Posted: Dec 21, 2005 08:01 pm EST
In great wars, often taking place between combatants of different religious belief systems, the first public buildings to get torched are the temples. The warlords know well that the act deprives the enemy of the most important thing they own - hope. Then Universities are destroyed: People lacking knowledge are very easy to rule.

But the oldest battle perhaps is the one between science and church - note the choice of wording here - church, not God. Einstein believed in God, and was passionate about science. He treated both separately though - and so should we, ruled a judge yesterday straight from Christian heartland - Pennsylvania.

A public school cannot mandate the biblical theory of creation , or "intelligent design," the federal judge ruled. Teaching "intelligent design" would violate the Constitutional separation of church and state. ID is not science, he said - but a belief - moreover, it goes against other beliefs.

A dangerous game

So why is there a Constitutional separation of church and state? In countries where separation between religion and schools is not in effect, children are often subjected to religious indoctrination - with disastrous consequences. The kids, in the process of molding their brains and developing their minds, take the teachings literally - and come out fundamentalist zombies.

It's a dangerous game, specifically when the kids "graduate" into a world of other, equally fundamentalist youngsters - in turn taught that their version of God is the only one.

Religions differ - science is the same

Funny enough, while religions differ - science is the same all over. From Asia to Europe and America - scientists subscribe to Darwin's principles.

"To be sure, Darwin's theory of evolution is imperfect. However, the fact that a scientific theory cannot yet render an explanation on every point should not be used as a pretext to thrust an untestable alternative hypothesis grounded in religion into the science classroom or to misrepresent well-established scientific propositions," Jones writes on the ruling website.

The real purpose behind intelligent design

The ruling went against the President even - Bush said last year there should be "alternatives to evolution taught". Yet if religion is to be taught in science classes, the proposition should be made very clear in the first place, thundered the judge, reprimanding the defendants of "ID" - the creation theory in a cool sounding, scientific "wrap".

"It is ironic that several of these individuals, who so staunchly and proudly touted their religious convictions in public, would time and again lie to cover their tracks and disguise the real purpose behind the intelligent design policy," he writes.

"The oldest battle is the one between science and church - note the choice of wording here - church, not God," began this article. And here goes the bottom line: The judge pointed out that scientific experts testified that Darwin's theory "in no way conflicts with, nor does it deny, the existence of a divine creator."

Carl Sagan chose a number of ancient pioneers for their integrity and courage. It's eerie reading, all too applicable to today:

"Formerly a friend, Pope Urban VIII persecuted Galileo for a lifetime and condemned him for 'vehement suspicion of heresy," writes Sagan. Hypatia ran a library in Alexandria in Egypt and continued to teach and to live at odds with the growing power of the Church until she was murdered. Giordano Bruno's curiosity and free thought got him into trouble with the authorities in every country in which he ever spent any time. A Catholic scholar, Bruno intuited that the Earth was only one of an inconceivably vast number of worlds. Many of the old, great scientists paid dearly for their discoveries.

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