Protect separation of church and state

Dear editor, I’m responding to the article that appeared in the Napa Valley Register on March 4, “References to evolution delay Ventura vote on science textbook.”

It is about the Ventura County Board of Education postponing a vote on approving a science textbook because one board member objected to its discussion of evolution. This is another example of some fundamentalist Christians pushing their idea that “creationism” is a science and should be included side-by-side with evolution.

They ignore scientific principles we developed through the centuries and wish to return to the past when blind faith without scientific challenge was the norm. The clearest proof of this is to examine the life of the Mennonites and the Amish. Imagine what it would be like to have a government run by them. We would still be using the horse and buggy for transportation. Would we want to live in a world where the mention of space exploration would be considered heresy?

Conservative Christians’ increasing effort to influence public policy will endanger the freedoms we gained and drag us down to the level of other religiously controlled countries, like some in the Middle East. Separation of church and state must be treasured and protected.

Alex Varga

Napa

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