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Niels Hoven

The movie Expelled is creationist propaganda, and Ben Stein makes me cry

Ben Stein is dead to me. It’s a shame, considering my own high school has long touted him as one of our most prominent alumni. Unfortunately, he must have skipped biology class more than a few times because his new anti-evolution movie Expelled (in theaters April 18) infuriates me. It paints intelligent design as the underdog, stifled by “Big Science”.

In a country where more than half of the population believes that man was created as literally described in the Bible and only 12% believe we evolved without divine intervention (Gallup poll), I find it laughable that religion is described as the underdog in the battle for public opinion.

There are countless examples in science of a single individual’s ideas changing the world. Copernicus, Newton, Einstein, Darwin, Watson and Crick, Claude Shannon… We name entire branches of science after the single person who was brave enough to buck the status quo and discover something new.

When I was in school I learned about Newtonian physics, Einsteinian physics, Maxwell’s equations, Shannon information theory, and much more. I could fill an encyclopedia with the free-thinking individuals who came up with revolutionary ideas that transformed the world of science.

Wait, actually, those brilliant people are exactly what encyclopedias are filled with.

Is Ben Stein seriously making the argument that religion is more accepting than science of new ideas? Someone should pass that memo on to Copernicus and Galileo, they might have missed it. Interestingly, when discussing the “smear campaign” against Richard Sternberg, who unethically circumvented the peer review process to sneak an intelligent design paper into a scientific journal he edited, Ben Stein says, “publishing [the Discovery Institute’s intelligent design] paper would not have been a problem if we lived in the time of Galileo.”

Ah, the time of Galileo, when there was no higher ideal than scientific freedom. I’m sorry, what was that? The church sentenced Galileo to house arrest, banned all his works including future publications, and forced him to recant under threat of the Inquisition? And the church did not concede that the Earth actually moved around the sun until until Pope John Paul II in 1992? Oh.

Yeah, Ben Stein’s probably right. If you want to pass off your backwards religious ideas as science, you’d have a better chance in the 16th century.

The trailer begins with Ben Stein discussing evolutionists’ wacky ideas, saying: “they believe we’re nothing more than mud animated by lightning”. Nice unbiased strawman argument there. But Ben Stein is nothing if not reasonable, adding, “I have no problem if people want to believe that sort of thing.”

Though of course, no creationist diatribe would be complete without pointing out that “Darwinism’s not only improbable, it might even be dangerous” as footage of concentration camps scrolls across the screen. Hitler believed in evolution, therefore evolution caused the Holocaust. It’s a straightforward argument. Hitler also had a mustache; perhaps we should ban mustaches to prevent any future horrors.

But what upsets me the most are the simple, to the point counterarguments included as sound bites from prominent evolution supporters: “They [intelligent design proponents] are not scientists.” “Intelligent design is not a research program.” “It’s all propaganda.” Apparently, the intelligent design movement expects the average American to interpret these valid criticisms as more evidence of the narrowmindedness of “Big Science”. Unfortunately, the intelligent design movement is probably right about that, and that makes me sad.

Ben Stein claims that this is a free speech issue. Great, then as well as giving equal time to creationists, let’s give equal time to the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, and my own personal theory that new species of life are brought into existence on the back of invisible pink unicorns from Jupiter. No one is claiming that creationists should be muzzled, they’re simply saying their ideas do not belong in scientific journals or science classes. Because intelligent design is not science. Science is not relativistic. Ideas are born and buried on their own merits.

I have little respect for creationism, but just like Ben Stein, I have no problem if people “want to believe that sort of thing.” I just think that anyone who turns their back on science is being hypocritical to do it halfway. You don’t like science, that’s your own prerogative. But you’d better be willing to give up all the nice stuff that it’s brought you, like cars and electricity and vaccines and modern medicine. If you can do that, you’ll have my full support.

I’ve included the trailer for Expelled below for any other science-minded individuals who want to get really angry. Move your mouse over it and click the “Expelled Super Trailer” button.

Comments on this entry are closed.

  • Benjamin Franklin

    This films’ main thesis, that anyone in the science community who believes in God, or is a Darwin dissenter is being “expelled” is false at its core.

    In a New York Times interview, Walter Ruloff (producer of Expelled) said that researchers, who had studied cellular mechanisms, made findings suggestive of an intelligent designer. “But they are afraid to report them”.
    Mr. Ruloff also cited Dr. Francis S. Collins, a geneticist who directs the National Human Genome Research Institute and whose book, “The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief”, explains how he came to embrace his Christian faith. Mr. Ruloff said that Dr. Collins separates his religious beliefs from his scientific work only because “he is toeing the party line”.

    That’s “just ludicrous,” Dr. Collins said in a telephone interview. While many of his scientific colleagues are not religious and some are “a bit puzzled” by his faith, he said, “they are generally very respectful.” He said that if the problem Mr. Ruloff describes existed, he is certain he would know about it.

    Similarly, Dr. Ken Miller is a professed Christian who wrote “Finding Darwin’s God” (which I suggest you read). Dr. Miller has not been “expelled” in any fashion for his belief in God.

    The movie tries to make the case that “Big Science” is nothing but a huge atheist conspiracy out to silence believers, but only presents a very one-sided look at some Discovery Institute “martyrs”.

    Carolyn Crocker “expelled”? – No.
    Her annual teaching contract was not renewed. Was she “fired” for daring to bring God into research? – No. She was hired to teach Biology, and she decided to ignore the schools’ curriculum and substitute her own curriculum.

    Guillermo Gonzalez “expelled”? – No.
    He was not granted tenure. The film doesn’t bring up the fact that in all his years at ISU he had only brought in only a miniscule amount of grant money. Nor does it bring up the fact that in all his years at ISU he failed to mentor a single student through to their PhD. Nor does it mention that in his career at ISU, his previous excellent record of publication had dropped precipitously.

    Richard von Sternberg “expelled”? – No.
    Sternberg continues to work for NIH in the same capacity. Of course the movie doesn’t bring up his underhanded tactics in getting Meyers work published.

    This movie attempts to influence it’s viewers with dishonesty, half-truths, and by a completely one-sided presentation of the facts.

    If a scientists’ research is not accepted by the scientific community, it isn’t because the scientist either believes or doesn’t believe in God, it is usually because they are producing bad science. Like the idea of Intelligent Design.

  • UnicornSuperhero

    I’m surprised how bad it is, but not that Ben Stein is advocating it considering he has said such things like Darwinism was the inspiration of the Halocaust. He’s been part of the Intelligent Design group or “movement” for a few years now. He’s just continually breaking my heart with this.

  • Actually since none of you have seen the film, you are attacking strawmen. The movie mentions all the information you say it does not. It does not say that all Darwinists are Nazis but takes pains to disclaim this view.

    I saw the movie on Tuesday (advanced screening) and wrote a review:

    http://forerunner.com/blog

    “I am surprised at how bad it is?”

    If you are crying now, and hoping it’s so bad people will think it’s a joke, just wait until it’s released.

    It’s going to have the effect of a right-wing Michael Moore movie — but honest for a difference.

  • Benjamin Franklin

    Jay Rogers-

    I have seen your website, and as an ardent proponent of Christian Reconstructionism, and a follower of JR Rushdooney, I think you and your followers are nothing less than a terrifying threat to America.

    You advocate that the laws of our nation need to be secondary to Old Testament biblical law, and I find that offensive. If I choose to work on Sunday, I think that is my right, but you feel that since it violates the biblical commandment to rest on the Sabbath, I would be a criminal, and should be what? – stoned to death, I believe is the penalty written in the old testament – DO YOU DENY THAT?

    That you are completely supporting this dishonest movie is absolutely no surprise to me, as most of the initial funding of the Discovery Institute was from Howard Ahmanson, another Rushdooney acolyte, and just another confirmed Reconstructionist.

    Now, if you want to adhere to any craziness and nonsense you desire personally, I think that it’s ok, but you and your group definitively state thats not enough, you think it is God’s will for you to convert everyone to Christianity, and that they must conform to your perverted interpretations of scripture, and your fascist desires of totalitariansim.

    Is this “crying now”? I don’t think so. I can only hope that Americans wake up and reject your efforts to remake our country into the Taliban-like theocracy you and your cohorts in freedom-crushing, men like Ahmanson, Gary North, Randall Terry, D. James Kennedy, Roy Moore, and others espouse. Before it’s too late!

    Benjamin Franklin,
    Thinker, and Lover of Freedom

  • “If I choose to work on Sunday, I think that is my right, but you feel that since it violates the biblical commandment to rest on the Sabbath, I would be a criminal, and should be what? – stoned to death, I believe is the penalty written in the old testament – DO YOU DENY THAT?”

    Yes, I deny that emphatically.

    You simply don’t have a clue as to what Reconstructionist writers proposed in the first place. R.J. Rushdoony (you don’t get his name right) always advocated regeneration and reformation, not political revolution through the death penalty. It’s a gross distortion, but it suits your purposes to keep the distortion alive.

    I did a four hour documentary on CR and I invite you to view some of the interviews for free. You can see it at:

    http://forerunner.com/revolution/index.html

    I recommend the interviews with Andrew Sandlin and Rushdoony since they were running Chalcedon at the time of the interviews.

    You can’t do better than go to the horses’ mouths.

  • Benjamin Franklin

    Go to the horses’ mouth?

    That would be more like listening to a horses’ ass!

    I know about you and your movement.

    from the Chalcedon website-

    “We believe that the whole Word of God must be applied to all of life. It is not only our duty as individuals, families and churches to be Christian, but it is also the duty of the state, the school, the arts and sciences, law, economics, and every other sphere to be under Christ the King. Nothing is exempt from His dominion.”

    and

    “The role of every earthly government including family government, church government, school government, vocational government, and civil government is to submit to Biblical law.”

    Your group tries to portray themseleves as worthy Americans, but what you espouse is the antithesis of freedom as guaranteed by our Constitution in America. But you hold that the Constitution is secondary to your incorrect parochial interpretation of scripture.

    Reconstructionism is about two things – power and evil. Contrary to your thoughts and desires, America is not a Christian nation and your practices are treasonous to the core

    All I can do is to try to expose you and your hateful leaders and followers for the bat-shit crazy bastards that you are.

    And don’t say that you will pray for me, you worthless corrupter of Christ! God doesn’t hear your prayers.

    Benjamin Franklin,
    True American, Freedom Lover

  • John

    Yawn. Dude. Did you even watch Expelled?

    You do not accurately summarize Ben Stein’s points at all.
    Are you such a victim of brainwashing that you can’t even watch it, and understand it?

    Some things for you to read are:
    You Are Being Lied To: The Disinformation Guide to Media Distortion, Historical Whitewashes and Cultural Myths
    – to get an idea of how you have been brainwashed, all the while thinking that you are not.

    False Conflict By Rodney Stark
    http://www.pas.rochester.edu/~tim/study/Stark%20Science%20and%20Faith.pdf
    For factual talk on Galileo, the church, and science.

    How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization
    by Thomas E. Woods Jr
    to discover how MANY sciences were actually INVENTED in the church.

  • dan c

    It’s interesting that you should mention Copernicus and Galileo, both Christian. Newton had no problem with God and gave Him all the credit for the elegance, complexity, order and beauty we see both in the Universe and in nature. We’ve come a long way from Darwin’s time when the cell was considered a blob of ‘protoplasm’. Now that we actually know what’s in the cell, protein nanomachines and actually know how DNA codes for proteins, a process that demonstrates specified complexity, materialistic evolution’s attempt at explaining such complexity, synchronicity and precision, is looking lamer and lamer. Stop dumbing down the complexity of life. It’s the most embarassing thing evolutionists do.