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the school gets state and federal funds they can not discriminate based on ones religious beliefs.

This isn't discrimination based on religious beliefs. You can believe anything you want; you simply need to show your ability to apply the scientific method in a situation where the answer may surprise or upset you.

Consistant application of the scientific method is the only way we can advance science and inform and benefit humanity with the knowledge so gained. Doing otherwise would result in bad science, which would be bad for all of us, Christians or otherwise.

In addition, it's not the school that is making the judgement, it's Dr. Dini, and the students aren't being denied their reight to education, they're being denied his personal recommendation, which is his and his alone to give, for whatever reasons he chooses.

Finally, if we don't agree with his reasons, of course we are free to argue with and condemn him, to avoid his classes and to ask other professors for recommendations instead. We cannot pursue legal action, however, because, no matter how much we may dislike it, what he is doing is not in any way illegal.

The sword cuts both ways ya know??

Absolutely right. Consider this hypothetical criterion, for a professor of religious studies, writing recommendations for people who want to become (Christian) clergy:

If you set up an appointment to discuss the writing of a letter of recommendation, I will ask you: "How do you think the human species originated?" If you cannot truthfully and forthrightly affirm a Christian answer to this question, then you should not seek my recommendation for admittance to further work in the field of (Christian) religion.

Would this cause the same level of outrage?

Would there be a federal investigation?

Does anyone here have a problem with that question?

It's the professor's right. There's only one answer, from the Christian standpoint, and that's what he's asking for.

In addition it's relevant, because this is a criterion for a letter of recommendation for (Christian) religious work. If it were a criterion for a letter of recommendation in the field of the biomedical sciences, then we would have a problem.

Thanks for reading,

DFS