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Well, as a convicted Protestant, I can't say that Catholic Doctrine is relevant for me. But what I do have in common wih Catholic Doctrine pretty much outweighs what I don't, and I can tell you if you're just a philosopher, that's fine - but if you're a Catholic, you're asking a bit much of the old Mother Church.

One major theme of the entire Bible (and Catholic Doctrine upholds this) is that the Biblical God, while being omnipresent, exists APART from nature - "The heavens are my throne and the earth is my footstool." The very defintion of "holiness" and "holy" in its Hebrew context is not specifically about what WE think of as moral supreriority or purity, but is actually a reference to separateness - that the Creator is an actual separate and unique Being, not interchangeable or identifiable with any other being - the same as you or I. This is what is meant by being made "in his image" as well, and I imagine it's what was intended in Psalm 82 when God says: "Ye are gods."

What you're suggesting is that perhaps Catholic Doctrine should take it as far as pantheism.
Yet one core belief of Christianity is that the Creator exists apart from nature, existed before nature, and created time and space - the universe.

When Tyson when he talks about his fascination with the cosmos, you get the impression that IF he were to believe in a god at all, it would be the universe itself. He is an atheistic materialist, and I say that without judgment - it is a simple fact. Materialists believe that physical reality is the only reality, and that nothing exists that we cannot, sooner or later, one way or another, apprehend with our bodies. Materialism is a philosophy, it is not a proven scientific principle. Yet, he insists on teaching it as if it were.

Nice story. I barely remember writing that, but I assume I was alluding to actual historical facts that came up in the interview, or I'd have trouble believing Tyson would have conceded anything. These were observations about Tyson's well-documented philosophy vs. how he was characterized in this particular article, and how Catholicism was characterized as the exclusive breeding ground for religious super-scientists.

I deal with knee-jerk tribal mentality on an almost daily basis between one major group of relatives and another. But it occurs to me that genuine graciousness might have been simply accepting the grocer's comment as a simple metaphor, a common colloquialism still surviving in the culture, as they do. Your admission that you "purposefully paused" and put on an inquisitive, friendly demeanor betrayed your passive-aggressive behavior, and he could smell right through it. I don't think the "faith mask" was the problem here, I think it was a "friendly mask" hiding a snarling, snide, self-righteous attitude stemming from a superiority complex and the wretched inconvenience of a card with a flaky chip. And believe me, if I have even come close to accurate, it takes one to know one: reading through your Disqus comments may just inspire me to repentance on Facebook.

He holds "nature" in the highest - and I do mean highest - regard.

People connect with God's creation in a wide variety of ways, and if one sincerely holds that creation in the highest regard, we might be happy with that and not demand that they connect in exactly the same way that we do.

And anyway, Catholic doctrine claims that God is ever present in all times and places, which if true would mean nature=God and God=nature. I know Catholic doctrine doesn't take it that far, but perhaps it should.

A failed credit card chip turns revealed a sinister sleeping creepiness civil rights hate group activist that wants to burn you alive. So glad you made it out alive.

Or three times like "I divorce you, I divorce you, I divorce you!"?

...concede some historical facts...

I recently made a purchase and because my chip is damaged one has to insert it three times before getting the “swipe instead” option. As I swiped, the grocer remarked, and this is all he said to me, “three times like Peter.”

I said, quizzically to this unknown citizen, “excuse me?” He replied, “like Peter, with the cock crowing.” I purposely paused and replied, “that’s a reference to a religion right?” Now my demeanor was inquisitive and friendly but his previously friendly demeanor noticeably morphed into disappointing terseness. “It’s not religion, it’s historical fact!” I just left with a friendly, “oh.”

There is a sleeping creepiness behind the faith mask. Like I’m supposed to belong to their club and give a clubhouse wink when the code words are repeated. It’s all so...tribal, ape-like and, well, cute. If it wasn’t so sinister. I was gracious. The grocer, on the otherhand, is probably ranting online to some civil rights hate group right now wishing for the good old days when someone like me could be burned alive and rid of their presence.

So yeah, Neil is the real danger. Good grief.

Mike, excommunicated

Also, don't automatically assume that Protestants and Jews have not contributed to science - or that they share in the largely mythical "anti-science" mindset of a minority of Christians. Protestants funded most of the first colleges and universities. And sadly, most cessationist denominations in general have more regard for science than they do scripture.

...but he (Tyson) is committed first and foremost to advancing knowledge, not denigrating religion.

And like most scientists, what Tyson seems not to grasp is that his commitment to advancing knowledge is the modern version of a blind faith ideology, one not fundamentally rooted in reason.

The simplest example can illustrate this.

If you have children, do you give them access to as much power as possible as quickly as possible? Of course not, as that would be insane.

What happens on their 18th birthday to change this equation? Not that much! Yes, they can now successfully manage more power than earlier, but not as much power as possible delivered as fast as possible.

See? Common sense, that's all that required to see that it's not rational to be committed to advancing knowledge without limit, which is what almost all scientists believe in.

Don't take my word for it, just ask them, what new knowledge are you willing to say no to? Observe for yourself how vague, waffling and timid the replies are.

Even church leaders of all the diverse and different Christian businesses, cults and sects recognise that folk lie in polls and surveys. The actual attendance figures reveal that fewer than 18% of Americans can be found in a church on any given Sunday.
https://churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-articles/139575-7-startling-facts-an-up-close-look-at-church-attendance-in-america.html