Its been a tough week for the truth.  Michael Rasmussen and Alexandre Vinokourovboth left the Tour de France after doping allegations.  FBI Director Robert Mueller hasoffered sworn testimony that conflicts significantly with that of AttorneyGeneral Alberto Gonzalez.  Barry Bondscontinues his tainted pursuit of Hank Aarons home run record.  Zimbabwean Archbishop Pius Ncubewho hasheroically led the charge against the dictatorship of Robert Mugabefacedallegations of adultery this week.  Closerto (my) home, the net widens in a cash-for-grades scandal at a California community college that has already implicated more than 24 people.

When it comes to human nature, its sometimes hard to knowwhere to find the balance between cynicism and realism.  Certainly there have been acts of heroism andhuman kindness than have not found their way onto the front pages of ournewspapers.  All in all, though, I wouldsay that those who believe that human beings are fundamentally in need of agracious salvation have the better argument at the moment.