From one of the states beginning with “U”:

“Dear Mr. Derbyshire–I really enjoyed your round-up of the Intelligent

Design folder in the Corner today. I am a devout Mormon geologist (devout

about being a Mormon, I mean, although I guess I’m a pretty devout

geologist, too), and I believe quite firmly in God and His workings in our

daily lives.

That said, I also have many problems with the ‘theory of Intelligent

Design’. One of the arguments–the one about how you can’t test evolution

in the lab–has always made me laugh aloud. Can they test Intelligent

Design in the lab? I didn’t think so.

“I believe the earth is 4.6 billion years old (a number still being

refined), and I believe our fossil record, and I also believe that God has a

hand in all things in the earth and cosmos. The two ideas are not mutually

exclusive to me. My understanding of science is at one level, and my

understanding of God is at another level, and I realize that both levels are

infinitely ignorant compared with God’s understanding and genius. Does this

stop me from doing scientific research to the best of my ability? Heavens,

no. I just try not to get mixed up between what I know on a spiritual level

with what I can figure out on a scientific one.”