Ben Stein’s Blunder
by Michael Shermer
In 1974 I matriculated at Pepperdine University as a born-again Christian who rejected Darwinism and evolutionary theory, not because I knew anything about it (I didn’t) but because I thought that in order to believe in God and accept the Bible as true that you had to be a creationist. What I knew about evolution came primarily from creationist literature, so when I finally took a course in evolutionary theory in graduate school I realized that I had been hoodwinked. What I discovered is a massive amount of evidence from multiple sciences — geology, paleontology, biogeography, zoology, botany, comparative anatomy, molecular biology, genetics and embryology — demonstrating that evolution happened.
It was with some irony for me, then, that I saw Ben Stein’s anti-evolution documentary film, Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, opens with the actor, game show host and speech writer for Richard Nixon addressing a packed audience of adoring students at Pepperdine University, apparently falling for the same trap I did.
Actually they didn’t…
It’s a great piece by Shermer, as usual. I also listened to an SGU Podcast with Eugenie Scott from the NCSE who also discusses her role in the Expelled movie in detail.
I also happened across a great reductio ad absurdum video on YouTube entitled: Sexpelled: No intercourse allowed. It’s great! Now that Stein has sunk evolution he is moving on to highlight the injustices of teachers who are fired for expressing dissent against the prevailing “Sex Theory” that all animals have come into existence from a mythical process called “Sex”. Anybody who appears to support the “Stork Theory” is summarily dismissed.
You have to read some of the comments. Spelling and punctuation litterally copied and pasted below.
I found one where the viewer actually wrote…
I think it must be too subtle.
Not exactly related to the topic but I found some similarities -
I switched to TBN this morning to see what unbelievable drivel was showing and by chance got to watch D. James Kennedy and his “crockumentary” (As Steve Mirsky referred to Ben Stein’s movie Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed) called Darwin’s Deadly Legacy. It pretty much contained the same crap that Stein has in his movie about atheism and the Nazis etc. PZ Myers gives his opinion of it. It featured Ann Coulter who as usual says some of the most inane things. Here are some more of her quotes. Henry Rollins, I think, speaks for all of us when he tells her what to do in A love letter to Ann Coulter!
Sorry I got carried away there with Ann Coulter. The point I was trying to make was that there were many similarities in the misinformation and distortion of the facts between Kennedy’s movie and Stein’s movie.
LOL!!
I had not hear of Ann Coulter before you mentioned her but watching her on YouTube she certainly makes a lot of idiotic statements, such as the title of her book Godless: The Church of Liberalism (I had no idea that those were directly linked, a philosophy and a model of economics and government. Is it then impossible to find a godless conservative?). As stated on a YouTube video description; “It’s amazing this pea brained flamethrower has become the leading spokesperson of conservatives”. She has also said that Jews need “to be perfected” presumably by accepting her religion.
Sorry to have spoilt your day, however like some of the things Bob says she keeps you entertained!
Nearly forgot, show your support for Expelled Exposed.
Just read this Open Letter to a victim of Ben Stein’s lying propaganda by Richard Dawkins, his writing is just brilliant. It is a response to a nasty letter that was sent to Michael Shermer. The points he raises in response would also apply to Kennedy’s documentary.
Just when we thought this subject was dead and buried …
NuMetro screens Expelled as part of its NuMetro Inspires Film Festival (8 - 14 May 2009) in many cinemas nationwide. It was a barely tolerable film when I watched it at home with embedded corrective subtitles, but watching it in a cinema (where I can’t scoff at how ignorant the film-makers are for presenting that ridiculous straw-man) must be the most tortuous experience I’d have to endure … so I think I’ll pass on the opportunity to see it on the big screen, thanks.
And now I have lost that small hope that South African christians would at least be a little more intelligent and not call for the screening of this film in SA.
James