For Ben Stein, host of an upcoming documentary on the dominance of Darwinism in academia, Darwinism is not just problematic but dangerous even.
In a media teleconference for the film “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed” on Tuesday, Stein pointed out that Darwinian teaching on natural selection and random mutation "led in a straight line to the holocaust and Nazism."
Darwin said that there were certain species that were superior to other species and all were competing for scarce supplies of food or resources, Stein pointed out. But if there was a limited supply of basic resources, Darwinism taught that "you owe it to the superior race to kill the inferior race," he told reporters.
Darwinian evolutionary theory fueled Nazi idealism that felt gypsies, Eastern Europeans and others were competing with them for scarce basic resources, explained Stein.
"As a Jew, I am horrified that people thought Jews were so inferior they didn't deserve to live," he commented.
But the link between Darwinism and the holocaust is just one of many reasons why the former speech writer for President Nixon and President Ford decided to join Premise Media in the making of the documentary, which hits theaters April 2008.
Stein said he finds it problematic that Darwinism, which he feels leaves a lot of questions unanswered, is being touted in the academic and scientific circles as the only rational explanation on how life began.
Where did life come from? How did cells get so complex?
If the origins of life all did happen by random mutation, he questioned, where does the laws that make the universe possible to function – the law of gravity, the law of thermodaynamics, laws of motion – all come from?
"Who created these laws that keeps the planets in motion?" asked Stein. "These are fundamental questions" where Darwinism lacks explanations.
The film follows Stein as he interviews disciples of Darwinian Evolution, including The God Delusion author Richard Dawkins and proponents of Intelligent Design – the teaching that the creation of life and the universe are results of an intelligent “designer.”
At first glance, the documentary may appear to attack Darwinism and champion Intelligent Design.
But the film doesn't try to validate one idea over another, explained Walt Ruloff, the film's executive producer and CEO of Premise Media.
"Science is supported by empirical work that can be verified by empirical data. We are not against that," he told reporters.
"What we are asking for is freedom of speech ... for people who do research to have freedom to ask the questions they need to ask and go where they need to go.
The current system doesn't allow open dialogue, according to the makers of “Expelled.” The film highlights a number of educators and scientists who are being ridiculed, denied tenure and even fired in some cases for the fact that they believe there is evidence of “design” in nature or challenging the Darwinian orthodoxy.
Ruloff hopes that the film will prompt congressional language to protect the free speech of people who dissent from Darwinism.
Furthermore, he sees the documentary as creating a culture where things like the metaphysical can be openly discussed.
"Eighty-five percent of people believe in a form of a deity – why can't we talk about that?" asked Ruloff.
"We don't think that we have all the the answers, or anyone has all the answers," added Stein. "We just want free speech."
Comments
Very well said Ender!
Those who seek justification to promote and propagate their prejudice will grasp at any straw, twist any source, and lie when necessary for their cause. As a southerner, I remember many racists using the Bible as justification and the foundation for their actions. A tactic also used by the KKK, but I doubt Mr. Stein will bring this to light as well. From my own experience, I have found those that feel their religious beliefs threatened by science, new discoveries, or theories to be lacking in faith and biblical knowledge. Many seem reluctant to study the tenets of their faith, their bible, or other sources to shore up their weaknesses and merely lash out at those who propose anything that may not fit in their perspective. This is only my personal experience, I may very well be mistaken. But nothing from science has ever shaken my belief in God, often I view new discoveries as humans figuring out a very small part of the universe God created.
"Any suppression which undermines and destroys that very foundation on which scientific methodology and research was erected, evolutionist or otherwise, cannot and must not be allowed to flourish ... It is a confrontation between scientific objectivity and ingrained prejudice - between logic and emotion - between fact and fiction ... In the final analysis, objective scientific logic has to prevail - no matter what the final result is - no matter how many time-honoured idols have to be discarded in the process ... After all, it is not the duty of science to defend the theory of evolution and stick by it to the bitter end -no matter what illogical and unsupported conclusions it offers ... If in the process of impartial scientific logic, they find that creation by outside intelligence is the solution to our quandary, then let's cut the umbilical chord that tied us down to Darwin for such a long time. It is choking us and holding us back ... Every single concept advanced by the theory of evolution (and amended thereafter) is imaginary as it is not supported by the scientifically established probability concepts. Darwin was wrong... The theory of evolution may be the worst mistake made in science."
(I L Cohen, Darwin Was Wrong - A Study in Probabilities PO Box 231, Greenvale, New York 11548: New Research Publications, Inc. pp 6-8, 209-210, 214-215. I.L.Cohen, Member of the New York Academy of Sciences and Officer of the Archaeological Institute of America).
notw06,
my my all you do is spam the very same quote mines all over the place and never cite a single one. how pathetic.
are you actually going to cite any of those quote mines one of these days?
"The pathetic thing is that we have scientists who are trying to prove evolution which no scientist can ever prove."
Robert A. Millikan, Nobel prize-winning physicist
"The incessant repetition of this unproved claim glossing lightly over the difficulties, and the assumption of an arrogant attitude toward those who are not easily swayed by fashions of science, are considered to afford scientific proof of the doctrine." Richard Goldschmidt, geneticist.
In natural matters faith follows evidence and is impossible without it, but in the realm of the spirit faith precedes understanding; it does not follow it. The natural man must know in order to believe; the spiritual man must believe in order to know. The faith that saves is not a conclusion drawn from evidence; it is a moral thing, a thing of the spirit, a supernatural infusion of confidence in Jesus Christ, a very gift of God.
Why People Find the Bible Difficult
by A. W. Tozer
The guy hates miracles, but professes profound faith in more fantastic miracles than those found in the Bible. He is not here for discussion--he is living proof of Proverb 18:2, "A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion."
Is it impossible for you to simply and intelligently state your position, and then accept that others may not hold to your views? You speak as if you have a god complex. O, little man, we who delight in the instruction of the Lord know that the wicked are like chaff that the wind drives away. We have no need for the counsel of the wicked, nor will we take our stand in the manner of sinners, nor stay too long in the place of scoffers. A scoffer is a haughty little man who acts with arrogant pride; one who does not understand that it is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife when every fool will be quarreling. None of your "wisdom", "understanding", or "counsel" can avail against the Lord. Hostility, arrogance, hate, anger, grade-school-playground morals--are these the signs of the scientifically enlightened mind? Is there any wonder why we believers see danger in darwinian religion?
Star2,
Well just be sure you don't only look at these 2 pieces of evidence for Evolution and research all things considered that support the theory and then draw conclussions. to understand evolution requires a good understanding in biology, genetics, paleongology, geology and other closely related realms of life science.
agentorange
I haven't forgotten you my dear friend. I am working on my response to you. When I am finished then I will post it.
agentorange
Re: chromosone 2 fusion and the 7 identical ERVs sahred between the human and the chimp
I'll get back with you later on this.
ifeelfine72
How about you sharing how you came to faith in Jesus; you know, how you became born-again.
I shared mine on this post (see Sat, Feb 02, 2008, at 4:48 am-Part 1 and Part 2). It is on page 2 right now.
. . . And repent!
star2 - Find God.