'Intolerance And Puffery'

For 57 years, following the doctorate, I have been a faculty member in five different colleges or universities, spent two years on the Manhattan Project, and for 32 years was professor and chairman of biochemistry and molecular biology in a medical school. In all those years, I have seldom been as saddened as I was at the article on irreligious scientists.

The overall view projected by Steven Benowitz's article [The Scientist, April 17, 1995, page 1] is one of intolerance and puffery on the part of nonbelieving scientists toward those of us, their poor country cousins, who are believers. The issue is a two-way street; tolerance and respect for each other's views are important. Personally, of the many scientists I have known over the years, I can't remember anyone who spoke with such disdain or scorn of their "companions in zealous research" who are believers.

Hugh J. McDonald

Department of...