This controversial movie supporting Creationism is now out. Expelled claims that educators and scientists are being persecuted for their belief that there is evidence of “design” in nature. It claims that “Big Science" allows no dissent from the scientific theory of evolution, and blames the theory for a range of alleged societal ills.
Apparently, one of the first things happening was that PZ Myers, who is critical of the creationism and was interviewed for the movie, was expelled from watching it.
The movie has been criticized by several of the interviewees, including biologists PZ Myers and Richard Dawkins and NCSE head Eugenie Scott, who say they were misled into participating by being asked to be interviewed for a film named Crossroads on the "intersection of science and religion", with a blurb which described the strong support that had been accumulated for evolution, and contrasted this with the religious who rejected it, and the controversy this caused.
Of course, many movies critizicing creationism and religion have used the same trick . . .
On learning of the pro-intelligent design stance of the real film, Myers said "not telling one of the sides in a debate about what the subject might be and then leading him around randomly to various topics, with the intent of later editing it down to the parts that just make the points you want, is the video version of quote-mining and is fundamentally dishonest." Richard Dawkins said "At no time was I given the slightest clue that these people were a creationist front"; and Eugenie Scott, of the National Center for Science Education, said "I just expect people to be honest with me, and they weren’t."
The film promotes intelligent design — the idea that there is evidence of a supernatural intelligence in biological processes, a form of creationism. The Discovery Institute which is at the center of promoting intelligent design, claims that it is a serious scientific research approach, and not creationism. However, Stein claims that the film presents evidence that scientists do not have the freedom to work within the framework of believing there is a God.
It all sounds pretty interesting. More info over at Wikipedia.
3 comments:
"even a speech writer for presidents Nixon and..."
Ha, like that would be a positive thing?!
Also, what's up with all the references to WW2/Nazi Germany?! How are they relevant?! Sure, in terms of freedom of speech but still, it wasn't exactly the only moment in history were people have been forced to keep their mouths shut.
Lastly, doesn't the narrator's voice remind you of Walter Sobchak from the movie The Big Lebowski??!! He sounds exactly like him!
I think "Borat" did the same thing with making HIS movie and nobody gave it a second thought-- we all just laughed a lot and thought the people appearing in the movie who were "duped" needed to lighten up and laugh at themselves along with the rest of us. Suddenly because these are "scientists" arguing with each other instead of etiquette teachers and politicians suddenly humor in any form is taboo-- it might interfere with our need to take the antidepressants they've been working on, I guess. Both sides need to lighten up, laugh, and keep looking for that piece of evidence that will prove themselves right and the other wrong. If you want to disprove something to somebody find the evidence, don't waste everyone's time arguing whose THEORY is better. (In a courtroom a case being prosecuted and defended only upon theories would be dismissed without prejudice so that the case could not proceed in its current form, but we could get back to it when there was sufficient evidence to proceed. I think scientists could take a lesson from that; and in the meantime while searching for that evidence remember to live, love and laugh.
The most shocking part of Expelled movie debacle is the "Expelled Challenge."
Can you believe it? "Rewarding" schools for sending their students to see the movie with "a chance to win up to a $10,000 donation while educating your students, parents, and staff of the controversy that is surrounding the Intelligent Design and evolution debate."
How devilishly corrupt.
(Quote from getexpelled . com)
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