Don,

What makes you think that? Religion has such a marginal impact on U.S. politics today, that I find your suggestion hard to believe.

– Al

PS — As most of us here know, everything in space is “political” in nature. I don’t know how, but religion WILL be play a significant role … sooner or later.

I understand your POV; I’m just musing on the potential of a tribe of the defiantly “non reality-based” setting out to colonize the Solar System…on the shoulders of giants, indeed.

It is also worth noting that religion has motivated many multi-generational projects — e.g., the European cathedrals (was the flying buttress “faith based architecture?”). I could easily see religion motivating similar long-term projects in the future.

— Donald

I’ve observed before that, historically, a primary motivation for colonization has been religion. This is not only to escape persicution, but to spread the word, and even for colonization for its own sake. Except for the relatively great difficulty involved in the current frontier, I see no reason for things to be different in the future.

— Donald

As for Noah – he was an idiot. 2 members from each species was nowhere near large enough a sample size to ensure a healthy gene pool for repopulation of those species after the great flood.

It’s not the overenthusiasm that hurts his credibility. What hurts his credibility, based on my reading of his last few blog entries, is that he appears to be a raving loon.