New NIH Chief: "I have no religious agenda for the NIH"

[foxholeatheist]

Linky Link Doo (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090817/ap_on_re_us/us_nih_chief;_ylt=AtzYsVmBODb.Wr2hCtwqnUAPLBIF;_yl u=X3oDMTJoZTV2amI1BGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMDkwODE3L3VzX25p aF9jaGllZgRwb3MDNARzZWMDeW5fYXJ0aWNsZV9zdW1tYXJ5X2 xpc3QEc2xrA25ld25paGNoaWVmdA--)

An influential geneticist who wears his faith on his sleeve says that as the new director of the National Institutes of Health he won't inject his religious convictions into medical research while pushing cutting-edge science into better bedside care.

Anyone buying this or am I alone in my suspicions.

[shadron]

Lots of people have religion, even believe it fervently, and don't let it affect their work. It is possible to live a religion as if it was inside you, that you need to demonstrate by example, rather than something you have to inflict on others. There is plenty of precedent for that; just look at Ken Miller, biologist or Tom Baaker, paleontologist.

It says in the link that he's worked with the NIH for 15 years and didn't try to inject religion into anything that he did. It also pointed out that evangelical christians do not look upon the NIH with favor (as GWB didn't). What exactly are you suspicious of, fha?

[foxholeatheist]

Certain religious-based scientific legislation such as stem cell research or abstinence only AIDS clinics. Doesn't the NIH advise the President on matters of Health? If so then I guess this guy dropped the ball during the last administration. OK, I understand that the NIH does not make the ultimate decision but I can't help but feeling that religion is difficult to overcome in scientific matters.

The reconciliation between science and religion is whole other topic entirely and I don't pretend to understand it.

I'm a mere 26 year old guy with zero education. My feelings matter little but I remain optimistic but cautious.

[drkitten]

Certain religious-based scientific legislation such as stem cell research or abstinence only AIDS clinics. Doesn't the NIH advise the President on matters of Health?

The NIH isn't a single monolithic organization.

If so then I guess this guy dropped the ball during the last administration.

How did "this guy" drop the ball on something that he wasn't responsible for? He was sworn in less than a week ago. Before that, the acting director was Raynard S. Kington, and before that, the director was Elias Zerhouni (since 2003). Dr. Collins was just working as a geneticist.....

So while you may be able to lay the blame at Dr. Zerhouni's feet, I don't see how you can complain about Dr. Collins just because he happened to work in the same building.

[foxholeatheist]

Sorry, I read it wrong. I thought that I read that he was head for the past 15 years somewhere but you're correct, it seems he just worked there.

Find a nice tall tree and hang me from it. My bad, as they say.

Doesn't monolithic mean "one rock"? I fail to find where I stated that the NIH was one rock. Perhaps you see it and I don't?

[drkitten]

Doesn't monolithic mean "one rock"? I fail to find where I stated that the NIH was one rock. Perhaps you see it and I don't?

It also, metaphorically, means "one piece." As in, one group hive-mind with one single opinion, which is shared among everyone from the Director down to the frazzled intern who does the photocopying for six harried researchers.

Otherwise, you have to accept the idea that someone who joined the NIH as a geneticist in 1993 might have his own opinion on the relationship of science and religion, an opinion that didn't match the director's when the (new) director was appointed ten years later.

[foxholeatheist]

<- This guy. Optimistic. But cautious.

[drkitten]

<- This guy. Optimistic. But cautious.

I think that's a good attitude. It's fairly certain that Collins has the scientific chops for the job, and that he HAS been able to keep his religion from unduly influencing his science. (I'd like to point out that Ken Miller, the Brown University biologist, is another example of a very good scientist with strong religious feelings -- and he was actually testifying for the plaintiff in Kitzmiller.)

Collins might decide that, now that he's no longer part of the hierarchy at NIH, but the very top of it, he can finally let his hair down and go nuts. There have certainly been Supreme Court justices who have done that. But I'd want to see that happen before I worry about it unduly.

[foxholeatheist]

I knew I had heard of Ken Miller before, it was Science Friday on NPR. I was pretty surprised because the entire show was about religious craziness in legislation and it was not revealed until near the end of the interview that he himself is a Christian.

I just find it so funny that he can specifically say that he has no religious agenda for the NIH. Wow... I would have though that a move like that would have been professional suicide.

[drkitten]

I just find it so funny that he can specifically say that he has no religious agenda for the NIH. Wow... I would have though that a move like that would have been professional suicide.

Why? His appointment needs (needed) to be confirmed by the Democratic-controlled Senate, and there are still a few moderate Republicans (e.g. Snowe) that weren't impressed by the politicization of science under the Bush administration. The simple fact that everyone is aware of the issue and suspicious of it is reason enough for the director-designate to address the issue. What's the alternative? Not to talk about religion and hope the issue gets swept under the rug?

[foxholeatheist]

I thought the current method of Winning Friends and Influencing People was to constantly talk about how great God is and how His magic hand will guide your work and other such rot. Maybe the political climate has changed a bit and I just didn't notice.

[drkitten]

Maybe the political climate has changed a bit and I just didn't notice.

Yeah, I guess you didn't notice. One of the reasons the Democrats were swept into office is because so many people were unimpressed with the Bible-thumping wing of the Republican party (and nominating Caribou Barbie with her new Fundamentalist Chapel playset didn't help).

And if Caribou Barbie wins in 2012, I'm sure that replacing Dr. Collins as head of the NIH with someone a little more explicitly religious will be on her to-do list, along with undoing all of the bright shiny new policies on stem cell research.....