What makes a good president? I contend it is honesty, sound principles, and executive competence. Critics of Sarah Palin claim that religious beliefs tell all, and they claim that she would like have something akin to a theocracy. I question Palin’s lack of specific policy positions, but the potential interference of religious doctrine with governing has been tested by history. It tells something, but not as much as many suppose. Historical experience with Roosevelt (who believed he was an agent of God), Nixon (a Quaker), Kennedy (Roman Catholic), Carter (Evangelical Baptist), and Obama (Black liberation theology) shows that whatever one thinks of the relative merits of these Presidents, religious doctrine has not been a dominant factor in their governing.

Famous documentary film producer Ken Burns has a new series being shown on Public Broadcasting, The National Parks: Americas Best Idea. I have been watching with interest. The series is more about the history of the Parks than what is in them. There are clips of fabulous park scenery, but far more historical black and white images. What strikes me are the frequent explicit references to nature worship as a moving force among park advocates.

There is a religious doctrine of Young Earth Creationism (YEC), whereby some people believe that the Bible says that the earth was literally created about 6,000 years ago. I am not arguing that that doctrine is necessarily false. I am arguing that if it is true, then when God created the earth he put in place a vast amount of evidence that the earth is many millions of years old. Moreover, the evidence is well coordinated, in that diverse evidence points to a consistent time line for events in the earth’s history. The evidence cannot be explained by scientists having made just a few key mistakes.

Why is religion so widespread? Freud thought is had to do with a search for a father figure. Others claim that there is a very specific human instinct. I contend that there is a broad “religious instinct” which covers substantially more behavior than religious behavior. Every religion is a manifestation of the religious instinct, but not every manifestation is a religion.

The important difference between Christmas in Japan and Christmas here in the United States is that in Japan they are allowed to call Christmas trees Christmas trees whereas here we have to call them holiday trees, or some such nonsense. Christmas is both a religious holiday and a secular holiday. That shouldn’t be a problem, but due to odd concepts of political correctness currently in vogue it has become one.

There is nothing wrong with wanting clean air and clean water. The environmental movement has moved well beyond those reasonable goals to become a religion that demands irrational behavior to please unnamed, but clearly assumed, gods of nature. It’s time to sort out the unfounded religious beliefs and recognize them for what they are.

My theory is that religion is only one of the mechanisms by which the instincts behind traditional religion can be served. Some atheists believe that if traditional religion disappeared then reason would prevail. In fact, there are numerous over-arching belief systems that serve the same functions as religion. They provide community, tribal identity, and simple answers to complex problems.

Creationism postulates that only a more complex entity can create a complex system. Since living organism are complex systems, there must therefore be a Creator that is more complex. Creationists argue that the theory is testable.

Jefferson, speaking for the Founders, believed that rights were derived from God. That is true, but why were they self evident rather than revealed or inspired by God. Christianity is a religion of revelation, so why would Jefferson claim truths to be self-evident?