On a trip to London in 2003, I visited the archives of the British Library. There, among treasures like an original copy of the Magna Carta, was a letter from Charles Darwin to fellow naturalist Alfred Wallace dated November 13, 1859 – the year of the publication of On the Origin of Species.

In this letter, Darwin tells Wallace to expect a copy of On the Origin of Species in the post and asks for his general impressions. Most profoundly, though, on the subject of introducing his evolutionary theory to the world, he writes:

"God knows what the public will think."

Standing over that letter, reading that sentence, I remember wondering if that was simply an innocent rumination resulting from his past conversations about faith and science with others or if Darwin knew that, even 150 years later, he would be the face of a debate that humans passionately argue more than ever.

The ACLU is often accused of taking extreme positions on this debate. We are erroneously characterized as “anti-religious” and gross misperceptions about the ACLU’s position on religious freedom and belief exist nationwide.

We believe that the freedom to worship as we choose, individually, was one of the core tenets of our founding fathers when drafting the Constitution.

Freedom of religious expression is something that we, like you, deeply value as a fundamental freedom. I believe that everyone in this country values this freedom.

Unfortunately, too many peoples’ perception of our position on religious liberty are influenced by uninformed sources – those that too often misinterpret the actions we take to protect freedom of religion. No other issue on the ACLU docket stirs more controversy and debate than protecting religious freedom.

As you go through your routine today – Darwin’s 200th birthday – know that we are grateful for your unwavering support on all of our issues, especially those that are the least popular.

By Melissa Combs, ACLU of MIchigan Major Gifts Officer