A conflict of global importance exists today be­tween two fundamentally different views of morality and even of reality, itself. One view is sup­ported by several hun­dred years of solid scientific discoveries, ra­tion­al critical thought, comparative religious studies, and humanistic ethics. The other view is based on narrow inflexible inter­pre­­tations of ancient reli­gious texts. The United States with its Christian Right and their medieval faith-based agenda is a disquieting anomaly in the present indus­trialized world — an anomaly that wishes to turn the clock back and undo not only the scientific and democratic revolutions of our time, but also to repeal the Enlightenment.