religious. But I will fight against any religious government.