Dinosaurs, Appendixes, and International Telegraph Lines.

[elfs]

Why I still read Andrew Sullivan:

A church with more confidence in its own doctrine would not need to lean upon the law. Imagine a church that reacted by saying that it disagreed, but that Christianity was the real counter-cultural force and it would rededicate itself to encouraging, nurturing and helping opposite sex married couples in its own pews as role models for the rest. Since gay marriage is obviously a sham, it will surely die out and we are confident enough in our own doctrines to be indifferent to, if saddened by, it.

Comments

[tagryn]

How about if we turn it around a little, then, and see what results?:

A belief system with more confidence in its own doctrine would not need to lean upon the law. Imagine a doctrine that reacted by saying that it disagreed, but that "evolution is true" and rededicated itself to encouraging, nurturing and helping specialists among their own ranks as role models for the rest. Since Intelligent Design is obviously a sham, it will surely die out and we are confident enough in our own doctrines to be indifferent to, if saddened by, it.

[elfs.livejournal.com]

Except we've seen what happens. The fact that Americans can't remember the Great Soviet Famine is a failure to teach World history.

That said, there's a difference here that's significant. Science-based evidence needs to be presented and understood. Religious beliefs are, if religionists to be believed, true without having to appeal to evidence. They are magically true. They should need no state support.