Regarding the adherance to religious scripture, I stumbled into a wonderful quote by sheer happenstance last night when reading a book by Stephen Laberge. In it a chapter begins with a very sound piece of advice.

Originally Posted by His Holiness the Dalai Lama
If this [scientific finding] contradicts some aspect of Buddhist doctrine as contained in the scriptures, we have no other choice but to accept that that teaching is in need of interpretation. Thus, we cannot accept it literally simply because it has been taught by the Buddha; we have to examine whether it is contradicted by reason or not. If it does not stand up to reason, we cannot accept it literally. We have to analyze such teachings to discover the intention and purpose behind them and regard them as subject to interpretation. Therefore, in Buddhism great emphasis is laid on the importance of investigation.


I believe that it is the failure to recognize this by creationists and/or biblical literalists (if I can coin such a term) that leads them to frequent displays of emotion, avoidance of information and ultimate frustration in these discussions - as is witnessed by numerous such posters here.

If a divine being stood before me now and presented me with a magick tome, instructing me to not only abide by it but also indicated that all truth comes from it and nowhere else and then if I were later to find that evidence before my very eyes contradicted what this .. "entity" .. had written, what choice would I have but to accept the newer, more compelling (not to mention visible) evidence?