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I see a parallel.
When Christianity set out to establish itself as the dominant religion in Europe during the dark ages, the missionaries felt they could assist the cause by co-opting the native pagan beliefs of the masses they were trying to convert. This is why Christmas corresponds so closely to the winter solstice. This is why we have an Easter bunny. This is why the Celtic cross has a circle on it, as a vestige of sun worship. I'm sure you can think of countless other examples.
This struck me as Kauffman's tactic, to a certain extent. He's promoting a secular, non-religious worldview, but he's using the language of religion to promote it. It seems like that fundamentalism disturbs him, and he's hoping to quell the tide by offering nature as a substitute.
