Jeffrey Sachs on Diane Rehm Show

Jeffrey Sachs was on the Diane Rehm Show (download mp3 file for your computer or personal listening device - 51 minutes).

The interview is well worth listening to. He addresses many of the world's problems and gets several difficult questions. I was impressed and will be looking for that book. In particular, I liked the way he talked about issues dealing with the Middle East and the way too many people blame Islam for the anger and violence there.

However, I had a lightbulb explode during a discussion that mentioned religion. One of the reasons I am horrified by the creationist attacks on science and why I strongly believe science must be taught to all students is because it guides how you respond to problems.

We face many problems in our future and Sachs rightly noted we need to use science to figure them out and solve them. I had this thought about a creationist response to problems: prayer. Imagine how many would still be killed and maimed annually if we used prayer rather than science to solve polio.

I have no problem with prayer - in fact, I believe it can be a force for good by reminding us of our interconnection and the need to care for others - but I do have a problem with a reliance upon it. Pray if you want, but act as well. Fortune favors the bold, eh?

This is a big deal because a stupid new documentary is coming out called Expelled and it makes a bunch of ludicrous allegations regarding supposedly persecuted creationists. Let's not forget that we are not telling them they cannot teach creationism, just that they cannot teach it in science class. Meanwhile, they are trying to bar science from science class.

At any rate, there is a funny story about the preview for this movie and who they let in to see it. For those who do not know, PZ Myers is a science blogger who rails against creationist attacks on science. I used to read him, but he posted too frequently and I gave up ... though I loved it when I followed it.