Sitting across from those who would help decide the fate of the controversial "Origins of Life" bill, Orem's James Ferrin cleared his throat and uttered, "It's a good bill. Just vote for it."

If only it were that easy.

After continued testimony from House representatives and scientists both in favor and opposition, the committee barely passed the bill onto consideration by the full House 7-6. The bill already cleared the Senate.

Stepping in for a sick Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, Ferrin, R-Orem, told the committee the bill's only design was to keep educators from "teaching for fact what is yet unproven."

"Honest science acknowledges the body of knowledge is incomplete," Ferrin said. "It's necessary because in our school today our children are being taught humans and chimps are from a common ancestor."

Brett Moulding, the state's director of curriculum and instruction, said evolution is taught as a theory, consistent with science, and that origins of life are not addressed in the core curriculum.

"Singling out one theory creates problems with the law," he said.

Rep. Carol Spackman Moss, D-Holladay, said she was worried literature and history topics would be at risk if the Legislature were allowed to establish the curriculum requirements on biology.

"I think we're heading down the wrong track here, and it's a dangerous one," she said.

Moss said students, teachers and parents needed to be trusted to make intelligent decisions on their own.

Ferrin told the committee religion had nothing to do with the bill.

"It is not a mandate to teach creationism. It is not a mandate to teach intelligent design," Ferrin said. "Religious beliefs are simply not germane to this discussion."

But religion, as it has in previous Senate debates, creeped in anyway.

"As a people, we're on record with the Declaration of Independence that we believe in a creator," said Rep. LaVar Christensen, R-Draper.

"I think we all know that that is at the heart of it," Moss said.

Even religious authorities outside the state are keeping an eye on the legislation. In an article that ran Sunday in The New York Times, Rev. Barry Lynn, the executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, was quoted.

"It's being watched very closely because of the very conservative nature of the state," he said. "If the legislation is rejected in Utah, it would be a very strong signal that the issue should be avoided elsewhere."

But religious affiliation with the state's dominant religion did not automatically mean a "yea" vote. Brigham Young University law school graduate Rep. Stephen Urquhart, R-St. George, and West Valley Republican Rep. Ron Bigelow, who works for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, both voted no on the bill.

"I was told that this bill has nothing to do with religion, and I'm going to believe that," Urquhart said.