Expelled

(I don't really know why this is the graphic chosen for the movie's promotional materials. It actually doesn't reflect the tone of the movie at all. Ben Stein is a funny guy, but the movie wasn't at all comedic or irreverent)




Ben and I went to see "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed" which was shockingly being shown at a local Austin theater. It was really interesting and I highly recommend it to everyone. Check and see if it's being played where you live, then go and see it! It was very well done and very interesting stuff.


It is a documentary looking at the issues of academic freedom in American Universities and scientific institutions, particularly in regards to research into the Intelligent Design theory of evolution. The movie wasn't particularly pro Intelligent Design, or anti Darwinian Evolution, but primarily focused on academic freedom.


This may sound like a boring topic to some of you, I don't know, but it wasn't boring at all.


I actually have one of Richard Dawkin's books (The Selfish Gene) from an animal behavior class I took at college, so it was particularly interesting to see him in the film. I thought his book was amazing, by the way, it is one of the few books I actually kept from those days. I've also read 3 or 4 books on intelligent design, and I have to say that theory is a lot more compelling to me. And not just because I happen to believe in God! In the movie, there are several scientists who talked about their "deconversion," how delving deeper into science, and particularly into Darwinian Evolution, caused them to lose their faith. I found the opposite to be true, myself. The more I learned about cell biology, biochemistry, and then my dabblings into quantum mechanics, the stronger my faith has grown. Maybe this is because as a Mormon I have a slightly different view of God than most other mainstream religions? I'm not sure.


Anyway, it was great. Everyone go see it!