Samwik, I've read your contribution again and I note:
"In the absence of selection pressures, the current level of hair colour diversity would have taken 850,000 years to develop (Templeton 2002). One would have to conclude that the gene pool of Eastern and Northern Europe is derived mainly from the Neanderthals and even earlier Homo populations. Otherwise, some kind of selection must have favoured these colour polymorphisms."
Interestingly the possibility is immediately disregarded as it doesn't fit the paradigm. The large number of genes contributing to blond hair also indicates a very long period of diversification. When examined the sexual selection explanation falls to pieces. The evidence is more likely to indicate a movement of modern humans into Europe gradually replacing genes for blond hair.
This takes us back to a comment soilguy made:
"Judeo-Christian stories are meaningless to this question, in my opinion."
Soilguy, I was merely pointing out the obvious, that our pre-existing beliefs always influence how we interpret evidence. The Judeo-Christian myths are so deeply embedded in western culture that even atheists are influenced by them.
I don't know if you have read books by Stringer, Olson or Tattersall. Their books are crammed with biblical ideas. They ask such questions as "Why were we the chosen ones?", "What made us so special?" etc. By this argument Tasmanian Aborigines were not human. Australian Aborigines and North American Indians are barely so.
