Clearly the product of intelligent design

Guest Mediaculture

Print Article Email to a Friend

The documentary, Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, is quite a contrast to the usual left-leaning videography produced by the likes of Michael Moore. Narrated by Ben Stein, host of Comedy Central’s cable TV game show “Win Ben Stein’s Money,” it explores the premise that “freedom is what made America great … ” but some secular institutions of higher education are limiting scientific exploration and academic freedom.



By interviewing professor after professor who lost their jobs for merely suggesting, in peer- reviewed publications, that intelligent design (ID) might be a plausible explanation for the origin of life on Earth, Stein makes a strong case that a conspiracy exists to eliminate anyone who would challenge the accepted evolutionary theory. He describes a type of “political correctness” gone amuck.

In the early 1600s, the Roman Catholic Church was very powerful and held considerable sway over society. Church officials refused to listen to Galileo when he argued from science that the Earth revolved around the sun rather than vice-versa—as was commonly understood from a literal interpretation of Scripture. In 1633, Galileo was tried by the Inquisition for heresy and spent the last years of his life under house arrest.

In our postmodern, post-Christian era, the church and science have switched roles. Many people no longer believe in God but rather rely on the infallibility of science. The film portrays events that suggest that those who hold to the possibility that a higher power was instrumental in creation are being persecuted by the powerful academic and scientific communities.

Stein’s calm demeanor and dry sense of humor are disarming. The result: those he interviews open up to him in surprising ways. Stein does not hide his own Jewish faith or the Judeo-Christian faith of most of the professors he interviews. After one scientist tells his de-conversion story, I realized that those depicted in the film who vilify proponents of ID are themselves ardent atheists.

One person in particular goes on a vicious rant against the “hateful … misogynist God … of the Hebrew Bible.” Stein postulates that this debate in academia is less about science and more about theology. In many secular universities those who leave room in their research for an intelligent designer are being ostracized, having their research funding cut off, or in some cases getting fired.

There are some very frightening things portrayed in the film, most notably the connection between scientific Darwinism, as understood in contemporary America, and the social evolution practiced in Nazi Germany. The Nazi performed ghastly eugenic experiments promoting the propagation of a superior Arian race. Stein also delivers a body blow against planned parenthood by noting that its founder, Margaret Sanger, was a proponent of eugenics who believed that poor uneducated people should not be allowed to propagate.

You have to pay careful attention to notice the distinction the film makes between creationism and ID. It does not defend biblical creationism but rather supports the right of scientists to ask questions and postulate hypotheses that allow for the involvement of a higher power in the origins of life. Another subtlety is that Stein does not discredit evolution, only a particular Darwinian form of evolution which does not allow for God’s hand in creation. Several ID scientists speak in the film of evolution as “God’s instrument of design.” One credits Darwin with “a valid insight but not the whole answer.”

This documentary invites debate between scientists who advocate a Godless evolution and those who make the case for intelligent design. Stein argues academia has erected a wall, similar to the Berlin Wall, that cordons off acceptable and unacceptable avenues of scientific exploration. One interviewee summarizes the films premise when he says, “Questions that aren’t properly answered don’t go away.”

Expelled is clearly the product of intelligent design. It is rated PG, runs 90 minutes and began its theatrical run on April 18.

Steve Carpenter is conference coordinator for Virginia Mennonite Conference.

Related Resources

Discussion Guides:

• Discussion Guide I - May 24, 2008
• Discussion Guide II - June 1

Current Stories

Articles

• Poverty in the suburbs
• Living without the answers
• Visualizing nonviolence
• From army ammunition plant to prairie
• Matins: Supplications to find the way through the day

News stories, digests and Meno Acontecer

• WEB EXCLUSIVE: Conscientious objector sentenced to seven months in U.S. military prison
• Mennonites in the News: Worship feels better in a familiar language
• UPDATE: Lancaster bishops may ordain women
• Mennonite ice cream
• Mennonites in the News: Bridgewater woman survives China quake
• Seminary library first with green rating
• 1,145 students in five MC USA schools in commencement exercises by May 4
• MCC launches Myanmar cyclone appeal
• Original fair trade fashions sell in Harrisonburg
• Hesston students build solar-powered golf cart
• Sri Lankan pastor released; not tortured
• First Mennonite Brethren women ordained
• Church building plans included MWC donation
• Paraguay 2009 theme read in eight languages
• Robinson, longtime LMC church leader, dies
• MMA Web site more reader-friendly features
• Churches in Zimbabwe issue warning
• New Mennonite Women USA Timbrel editor

Columns

• The food crisis
• The season for planting is upon us
• Clearly the product of intelligent design
• Release and growth

Readers Say

• Love others but not their sins
• Donors want personal relationship
• Changing congregations OK
• Using hymn number ‘606’
• Using hymn number '606' II
• Loving care at journey’s end
• Appreciates Russian Mennonite connection
• Was Jesus that white?

Additional Notes

Steve Carpenter is conference coordinator for Virginia Mennonite Conference.