He said that the problem or challenge with monotheism is that it presents God as an absolute and fanaticism is the result when the followers absorb that idea a bit too much. It was a sound bite which didn't allow follow-up questions regarding the nature of God, like God is absolute what? Good? Evil? If anything God bears a suspicious resemblance to (generic) man with all foibles, idiosyncracies, and problems therein.

But the topic here is really about Science and Religion. Can they co-exist? Previously I've written that they really can't, that as Science expands its knowledge, Religion must recede. God may represent some absolute nugget of knowledge that will never be attained but who's to say Science won't unveil that nugget.

The problem is that Religion recognizes the danger of Science and therefor attempts to stifle it as much as possible. Witness the latest moves of the Vatican firing their Astronomer and the horrific anti-Science antics of Bush.

Science is about exploration, about questioning, about seeking answers. Rarely in Science is anything considered absolute. Yes, you have absolute zero and the speed of light but even these "absolutes" get attacked, prodded, and scrutinized.

Religion says simply that God is it and there's no need for further discussion or exploration. Or, the (generic monotheistic) Preachers say there's freedom of inquiry but always up to a point. Any line of thought that threatens the dogma gets subdued, often harshly. Goodness, how many times have I gotten email saying that a statement I wrote will send me to Hell, or that I should just (blindly) accept Jesus to go to Heaven. But if I say "Sure, show me any evidence of Hell or Heaven or anything beyond Death and I go along with your admonishment. Show me that Jesus was as you claim and I'll believe." But if you whip out a Bible and start quoting from here and there, you'd better be prepared to demonstrate the validity and reality of your Source. I could take any book and make the claim that it's Divinely inspired or is the true Word of God if only you believe hard enough.

So really it comes down to Belief Systems. Some of us have rather flexible belief systems and I would guess that we tend to become scientists or some such. Others have more rigid belief systems and some have severely inflexible belief systems. I can accept them but they can't accept me. And therein lies the problem plagueing our so-called Modern World.