Rating:
4.5 out of 5
By Vic Holtreman
Short version: Your opinion of the film will with almost complete certainty be predicted by your opinions on Darwinism vs Intelligent Design.
Yes, I know everyone is looking for reviews of Morgan Spurlock’s Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden? Here’s a spoiler: He doesn’t find Osama. His movie is funny and entertaining, but I think this film will generate far more debate and discussion and is as relevant to what’s happening today as Spurlock’s movie.
Having said that, I believe that writing this review is almost a pointless exercise, but I’ll write it anyway. Why? Because your opinion of the film will with almost complete certainty be predicted by your opinions on Darwinism vs Intelligent Design.
I’ve been scouring a few sites looking to see what people thought of Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed and it is expectedly getting skewered. Rotten Tomatoes has it at 9% at the time of this writing and over at IMDB.com it’s sitting at 3.3/10. The interesting thing about the rating over at IMDB is that 88% of the votes are either a “1″ or a “10,” with very few in between. I’m guessing that most of the votes on the “1″ side are from people who haven’t even seen the film.
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Much like the reviews and viewer opinions of Michael Moore’s psuedo-documentaries or Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” are influenced by whether the person in question agrees with the views espoused in those films, that will be the situation here in even more stark relief. Considering the fact that most reviewers over at RT loved those films, it’s no surprise to me that Ben Stein’s film was skewered.
I don’t blame anyone – it’s just about impossible to judge a documentary on a hot-button subject without bringing personal bias into it.
A couple of the eventual items that will be highlighted in the movie are hinted at with the opening credits, which are made up of what looks like old archival footage from World War II. The movie credits are blended in to look like they are part of the original footage, which I thought was kind of cool. Ben Stein walks onto the stage of a crowded auditorium to talk about the fact that no matter the era, freedom is the one constant that has defined America throughout its history.
From there he goes on to expand on his main point: No, it’s not that Intelligent Design theory is superior to Darwinism… but that the mere mention of I.D. by someone in an academic position can lead to not only denial of tenure, but to outright censure and loss of their position. You read that right: not the teaching of the theory – just the mention of it as a possible valid theory.
He interviews a number of academicians and scientists who have met the fates described above and cites what led to their firings, etc.. Stein also interviews those in institutes of higher learning that came pretty close to visibly spitting whenever they were questioned about the topic.
One of the things that has people up in arms about this film is that Ben Stein draws a connection between Darwinism and Nazi Germany. He says quite clearly that he is NOT implying that Darwinists are Nazis – only that Hitler was influenced by the theory and sought to “accelerate” human evolution by eliminating the weak, infirm and supposedly inferior races.
I understand Stein’s reason for including this in the film – more than one athiest in the film emphasized the belief in no ultimate moral standards. The logical conclusion from that is that due to the idea of moral relativism (”well, maybe that was considered bad 50 years ago but times have changed”) is that eventually we could go beyond abortion and voluntary euthanasia to selecting people to be euthanized “for the good of mankind/the human race/our country” with no guilt of sense of wrongdoing.
The problem here is that the idea of a “designed” universe is rejected out of hand, there IS no room for discussion (similar to the global warming debate). If someone disagrees they are shouted down with “idiot/ignorant/stupid” and of course, “creationist.” End of conversation.
As far as I’m concerned, the unadulterated hubris of those in academia in their 100% certainty that there is no God in a universe where so much is still unknown is for lack of another word, galling.
You’re either going to think that Ben Stein’s Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed is a huge disinformation campaign of a film and hate it, or you’re going to think that it’s a big eye opener when it comes to the current dangers to our freedom and the discussion of important issues.
On a final note, I’ll be monitoring the comments below carefully. I’ve said before that I have NO problem with people with opposing opinions as long as those opinions are stated in an intelligent and civil manner with no personal attacks. In any case, especially online, I’ve found these discussions pointless as no one is going to change anyone’s opinion on either side.
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202 Comments
“If we get rid of all traces of Christianity from schools and government, then the foundations of America will be destroyed.”
Wrong.
From the Treaty of Tripoli, signed by President John Adams:
“As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion…”
I’d say that pretty much proves that the United States is not based on Christianity. We may share some core moral principles with that religion, but our government sure isn’t founded on the religion.
Thanks Eduard!!, me and Vic had this same discussion about 3 hrs ago offsite.
Your opinion (If we get rid of all traces of Christianity from schools and government, then the foundations of America will be destroyed)
Your exactly right and this IS what’s happening right now in this country. EXACTLY!!!!
You also said (Think about it from this point of view: America was founded on Christian moral principles. These principles have governed and led this remarkable country forward for over several centuries. If we get rid of this connection of Law=Christian Morals, what are our Law makers going to follow? Their own personal preferences?). NWO
Perfect, couldn’t have said it better myself! BEST EMAIL OF THE FRICKEN MONTH!!!!!!!!!
Think about it from this point of view: America was founded on Christian moral principles. These principles have governed and led this remarkable country forward for over several centuries.
I’d like to think that PEOPLE are good and moral, not because of their particular religion, but because of their love and care for their fellow humans. I do not believe in any of your gods, but I love and care for every one of you. Cheers!
Hey Vic at what point do the comments of a thread warrent their own story based on the number of comments on a review of Expelled.
I love this…………
Maybe Vic you should start the Open Discussion (part 2 of the Expelled review) and we can just keep this evolution machine going…..?
Flamestrike, the Bill of Rights states “these rights are given to man by God”.
The Constitution states the same thing.
You loose the Bill of Rights and the Constitution and your living in china bro. Even worse HELL ON EARTH.
Think about how important these 2 documents are. IMO(yeah here’s goes 790 again , he’s nuts) I’ve read articles written by contactees that stated “even aliens on other planets know of our Bill of Rights” they say that there are a lot of planets with humanoid life but none of them have this freedom.
Think about that for just a second (after you laugh outloud).
(IMO)(IMO) and also really (IMO).
Right now in this country there’s a war going on for your attention span.
The more they can distract people the quicker they can change laws that remove GOD in our American way of life.
There goal is to cripple the middle class and to suspend or remove the constitution.
This is all a terror attack away …… All I can say is try to at least see it comming.
Sorry Vic had to let that out. Damm that Ben Stein!!
Hey 790, here’s a link to the US Bill of Rights:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.billofrights.html
You will find NO mention of god or gods or christ or christianity. If this country were truly founded on the laws of Christ you think the founders would maybe have thought of giving the guy some credit in the very document that gives us OUR rights? I find it telling that they didn’t mention anything religious in the bill of rights. Thoughts?
Darron S’s Previous Comment:
Good post Eduard, but entropy is a general slide from order to chaos. Things like gravity and life can work against entropy by pulling things together, building things up and such. If you want to read a REALLY great short story on the subject of how entropy plays out at universal scales, and that even touches on the biblical, I recommend spending 20 minutes reading this short story by Isaac Asimov:
http://www.multivax.com/last_question.html
It’s a GREAT story about entropy! Cheers!
Posted by: Darron S at April 21, 2008 11:05 AM
Darron,
I am simply shocked to see that your reply to my comment regarding the Law of Entropy was a link to a SciFi Farytail. Was this story a joke? (Vic, I’m being serious. Read the story link to understand why I am slightly upset)
Again, the Law of Entropy CLEARLY states that everything goes from an organized state to chaos. This includes that passing on of the Genetic code from one species towards another. Gene’s get lost, creating a weaker and weaker species. EVERYTHING degrades over time. We know that diseases and physical disorders grow larger as generations progress because negative traits(Loss of genes) get passed down.
Well, If you have serious faith in this story. I am truly Glad to know that I for one believe in something plausable; God, my creator.
This reply might seem harsh, but that is how I feel when I am told that the Law of Entropy can be overcome with a FairyTale. I apologize to those that might be offened.
Woops, Messed up on the last word: -offended-
T Edward “There was never a promise to spare minorities in society from the influence of the majority.”
Daron S: Hey T Edward, I’m curious what you’re advocating here. What level of influence should religions have on other minority religions (or us godless heathons)? Are we talking about kneeling toward mecca and praying 5 times per day in school? Or the right to go out and prosthelize in your neighborhood? Just curious… tks!
What good is compelled religion? But the state should show a neutral face, not a hostile one thus taking sides. Some might actually hold that a religious person shouldn’t witness to his faith on a public sidewalk because it’s built with tax money.
Of course there’s some complication because the governement has taken on itself to go beyond protecting our rights, and has now practically usurped the role of both Mother and Father from cradle to grave. The influence of its religious neutrality is thus greatly amplified to the detriment of religion.
Hey Vic,
Can you delete my previous comment above? Now that I look at it, it seems WAY too critical of Darron.
Thanks!
Again, the Law of Entropy CLEARLY states that everything goes from an organized state to chaos. This includes that passing on of the Genetic code from one species towards another. Gene’s get lost, creating a weaker and weaker species. EVERYTHING degrades over time.
Hey eduard, as someone else stated further up in this monster-of-a-thread, our planet is not a closed system. I agree that entropy definitely increases over time, but things like life and stars and humans making loaves of bread are all examples of “entropy fighters”. Your statement that “gene’s get lost, creating weaker and weaker species” contradicts trillions of lines of genomic code that support evolutionary fitness due to selection pressures.
And “The Last Question” is a sci-fi story, as I clearly stated in my post. You’ve got to know that I meant it for entertainment purposes, as I’m obviously an atheist and the story had a positive religious end. That in itself has to show that I wanted you to read it for entertainment purposes, no? I thought that would have been obvious! Regardless, I apologize if you were offended! I just thought it was a good story about entropy! Cheers!
Hey Vic,
Can you delete my previous comment above? Now that I look at it, it seems WAY too critical of Darron. Thanks!
Naw, I like straightup, upfront debate. Honest expression is important if we’re going to have an honest debate! I can take a punch and keep on debating! Cheers!
“When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Just thought I’d toss that in.
BTW, it was only in the last century that the education of children was turned over to the federal gov’t, and that’s when the trouble started IMHO.
Vic
Timeless beauty.
No writer on this planet now could have written such a historic document.
Think about it from this point of view: America was founded on Christian moral principles. These principles have governed and led this remarkable country forward for over several centuries.
I’d like to think that PEOPLE are good and moral, not because of their particular religion, but because of their love and care for their fellow humans. I do not believe in any of your gods, but I love and care for every one of you. Cheers!
Posted by: Darron S at April 21, 2008 8:00 PM
______________________________________________
Darron, that’s the problem right there. Not all people are good and moral. And not everyone loves their fellow neighbor. These things(traits) have to be taught.
For example: when a child is growing up, you have to teach him/her to say Please and Thank You. Politeness has to be taught. The child needs to be taught not to steal and lie. What I’m trying to say is, everyone has that negative side within them from Birth. Religious morals are a way of keeping that “evil” at bay for Adults.
If we don’t have any one governing principle (Christian Morals) that a nation can look towards, but rather a group of Judges telling us how to live and govern our lives; our future as a nation looks bleak.
America is special because of Christianity. No other country governs itself like we do. We are not founded on Islam or Buddhism or any other religion and that is why we are so fortunate. Other religions have restrictions, Ex: (Women have no say in Islamic nations.) And those restrictions keep Islamic countries from growing and prospering. If you take away Christianity from the schools and Government, you take away America.
Ok That’s the best Email of the Month. Eduard your awesome !!!!!!!!
Very well written.
Man I hope all you guys continue conming to Screen Rant. We need more articles like this VIC!!
Well Darron,
I guess the Law of Entropy is an endless debate between the both of us. You see the Genetic code as Evolving and growing while I see it as degrading from an initial state of creation. We can attack this issue all day long and not get anywhere. All we can do is look at our opposing points of view, take a deep breath, and move on.
“Ok That’s the best Email of the Month. Eduard your awesome !!!!!!!!”
Posted by: 790 at April 21, 2008 9:12 PM
LOL, thanks 790! I’m glad someone is enjoying my posts. To be honest, this is one of the best sites I’ve visited in a long time. Glad to be a part of it
Nice quote from the Declaration of Independence, but since that, as I understand it, has no legal authority in this nation, it’s reference to God is legally meaningless.
“‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.’”
This however, doesn’t refer to God but to a creator. That is more open to interpretation than a reference to God, and to me means nature, or the forces of evolution.
“BTW, it was only in the last century that the education of children was turned over to the federal gov’t, and that’s when the trouble started IMHO.”
On the other hand, if it hadn’t been turned over to the government, I probably wouldn’t have gotten an education as my family couldn’t have afforded it. This, in my opinion, makes the public education system a good thing.
“If you take away Christianity from the schools and Government, you take away America.”
I can’t, and therefore don’t, subscribe to that interpretation. Neither, if I’m remembering correctly, did Thomas Jefferson who wrote on the importance of “a wall of separation between church and state.” One of our own founding fathers supported that idea, which says a lot to me about how important it is to keep them separated. Those today, who sound like they want the US to be a Christian Theocracy, are where I see people trying to take away America.
Any government institution must remain neutral on religion. That’s the only way to ensure that the First Amendment, specifically the freedom of religion clause, can protect everybody.
God or Creator I don’t mind.
I thought we were speaking to the intent of the founding fathers, not the letter of the law. The problem with the Feds taking over the educational system is that through all the lawyering, God has been completely erased from the education. My problem with that? It’s not even a discussable item in class. God has been replaced with secularism and left-wing brainwashing IMHO. When God can’t even be mentioned in class, that’s too far.
Oh, but BTW, it IS ok to mention other religions, specifically Islam and to go as far as to incorporate discussion of that religion into studies. Just not Christianity.
Vic
I’m covering both, to some degree, Vic.
I agree that discussing Christianity and its beliefs, especially compared to other religions, should be acceptable in a social studies class. Discussing the beliefs should be acceptable in a philosophy class, assuming the school has one. Kids should be able to discuss it among themselves between classes. I just draw the line at mentioning it as an origin in a science class, since it’s not science, and at the school organizing a prayer time.
I don’t know how common it is for students to be punished for doing things on their own time and of their own volition. I don’t know how common it is for teachers to be punished for mentioning Christianity in a comparative sense in a discussion on world religions. I honestly don’t believe it’s all that common, but if someone shows me proof that I’m wrong, I’ll pay attention.
What I do know is that when I was in high school, my world history class had lessons discussing the various religions, their origins and beliefs, and had a comparative discussion of them. Christianity was a part of the discussion, and no one was offended, not even a Muslim who was in my class, and no one got in trouble for it. Granted, that was in the early-mid 90’s, but my cousin, who went to the same school only 10 years later and had the same teacher I had, didn’t mention any problems when that came around again.
Maybe I’m just in a more balanced district. Maybe you’re just in a district that’s taking things too far. Maybe some right-wing commentators are blowing things out of proportion for ratings. Maybe it really is that bad, and things do need to be fixed, but I find this last the hardest to believe.
Hello.
My name is Gerry Rzeppa and I’ve written a short children’s book in answer to the works of Richard Dawkins. Unlike his ponderous tomes, however, mine has lots of pictures, rhymes, and can be read, cover to cover, in ten minutes.
I’m offering the doctor $64,000 of my very own money if he will join me before a live audience to answer a single question about my little poem. I’ll read the story aloud and pose the mystery query. He’ll answer and walk away with the loot. Simple as that.
You can view the official challenge here:
http://www.rzeppa-vs-dawkins.com
And you can read my little story by clicking thru from the challenge site or going directly here:
http://www.someofthepartsbook.com
Thank you for your consideration.
Gerry Rzeppa
PS. Loved Expelled
Flame,
Stop being so damned level-headed! lol
Vic
“Stop being so damned level-headed! lol
”
Well, that would certainly make things easier on me, but I think I’ll try to keep on the harder road I’ve chosen to take. I’m truly afraid of what I might do if I don’t.
Well, that didn’t post as planned. Forgot what format HTML tags take.
Just so put things in perspective, I was chuckling grimly as I typed it.
Something I found last night if anyone is interested. On Ravi Zacharias’ website, he’s got a series of mp3s where he is discussing many of the things touched on in the last day in the context of how to explain evil in the world. I haven’t finished the first one yet, but I understand he is doing this in participation with an Atheistic scholar and a Hindu scholar.
He moves fast and he’s brilliant, but it’s also really good:
feed://www.rzim.org/includes/rss/lmptPodcastRSS.php
I respect your opinion, but the fact is that not all public school students are Christians, so the schools have to respect those students beliefs as well. Hindus, Shintos, Buddhists, and atheists may be the minority, but they don’t deserve to be victimized because they don’t believe in the Christian’s deity.
I went on some website that asked the user questions about their religion. Once I was done, it said I was a Protestant Christian, a Jehovah Witness, a Latter-Day Saint (Mormon), Buddhist, Hindu, about every religion on the planet.
)
If their is to be religion in the school, all religions should be represented (as long as that religion doesn’t infringe upon the rights of others).
The Ten Commandments was given to the Jews but are ment for all.
1. The first commandment to have no other god doesn’t have God’s name (i.e. it doesn’t say “Have no other god but Yahweh”). If you don’t believe in a god, ignore it.
2. The 2nd to not make any graven image is so that people wouldn’t place their faith in an image, only God. Again, if you don’t believe in God, ignore it.
3. “Do not take the Lord your God’s name in vain”. Again, what name? Insert your god’s name: Zeus, Vishnu, James Kirk, whatever LOL. And again, if you have no god, ignore it.
4. We all need a day of rest for our physical and mental well-being. This day should be a sanctified day, whether you are Christian or not. For the Christian, we go to Church and praise God because it is a day symbolizing God resting from His creation. For the athiest, use that day sleep, read, relax, that’s all it’s saying.
5 – 10. These are self explanatory (honor your father and your mother, do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness (lie), do not be envious).
FlameStrike, you may have a moral center without these commandments but I know of people (and some are Christians) who need to read these every once and a while. I know of someone who slept with a woman and bragged about it not being his wife. When I informed him that that was adultery, he said no, it wasn’t, because his wife didn’t know about it. This same person claims to be Christian.
I believe that religion should be a part of school but as a philosophy class. In this class, they should examine the history of religions and the moral teachings each cling to. I wrote a paper once to my bible study class on the similarities between Buddhism and Christianity. So many Christians tend to beat up all religions except their own without really understanding what that religion offers. The love of fellow man and self-actualization are not inate qualities to man but need to be taught to our youth. As you have said, parents have sorely lacked in this but I know of some kids who are so-called “bad kids” even when the parents have tried all they can.
Sorry about going on-and-on. This is a subject that really hits home to me. Vic, sorry if I went off topic or got too religious.
No John, you’re cool. I didn’t point out a few other posts due to their religious content, but due to their accusatory or aggressive tone.
Great comment… it’s annoying that it’s the sort of Christian you highlighted above that seems to get all the press, and not the ones who travel so Mexico to build homes/shelters for the poor.
Vic