I had the opportunity this past Wednesday to preview this new movie in a private screening that I was invited too. Many of you may know who Ben Stein is and have seen one of the 80 different movies that he has been involved with or even read one of his 8 different books that he has written. Some of you may even know him as a speech writer for the presidents or as a social activist. Whatever means you know Ben Stein by, you understand the authority and power behind what he brings to the table.
In this new movie/documentary we find him in the middle of the debate on intelligent design and evolution (Darwinism). He is interviewing authors, researchers, and university teachers who have been fired for the simple mentioning of “Intelligent Design” in a class or article they have written. These individuals are being shun by government and other scientist. Need I mention that this is not a movie to prove the validity of “Intelligent Design.” However, it does a great job of presenting some facts and creating some holes that exist in Darwinism that we seem to be ignoring.
I want to encourage everyone to go and see this movie as I truly believe that he is opening the door for a cultural revolution to occur if we take a stand and fight for what we believe in. One of the quotes that start off the movie is this:
“Freedom is the essence of America…imagine if those freedoms were taken away.”
Take the time to go visit the website and see for yourself what is happening with this movie and what it communicates to those who see it and the encouragement that it will give for those who will stand up for what they believe in.
“If you believe in evolution then there is no free will.” Ben Stein
“who have been fired”
But it’s a lie.
“being shun”
Oh the horror of the shunning.
“some facts and creating some holes that exist in Darwinism”
Or else you are being bamboozled.
4 Stars, this film rocks, AND, its entertaining.
The movie is DEFinitely one to see and talk about. It does seem to be a bit Michael Moore-ian to take completely at face value – obviously the filmmakers have used the film as a one-sided debate. BUT, that doesn’t make the questions they raise any less valid.
Here’s a link to another review: http://subthemag.com/tss/2008/03/14/expelled-no-intelligence-allowed-reviewed/33
Of course it makes the film less valid. Just take that quote “if you believe in evolution there is no free will”- total nonsense. Can someone on here please explain to me how that comment is true. Evolution has absolutley no impact on someone having free will.
This is exactly how these idiots are going to win. They come out with statements like that and then your average Joe ,who wont bother going and looking the damn thing up, simply believes it. These people are not being expelled from the academic establishment. They know that they just cant produce any evidence for Intelligent Design. That is not science. So to you people who believe Steins idiotic comment, keep on keeping on with the ignorance!!!!!!!!!! Rest assured the rest of the world outside the whacky USA will laugh at this film. Yet I bet when all the scientific advances based on the fact that evolution is a fact start rolling into the USA all you idiots will still take them!!!!!!!!!!!!
Haven’t seen the movie yet. Intend to. Not because I am a creationist-goodgrief, no-but because i have been following this debate, as an individual who refuses to identify himself as any of the following: Agnostic, athiest, deist, polytheist, christian, Muslim, or anything else, who is researching a wide variety of topics, and forming his own opinion. Want to see the movie for myself, make my own judgements.
That being said, there are a few things I have noticed. I do not like the approach the Darwinians/Objective Materialsts/Secular scientists/Athiests or whatever they want to call themselves, seem to use. It does not strike me as an attempt to educate people. It strikes me as brow-beating of a fairly low order, similar to the style the creationists themselves use. Excuse me, Rationalists, and creationists, you simply don’t have the right to ‘convert’ me, or compel me, to believe in, or accept your views, or your version of what you think is truth-on both sides. As a highly intelligent being, I find it insulting, degrading, and a really crappy way to convinve anyone of anything.
Lastly, yes, Athiests, you, you are just as guilty as religion, for violence and murder, and no denial will sweep that ugly truth under the rug-history shows that every athiest driven, rationalist and secular society that has tried to maintain an existance, has ended very badly, and that both Stalin and Mao, amongst many others, did base their atrocities upon the foundations of athiesm-the athiesm was not incidental, it was the cause-just as religion was the cause of much bloodshed. With a history like that, and tactics used nowadays, it’s no wonder many people simply decide to make up their own mind.
“Want to see the movie for myself, make my own judgements.”
But remember, you will be presented with only one side of these stories. So if the other side of the story is not being heard, how can you make a fair judgement?
“the athiesm was not incidental, it was the cause”
Have you changed the subject from evolution to atheism? Do you believe that evolution requires atheism? Is this really a war between science and religion? Do you think that “intelligent design” is scientific or religious? What is your opinion of the judge’s Dover decision after 6 weeks of testimony?
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That being said, there are a few things I have noticed. I do not like the approach the Darwinians/Objective Materialsts/Secular scientists/Athiests or whatever they want to call themselves, seem to use. It does not strike me as an attempt to educate people. It strikes me as brow-beating of a fairly low order, similar to the style the creationists themselves use.
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It is an attempt to guard people against the attempts of creationists to ‘educate’ people in their way. Who would you rather have as a house physician: a doctor with actual knowledge of biology, or one who gets his medical knowledge from the bible?
@bryce rasmussen: You say that we dont have the right to convert you. But what if we showed you logical and overwhelming evidence from a wide variety of reliable sources that prove evolution beyond a shadow of a doubt? Because all that evidence is ready and available if you take the time to research it. The evidence for ID is non-existant and the arguments proposed fall down as soon as they are analysed critically.
With regards to your last paragraph, no, atheism isnt guilty for violence and murder. For atheism to be guilty it would have to be a doctrine that contained teachings on morality. Yet the sole belief of athiesm is that there is no God. This does not deal with ethics at all and therefore when an atheists murders someone they are not killing ‘in the name of atheism.’ However, if you read the Bible, some passages in the Old Testament condone the mal treatment of certain types of people. If a Christian were to murder someone because of these quotations then they would be killing ‘in the name of Christianity’. Sure, their interpretation of Christianity would be flawed, but nevertheless it is still an interpretation of Christian teachings. Atheism has no such teachings to be interpreted save the one ‘There is no logical reason to believe in God.’
My take on it is “Dead is worse than expelled.” http://www.paisleyandplaid.wordpress.com. I, too, liked it.