We now know that cervical cancer is mainly caused by HPV, the virus that causes genital warts. We even have a not that expensive vaccine. A sensible government would probably recommend that all teens - that would be boys and girls - get vaccinated against this virus. Which would eliminate the need for pap smears and get rid of most cervical cancers and genital warts.

This would be a no-brainer except that the Christians - major Republican constituency here - feel that prevention of venereal diseases is against God's plan to punish teens for having sex.

Which sort of makes the Lord of Hosts look like the villain in a bad slasher film. You know the ones where he watches people make out before he comes in with the knife.

And worse than that, since this is the same deity who is supposed to have endowed teens with surges of hormones that tend to wipe out any sense they may have acquired in their young lives.

So our politicians and health officials live in fear of the Lord.