Published Stories
Upcoming Stories
Submit a new story
Expelled is a documentary by Ben Stein that releases in April about the serious professional attacks on scientists who align themselves with Intelligent Design. He talks about how Big Science has no place for any alternative to e
8 Comments Add this link to... Bury
8 Comments Add this link to... Bury
PlugRug is a collection of all the latest and greatest ministry articles, stories and resources on the Internet as recommended by people like you.
Comments
I was able to see a preview as well and really thought that it opened the door for America to look at something other than Darwinism. Check out my review at www.studentministry101.com
At the National Youth Workers Convention last year my wife won a free screening of this movie for our church/community. They haven't followed-through so far. I hope they do soon!
This movie looks pretty fantastic. Can't wait to see it.
There is something that disturbs me though about the movie. If you've read from the perspective of Richard Dawkins (very much a respected Athiest) how seemingly deceptive the people were conducting interviews. Whether this is just perceived or true still hurts the effectiveness of this fill.
Appearently PZ Myers was expelled from the theatre at the showing and here's a blog detailing Richard's own experience. This does not help the Christian cause. Does this communicate Loving our Enemies, or making our "enemies" even more enemyish?
Sad, but I think there is credit to what they are saying. Even, us Christians need to do better at communicating our intentions rather than using the world's methods of deception. We are being held accountable!
Video- http://youtube.com/watch?v=c39jYgsvUOY
Blog- http://richarddawkins.net/article,2394,Lying-for-Jesus,Richard-Dawkins
There was a press conference on Expelled this past Friday, and Stein and the producers specifically addressed this issue, and a couple other controversial points. Here's the link: http://subthemag.com/tss/2008/03/31/ben-stein-expels-some-expelled-rumors/68
It's true that the producers' methods are questionable. I don't know what the answer to this question is, but I will ask it anyway: does this differ from Rahab lying when she hid the Israelite spies?
One thing that is for sure: the producers did not use any tactics not common in documentary filmmaking. That definitely doesn't make it right, but what I expect is that a much bigger deal will be made out of Expelled's use of misrepresentation of purpose than somebody like Michael Moore's.
Maybe that's justified based on the higher standard we should be holding ourselves to, but it's interesting nonetheless.
Maybe the "deceptiveness," real or not, is comparable to Rahab's situation. But, I think there is a problem when Christians won't allow someone who disagrees with them to pre-screen a movie he appeared in. Are we afraid we're wrong? If not, why not let him in?
The fact that they "expelled" PZ Myers from a pre-screening of the film wasn't addressed in the article, but it was in the press conference. The Myers expulsion was done to attempt to draw a parallel between his getting kicked out of the film and the ID scientists' perceived persecution. I don't know that it was the best way to go about making that point, but that's what they claim they were trying to do. Their basis for the expulsion was the fact that the screening was an invitation-only event and Myers was apparently not invited.
THAT SAID, they did knowingly allow Dr. Richard Dawkins in to the same screening, even though he was not invited either, and even had a mini-debate with him following the film during which Dawkins apologized for something he had said in the press (can't remember what it was at the moment). Myers has been a particularly vocal and agressive attacker of the film - he even crashed the tele-press conference Friday and even when the producers tried to discuss the film's merits, he refused to do anything but be disruptive.