Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed
Posted by Jared
Premise Media
2008
For a documentary film, it certainly hit theatres with a big bang. Eternal questions are asked and egos are put in perspective when truth is divided. Expelled will definitely remain one of those films that will be argued about for years to come as its subject matter is the age old creation versus evolution debate. More comments and biased reviews can be found about this film than probably any other film this year; yes even the die-hard fans who want to scoff at the new Indiana Jones film. Just check out the length of the Wikipedia page!But that’s a good sign, for it displays the importance of the issue at hand. Creation certainly matters to scientists.
Someone finally said it. Ben Stein, most famous for his drab delivery of roll-call in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and secondly, being president Nixon’s speechwriter, addresses an issue prevalent in our most prestigious and collegiate public schools. Professors of Biology and other Sciences are not only bias when it comes to evolution in the classroom, but required to teach it, preach it, and never question the alternative called Intelligent Design. If they do, the consequences may be losing collegiate grant money, tenure, employment, and other academic and professional publications, hence the subtitle of the movie, “No Intelligence Allowed.” What is it about merely questioning these theories that alarms the elite so much they feel the need to aggressively snuff out any argument that goes against their own when it comes to the origins of life? Stein also mentions some of the extreme horrors that an evolutionary idea can lead to.
Stein speaks with supporters of both sides and has some shocking conclusions. Of course, Ben Stein is Jewish. Remember that Christianity, Islam, and Judaism all would fall under the category of Intelligent Design. There is evidence on both sides of the argument, yet it seems to have become fashionable in the educational system to be completely committed to evolution to be considered truly unbiased. Yet, if a professor has a library containing not only the works of Charles Darwin, but also Isaac Asimov, Thomas Huxley, Richard Dawkins, and probably an ACLU handbook, doesn’t that sound kind of biased? Wouldn’t a truly unbiased person be willing to take Genesis into consideration as well? Even on scientific grounds? Let’s face it; in an argument discussing God or no God, there are two options. Either we were divinely created or we arose by our own devices. Since everyone’s thoughts on this dilemma fall into either one of these two categories, the argument put forth in this movie is very applicable whether you agree or disagree with Mr. Stein. As Expelled stated at the end of the movie, “Shouldn’t we follow wherever the evidence leads?”
If you are more interested in the debate, might I suggest reading God’s Undertaker by John Lennox. He’s the jolly British Creationist in Expelled and is featured in a public debate with Richard Dawkins (video can be seen here). If you are curious at all about origins, do yourself a favor and watch this movie. Since this movie has not been released yet for home viewing, within six months from now, it could be the best 90 minutes you’ll spend with a documentary Netflix or Blockbuster DVD.
Is this “Voodoo Economics?”
