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And from Caren Cooper, the chair of Ithaca's Kol Haverim temple, comes these Reasons to celebrate Darwin's birthday:

Imagine a law compelling the placement of baby teeth under pillows for collection by the Tooth Fairy. Of course we'd call this foolish because the Tooth Fairy is an acknowledged myth, but this example illustrates the lack of wisdom in basing public policy on beliefs that have no evidence to support them.
Yet we face a dangerous future because our government too often shapes public policy on religious ideology rather than scientific evidence.

Not content to bash religion, she turns a discussion of Darwin into an attack on global warming and, of course, President Bush

We know that in 1992, scientific evidence led the Union of Concerned Scientists to issue a severe “warning to humanity” about global warming's causes and consequences. Yet even now President Bush pays lip service to calls for a sustainable energy policy, infusing doubt about climate change into every statement (even as business leaders call for change) and suppressing scientific evidence (see recent report by Congressman Waxman). With suggestions like a 1-mph increase in fuel efficiency within three years, Bush demonstrates a “tooth under the pillow” mindset rather than one prepared to face the inconvenient truth.
The hazards of our tendency to favor hopeful beliefs rather than accept evidence calls for a reminder of the achievements of our most reliable way to obtain knowledge and improve the human condition. This reminder is Charles Darwin's birthday, typically referred to as Darwin Day, an international day in recognition of science and humanity.

And concludes that faith has no place in developing public policy:

As children grow up, the discovery of the truth about the Tooth Fairy helps them learn to distinguish between the real and the imaginary. As citizens grow in their civic involvement, we must learn to put aside religious beliefs when developing sound policy for the common good

Anyone who mentions the Tooth Fairy when talking about religion at once demonstrates that they know nothing about religion. Something similar came to my attention a few weeks ago: I believe it was the November 2006 issue of Harper's magazine that ran a withering review of the recent book by Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion. The reviewer observed that while Dawkins quotes many writings on religion, creating a superficial impression that he is knowledgable about religion, this impression crumbles on closer examination -- the reviewer caught Dawkins claiming that "love thy neighbor" in the scriptures only applied to Jews, when in fact the Old Testament Law instructed Jews to treat strangers (aliens) with respect, and in the New Testament Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan to emphasize that the Jews' neighbors are not just fellow Jews.

As children grow up, the discovery of the truth about the Tooth Fairy helps them learn to distinguish between the real and the imaginary. As citizens grow in their civic involvement, we must learn to put aside religious beliefs when developing sound policy for the common good.

Put aside religious beliefs? Like Stalin? Pol Pot? China?

Can anyone point out any society that has put aside religion and based it on atheism that's been good?

"...we face a dangerous future because our government too often shapes public policy on religious ideology rather than scientific evidence...we must learn to put aside religious beliefs when developing sound policy for the common good"

Very interesting and very revealing statement. Maybe we should use science as our basis for racial policies and we can use The Bell Curve as the text book in public schools. Click on those links to see just two quick examples of how science could have or could be used to determine 'truths' for public policy.

There are a million things to say that can better characterize 21st century society, but the main downfall is the selective reasoning to determine 'truth' by liberal socialists and those so-called 'conservative scientists' who have been duped by these 'very convenient truth tellers'.

The saddest aspect is that is has been people who put their faith above societies 'truths' who have most positively impacted 'public policy' in ways that have provided a better truth for society, most recently, the end of slavery.

The same will hold true, over time, for abortion.