This afternoon, I attended a pre-release screening of Ben Stein's new movie Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. For anyone reading this who doesn't know me, my undergrad degree is in chemistry, and I've had some professors and bosses who are atheists, so this issue is near and dear to my heart. Also, the following may not be in chronological order in the film; I had to leave and pretty much go strait to work, and now it's late.
Expelled employs a beautiful symbolism throughout the movie, connecting Darwinism (atheistic evolution--molecules to man, in a nutshell) to communism. This begins with the very first scene of the movie.
A string quartet plays Pink Floyd's Another Brick in the Wall. You see black and white footage as the opening credits appear on screen. Brick by brick, a wall is being constructed. This is the Berlin wall. Throughout the film, this imagery is used. Darwinism is that brick wall that limits the freedom of science in the very same way that communism erected a wall to limit the freedom of Germany.
Stein begins by interviewing (ok, let me pause here-there were so many names that I only remember three of them-Daniel Dennett, who wasn't in the film for much more than a scene, William Dembski, who used to teach here at Southern Seminary, and Richard Dawkins) several accomplished scientists who were fired or ostracised for mentioning the possibility of Intelligent Design.
One of the most beautiful parts was the film's discussion of the cell. The film made an attack on Darwinism on the basis that even if Darwin's theory semmed to hold up in 1859, our understanding of the cell itself has advanced dramatically since then, and therefore Darwin was working on false information. Stein posed his question this way: "Say Darwin's understanding of the cell was that it was a Buick. Say to Darwin, the cell is as complicated as a Buick, as a car, what is our understanding of a cell now? How complicated do we understand it to be compared to Darwin's Buick?" The one who was being interviewed replied, "A whole galaxy."
The film went into a CG model of the internal structure of the cell. I had tears in my eyes. The inner workings of a cell are so complicated, it screamed design. The film depicted DNA replication, and proteins and enzymes, and even protein synthesis and destruction. It was amazing.
Stein ponders the question: "If there is no designer, then where did the first cell come from?" One scientist replied (and as Stein pointed out in narration, he was not joking) something to the effect of "molecules piggybacked on growing crystals" The man actually believed this, which is seemingly unbelievable. I think it's just easier to believe in a Creator, or even a designer (I make the distinction between Christ as creator and a non-Christian theist) than to believe that molecules rode on the backs of crystals and somehow this worked.
Speaking of "somehow" the film contained a clip of a recommended pro-evolution educational video on the origin of life. Their treatment of this was hilarious to most of us in the room, though it was probably not that funny to Darwinists. The film actually said "however it happened, life started."
So what about the implications of Darwinism? The Darwinian scientists interviewed claimed that the loss of faith gave them enormous liberty. There was one man in particular I will mention. I don't remember his name, but he was raised a Christian, and deserted the faith for Darwinism. He is an atheist now. He described the process: "First you give up the belief in the existence of God, then the hope of life after death. After that, every thing's pretty much easy. Nothing. No free will, no hope, no life after death, no meaning, nothing." He enthusiastically stated that he had no desire whatsoever to believe in God. As his segment was over, Stein in narration reported that a few days after this interview, the man discovered that he had a brain tumor. All I could do was to weep and pray for this man's salvation, if he hadn't died yet. It was heartbreaking.
Some say that religion is the ultimate cause of terrorism, but Stein, a Jew, explored the relations of Darwinism to Hitler and Nazi Germany. He visits a concentration camp, very powerful.
I think my favorite person interviewed was a Mathematician from Oxford. He looked like a jolly beardless Santa Claus. He stated what I took as the main thrust of the film: it's about worldviews. (a worldview is the over-arching belief system by which you "view the world." it's a filter, or a set of reading glasses, or pick your favorite analogy.) He said, "When you have two scientists arguing, and one says one thing and the other says the exact opposite, you have proof that it's not about science. Otherwise, all scientists would be atheists and it would be settled. But when this happens, you know that it's a worldview problem." My favorite line: "Admitting that you have a worldview is the first step to rational conversation, and," (with a jolly big grin) "I welcome that!"
Stein finished up with Richard Dawkins, the man himself. It's pretty much awesome, But at Hayes's personal request, I will leave it at that. If you want to know more, get ahold of me and
I'll tell you.
The film ends with clips of the Berlin wall coming down and people jumping over. Stein challanges you to stand up against the tyranny of Darwinism, so that true scientific freedom can be had.
WHY YOU SHOULD SEE THIS MOVIE
1. Ben Stein is the man. Seriously. He's just a funny guy. There were times that I missed words because we were laughing so hard.
2. William Dembski bears a striking resemblance to Jon Heder (well, Napolean Dynamite specifically), in voice and appearance. OK, so maybe you have to imagine it a bit, but it can be done. When you're watching it, just picture Dembski saying "God made you a delicious bass."
3. The understanding that Darwinism is a worldview, not science. Scientists can hold other worldviews and still be scientists, believe me, I know a few.
4. The Dawkins debate. It's worth watching if just for this.
I feel like I have cheated you by undertelling how good the film was. There was so much information that I am having trouble retaining it. Katie and I have already made plans to see it opening weekend, you should too.
--Elijah
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