They don’t like it.
Jeannette Catsoulis of the New York Times recognizes that the movie Expelled is a mish-mash of faulty logic, undefined terms, and guilt by association.
One of the sleaziest documentaries to arrive in a very long time, “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed” is a conspiracy-theory rant masquerading as investigative inquiry.
Positing the theory of intelligent design as a valid scientific hypothesis, the film frames the refusal of “big science” to agree as nothing less than an assault on free speech. … (the film relies extensively on the post hoc, ergo propter hoc fallacy — after this, therefore because of this)…
Blithely ignoring the vital distinction between social and scientific Darwinism, the film links evolution theory to fascism (as well as abortion, euthanasia and eugenics), shamelessly invoking the Holocaust….
Every few minutes familiar — and ideologically unrelated — images interrupt the talking heads…. This is not argument, it’s circus, a distraction from the film’s contempt for precision and intellectual rigor.
Catsoulis goes on to point out that at least one of the so-called victims of persecution misrepresented his case. The other cases are similar. Blaming evolution for Hitler is like blaming gravity for skiing accidents. Not to mention that the “persecution” of ID scientists never happened.
April 19, 2008 at 16:46
Why is that the New York Times does not use the same arguments when reviewing An Inconvenient Truth?
April 19, 2008 at 23:33
Probably because it was about a huge mass of real-world evidence that is convincing a lot of people who didn’t want to be convinced.
April 20, 2008 at 03:08
[…] Expelled movie review by the New York TimesThe New York Times recognizes that the movie Expelled is a mish-mash of faulty logic, undefined terms, and guilt by association. Blaming evolution for Hitler is like blaming gravity for skiing accidents. …Science Notes – https://sciencenotes.wordpress.com […]
April 22, 2008 at 00:32
I found the film refreshing. If you are open-minded enough, you will find validity to most of the persecution of ID scientists. Otherwise, just buy into the party-line. As to the eugenics stuff and abortion, those are logical extensions of the survival of the fittest. Of course, no one believes that all evolutionists take it to the extreme. Did you see the film?
April 28, 2008 at 15:57
>If you are open-minded enough, you will find validity to most of the persecution of ID scientists.<
The trick is not to be so open-minded that your brain falls out. I for one applaud Ben Stein, because he brings us one step closer to the day when the designs of he-who-is-most-intelligent – the great and powerful Flying Spaghetti Monster – finally will be recognized as the least preposterous theory for the supernatural creation of trees, dwarves, and humankind alike. “Expelled” is like a good smack in the face with His noodly appendages!
April 29, 2008 at 20:13
Setting aside the current discussion regarding the validity of Expelled, here is a personal bit for you to chew on.
Spend some time in nature and you will see the finger prints of God all over the place. The wise choice is to reckon with God. The foolish choice is to claim he doesn’t exist.
You can show contempt for God by relegating Him to the world of dwarves. But, you will never escape the presence of God’s design and genius in every area of creation.
My challenge to you is to set aside your hate for God and do some honest searching. I experienced first-hand the truth of this statement: While we were yet enemies, God showed His love in that He sent His Son to pay the penalty for our sins.
Are you an enemy that God is offering forgiveness to? Or, are you one of those who will reject God and deny His existence until the day you die? Think on this my blogerific friend!
April 29, 2008 at 23:02
No, it’s frost fairies and flower-bud fairies, and nymphs and spirits of the trees and gods of the mountains. Can’t you see!?
May 2, 2008 at 09:04
Stallion, really, do you hate Santa Claus? Did it make you all bitter to realize that he doesn’t exist? Is there a Santa-Claus-shaped hole in your heart? Do you believe that children will form street gangs and run amuck if they don’t believe in Santa Claus? Or do you think that growing up in a loving family is enough to keep them civilized? Is fear of Santa and hope for Christmas the only thing that kept you off the streets and loving your parents? Will you go on rejecting him?
May 7, 2008 at 23:50
I hate God the way I hate the Tooth Fairy–not at all.
May 8, 2008 at 21:41
Stallion…I think you miss the point. Firstly, evolutionary biologists THRIVE in nature and that is exactly where they find their answers. But God? In nature? It is the essence of nature and the survival of the fittest that helped form the theory of evolution! If anything, if you want to prove god exists…DON’T point out nature, only thing you’ll find there is the manificent beauty of Darwinism.
And, as ‘monado’ points out….don’t presume if someone doesn’t believe in God that there is ANY hate involved. That’s just being presumptuous. Heck, God is a cool concept, but that is all. A neat idea…a fictional character that some have taken bit too seriously. Kinda like the Jedi. ;)
You say it’s foolish to claim he doesn’t exist? Nope….just logical. It’s called ‘lack of evidence’. What makes me chuckle is that you’ve fallen for all this religious mumbo-jumbo…..and then call Atheists ‘foolish’…heehee…So I’m the kettle and you’re the pot then?