Horror Flick: Two Thumbs Down For Ben Stein’s Creationism Film

The Family Research Council (FRC) yesterday hosted a sneak-peak of Ben Stein’s new documentary, “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.”

At this event, former George Mason University professor Caroline Crocker told of the “persecution” that “Darwin doubters” allegedly face in academia. Professors are being fired and students punished for questioning the theory of evolution, she said.

It instantly made me suspect “questioning Darwinism” is code language for promoting a non-scientific, religious “alternative” to the bedrock of biology. If it is, then corrective action is necessary and appropriate; academic disciplines have the right to define and defend their professional standards.

I have no problem with a biologist challenging evolution theory with new (or reinterpreted) scientific evidence, but “intelligent design” (ID) — the latest variant of creationism — is not science. It is religion.

During the question-and-answer session, a professor of scientific evidence asked how proponents could bring ID’s “message to the non-converted.”

Here’s a start: If you really believe ID is science, don’t use words like “convert.” Get out there and produce some hard scientific evidence that there is an intelligent designer.

That’s going to be tough, though, because as Nicholas Matzke and Paul Gross recently wrote , “Objections to evolution are not serious scientific arguments; they are superficially investigated and poorly reasoned talking points…aimed at uninformed audiences.” “Expelled” has finally captured the whole creationist hoax on film.

Crocker had a few other suggestions like “educating the scientists” and “preparing” future generations to promote intelligent design. She stressed the importance of publishing articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals, but said they should “make [their] own journal” if that wasn’t possible.

Ben Stein claimed scientists are “afraid” to question evolution because they might find holes in the theory. Nonsense! Scientists know evolution isn’t infallible dogma; there’s no such thing in science. They’re constantly trying to find natural explanations for what we don’t currently understand about the organic world.

Scientists are afraid of fundamentalists’ attempts to redefine science and put theological beliefs back in public school biology textbooks. We all should be. I know I am; that’s one of the reasons I work for Americans United.

FRC emcee Todd Norquist tried to convince the sparse crowd that ID was not motivated by religion, but only cited religious and moral objections to evolution.

“Scientific materialism,” he said, “has tsunamied our culture.” He sung a few lines from the once-popular song, “Bad Touch” (a.k.a. “You and me, baby, ain’t nothin’ but mammals…”), to demonstrate this. It was beyond disturbing.

When a reporter questioned the propriety of citing biblical passages in support of scientific research, Norquist said he could have cited secular evidence, but he wanted to reflect the FRC’s contribution to the Judeo-Christian worldview. (Huh? I don’t get it either).

So, I recommend skipping Ben Stein’s movie when it’s released this February. (If you feel you must see it – just to see how wrong-headed it is – wait until it’s available on Netflix. Don’t waste your $10 at the theater. Win Ben Stein’s money if you can, but don’t give him yours.)

Meanwhile, brush up on evolution, intelligent design and the constitutional rules for religion in the public schools.

Here are some resources:

National Center for Science Education explains why understanding evolution is important and why ID is not science.

Americans United’s website has an entire section explaining why teaching intelligent design in public schools threatens church-state separation.

The PBS science program “NOVA” recently produced an outstanding documentary on ID and the first lawsuit to challenge its presence in public schools, Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District. It is available in its entirety on their Web site.

By Lauren Smith