So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Psalm 90.12

Tuesday 30 August 2011

Movie Review

Last night I watched a documentary called Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.  Here is the description on the case:

"A Must See Movie!  Riveting, Eye Opening, And Even Astonishing!
Big science has expelled smart ideas from the classroom...  What they forgot is that every generation has its Rebel!  That rebel, Ben Stein, travels the world on his quest, and learns an awe-inspiring truth... that educators and scientists are being ridiculed, denied tenure, and even fired - for merely believing that there might be evidence of "design" in nature.  Perhaps life is not just the result of accidental, random chance.  In the film Ben says "Enough" - and NOBODY messes with Ben!"

This movie really explores the academic world of science and shows that science isn't really all about facts and truth - there is a lot of pressure to conform to the majority.  Scientists who have different ideas are almost shunned by the scientific community if they go public with their differing theories or findings.  "Intelligent Design" is a bad word to "real" scientists (Darwinians).

I have to admit, before I saw this video, I thought that Intelligent Design (ID) and creationism were the same thing.  However, they are not.  Creationism says that God created everything, while ID says that an intelligent being had some part in the design of the universe (not necessarily God - many who hold to ID are atheists or agnostics).

I found this documentary really well done.  It was fascinating, funny at times, and kept your attention right to the end.  It was also terribly sad at times.  That's really my only caution about this movie.  There is a section on eugenics, Hitler, and the Holocaust.  I almost turned it off at that point because I get so upset when I see and hear about that time in history.  It is heart wrenching to think how people suffered at the hands of other human beings.  The thing that made this section even more poignant is that Ben Stein... is Jewish.

The rating label is PG for "thematic material, some disturbing images and brief smoking".  There was also a "family approved" sticker.  I would say that this documentary would only be suitable for teens and up.  Parts of it would be too intense for younger children.

Thanks for visiting today!  As always, I value your comments if you care to leave them.

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