Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed - Part 2


Some reading this post may honestly wonder: Where is "Part 1"? - Especially if you have not followed this blog for very long. "Part 1," as such, was my original article on the Ben Stein film "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed," posted on July 9, 2008. It received a surprising total of 23 comments, a record unmatched by subsequent posts on this blog. My suspicion is that it was more or less 'hijacked' at the time by some who were actively searching out blogs and sites that positively supported this film, defensive of its claims for Intelligent Design, and its critique of the modern scientific enterprise as it exists in mainstream academia today.

At the time of the original posting over a year ago I had yet to see or view the film, as I willingly admitted. This evening, thanks to my son who secured a copy for us to see from an inter-library loan, I finally watched the entire DVD along with my son and wife. Indeed, it is a powerful and convincing documentary, in particular with respect to its critique of the philosophical closed-mindedness of the Evolutionary luminaries, Richard Dawkins being chief among them. I now understand more clearly the defensiveness of the comments to that original blog article, since Ben Stein strikes directly at the heart of a system that sees the scientific enterprise with respect to Evolution and origins as a closed box where the fundamental questions are all answered and debate is meaningless. To openly question Evolution, or aspects of this view, is seen as scientific heresy, or to put it the way Dawkins might, sheer lunacy or idiocy. Stein's willingness to entertain thoughts on the implications of Evolution to society itself was also hard hitting, especially the parts examining the Nazi regime and its devotion to Evolutionary belief.

I stand behind the original blog post and second the observations made at the time. More than that, I now heartily recommend a viewing of the film for anyone interested in seeing behind the veil of political correctness as it has hamstrung the scientific world today. Watch it for yourself and see if Mr. Stein's clarion call for freedom does not awaken something in you as well.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Firefighter's Cross

Image
[Note: A similar article to this will be shared with my department at their next meeting. During this Lenten season when we are meditating on the significance and meaning of the Passion of our Lord and the Cross at Golgotha, it seemed like one way to offer a witness to the department that captured their interest and yet was not too heavy.] [Editorial Note: In response to a recent comment on this article I have made some changes to the original version of this article especially in regard to references to the so-called St. Florian's Cross. For any confusion the previous unreferenced information may have caused I apologize. I hope that the changes are satisfactory.] THE STORY OF THE MALTESE CROSS In many ways the familiar symbol to the right requires no explanation. It is the universal insignia of firefighting nationwide. Yet the precise origins of this symbol are less clear. The most popular explanation proposes its beginning in the far distant past of medieval Crusaders fi...
Read more

Historical Roots of the Warham Guild Hood

Image
In doing just a little checking on the internet, it's interesting to see how the Warham Guild hood, which I have as part of my STM degree attire, is actually a throwback to the Medieval hood. One article notes "the work of the Warham Guild in its imaginative renderings of medieval hoods" (reference is from here ). Again, here is my hood: The Medieval hood, which was originally a very practical outer garment to cover a person's head and shoulders, protecting both from the elements, bears striking resemblance to this revived form: This hood was also a part of the garb of monks in that era. The Medieval hood, in some cases, also had what is known as a "liripipe," a long tail hanging from the back of a hood. You can see the modern stylized version of this on my own hood. From an article on "Academic hood development" we read that "By 1463 the favourite dress of doctors was the hood with round bell-shaped cape, and the lir...
Read more

Five Things You Shoud Not Say at Funerals

Image
After preparing for a couple of funerals here recently, I was reminded of an article I read a few years back in the Concordia Journal entitled, "Five Things You Should Not Say at Funerals" (October 2003). My one pet peeve with funerals I attend as a guest is the all too frequent absence of Christ crucified and risen. Too often the content is trivial and shallow and centered on the life and times of the deceased instead of our Lord. However, even after several years of ministry, I realize that I may not have always presented the fullness of our hope as accurately as possible, even while preaching Christ. Dr. Jeff Gibbs gave me pause to think. The five things he tells us we ought not to say: 1.) "Bob has received the crown of righteousness, and he has heard the Lord say, 'Well done, good and faithful servant.'" Gibbs reason for not saying this: Like some of the phrases to follow, these are words that point to the final Day of Judgment, not to th...
Read more