Expelled or Why Jesus Knows Better than Darwin

Tags: Ben-Stein, Church and State, creationism, Darwin, Documentary, evolution, Expelled, intelligent-design, Jesus

D WallZ
April 17th, 2008

I’m sure you’ve seen the trailer and ads for the new movie Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed! with Ben Stein on TV or the internet. The premise of the movie is that Big Science the elitist scientific establishment is keeping Intelligent Design out of the classrooms and ruining the careers of any scientist who speaks in favor of it.

Stein says on the topic, “Big Science in this area of biology has lost its way,” says Stein. “Scientists are supposed to be allowed to follow the evidence wherever it may lead, no matter what the implications are. Freedom of inquiry has been greatly compromised, and this is not only anti-American, it’s anti-science. It’s anti-the whole concept of learning.”

The movie is supposed to be an unbiased documentary on the topic of intelligent deisgn and doesn’t try and respresent just one side of the sotry. They interviewed scientists who believe in intelligent design as well as skeptics suxch as Richard Dawkins author of the god delusion.

Of course if you go to the movie’s website there is a section called Big Science Academy. Here is the president’s welcome:

Big Science Academy we take our motto seriously:

“No Intelligence Allowed.”

And this year, we are proud to report that in every subject but Science, students and faculty are free to challenge ideas, and seek truth wherever it may lead.

But Science is different. In Science, there is no room for dissent, for dissent is dangerous. That is why we at Big Science simply refuse to allow it. Like dancing, “dissent” can lead to other things.

As Class President Richard Dawkins put it so well: “Shut up!”

As you know…last year we had the misfortune of “presupposition of design” rearing its ugly head, with several students challenging Neo-Darwinian materialism, and arguing incessantly for the right to examine Intelligent Design.

They were all Expelled, of course – but still: it just goes to show where academic freedom can lead, if not shut down immediately!

Sincerely,

Charles Darwin
Principal, President, Admissions and Diversity Affairs Officer,
Big Science Academy “No Intelligence Allowed”

And going to the class officers section we see:

Richard Dawkins
Class President
“If you meet somebody who claims not to believe in evolution, that person is ignorant, stupid or insane.”

Wow that certainly is unbiased not like you took comments of his out of context for shock value at all.

Walt Ruloff, co-founder of Premise Media and co-Executive Producer says of the film “People will be stunned to actually find out what elitist scientists proclaim, which is that a large majority of Americans are simpletons who believe in a fairy tale. Premise Media took on this difficult mission because we believe the greatest asset of humanity is our freedom to explore and discover truth.”

The movie is part of a larger grassroots campaign. The extensive grass roots campaign for Expelled, spearheaded by Motive Entertainment president, Paul Lauer, will include nationwide screenings and endorsements with key leaders, promotional materials, a promotional resource DVD, publicity, radio promotions and Internet. In addition, a pre-launch campaign will include unprecedented partnerships and a widespread campaign together with educators, youth, scientists, families, faith-based leaders and the media nationwide. You can even get your own Expelled resource and event kit here.

So let me get this straight this is an unbiased documentary presenting all sides of the issue, but it is also the spearhead of a national campaign to get intelligent design in the class rooms. Hmm, is it just me or does that not sound right. Lets take a look at the people behind the film.

About Premise Media: Premise Media Corporation develops, finances and produces independent films, books and DVD’s for the domestic and international marketplace, “Producing world class media that stirs the heart and inspires the mind to truth, purpose and hope.” Okay inspires truth, purpose and hope, sounds a little odd form a production company. Most of them I though had the prupose on producing entertainment to make money but okay.

About Motive Entertainment: Los Angeles-based Motive Entertainment, which directed the grassroots marketing campaigns for Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ, the Tom Hanks/Robert Zemeckis film Polar Express and the record-breaking Walden Media/Disney epic series, The Chronicles of Narnia, is the leading company in faith-based film and entertainment marketing. The experience of the Motive Entertainment team effectively develops and maintains extensive marketing, radio, publicity and grassroots internet campaigns for most of Hollywood’s top studios on a consistent basis, drawing in new clients and business partnerships continually, serving the needs of clients like few companies in the entertainment business today. Did you read that part “leader in faith based entertainment marketing”. So this movie is supposed to be marketed to religious individuals and I’m guessing that their demographic is Christians.

On the the one hand the movie says its a non-biased documentary, but looking deeper we see that its the spearhead for a campaign to promote intelligent design specifically marketed to Christians. Is it just me or is this another attempt to get Jesus into the class rooms and do away with Church and state using the issue of “Intelligent Design” as a means of doing so. Basically the religious right has seen how effective documentary films and entertainment can be for mobilizing people around an issue. Throw in a semi-lebrity such as Ben Stein, the lovable, monotone teacher from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and The Wonder Years, and bingo you have a great way to get people thinking about religion in school with out actually saying so.

This kind of thing is disgusting in the way they hide what they’re really trying to do. If you want Jesus and religion in schools just make a movie about that don’t try and create a scientific debate about a non-existant issue, especially don’t drag out Ben Stein and have him be your poster boy. I mean Jimmy Kimmle is making more money than him now for Christ Sakes (no offense). So see expelled if you want to but be aware of the movie’s agenda and don’t think that your being a rebel for taking on “Big Science”.

(All of the information was taken by a press release from Premise Media which you can read on their site.)

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