"Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed"

Jim Myers touched on this film in December after we screened it at Focus on the Family, but now that it's in wide release, I'd like to address it again. I must say that it is impressive that the documentary "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed" was released to more than 1,000 theaters and has grossed more than $5 million. This excellent film explores the Darwin vs. Intelligent Design debate in the academic realm and how Darwinists have taken over the debate and are punishing academics who believe that there is a Creator/Intelligence behind creation.

The film is narrated by and stars Ben Stein, whose dry wit and thoughtful reflections are a major reason why this film was given a chance in the mainstream theater circuit. "Expelled" does an excellent job at exposing Darwinism for what it really is: Atheistic and narcissitic at the core, as well as a theory with many important holes that have not been filled. While John Paul II acknowledged that evolution could be "more than an hypothesis" and is worthy of further review, he also points out that any view of the origin of life that removes the Creator is flawed.

As a result, the theories of evolution which, because of the philosophies which inspire them, regard the spirit either as emerging from the forces of living matter, or as a simple epiphenomenon of that matter, are incompatible with the truth about man. They are therefore unable to serve as the basis for the dignity of the human person.

The film does an admirable job exposing the hostility toward any sort of merging of faith and science in academic circles, with interviews of professors who were pushed out of their schools when they brought an intelligent being into the picture. Behind the teaching of evolution, the film shows, is a hostility in general toward religion that can send mixed messages to students. None of the diehard Darwinists interviewed in the film have any real answer for the origin of life, but they're hell-bent on destroying anyone who tries to insinuate that there is a Creator of life... even when scientific research (i.e. DNA research) is failing to disprove an intelligence behind life.

"Expelled" is getting knocked around by many film critics, essentially reducing it to a one-sided hit-piece by evangelical Christianity. But don't let that fool you. Those same reviewers marvel at Michael Moore's documentaries, which also have an obvious agenda. That so many people just accept Darwinist evolution as the origin of life is scary. The agenda of "Expelled" is to say that the current debate over the origin of life is not fair.

"Expelled" might not settle the debate, but it at least provides some balance.

New movie explores Darwinism and Intelligent Design

Bill Howard and I attended a screening of the director's cut of the movie "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed" at Focus on the Family. The producers are showing the independently produced and distributed film to churches, universities and media outlets with the hope of creating a grassroots swell to get it onto 800-1,000 screens when they release it in mid-April.

The documentary, starring Ben Stein, takes to task evolutionary teaching and why the mere mention of intelligent design as a viable theory of human existence and development is met with vitriol and has ruined scientific careers. The movie basically says that there are questions with Darwinism, and people should have the freedom to explore alternative theories. Instead, questioning Charles Darwin has led to academic persecution, according to the film.

There were some effective elements in the film, and there is one very poignant moment when producers show Darwinism taken to extremes in Nazi Germany.

I think the film is effective in advancing the idea that we need more academic openness in considering this theory, since no Darwinist has an explanation for how life began. Evolutionary theory deals with life after it originated. Where I think the film misses the mark, however, is getting into some tendentious arguments. But the producers claimed they were trying for a Michael Moore style documentary.

At any rate, check the Expelled Web site for yourself.