Expelled - The Movie

Norma and I went to see Expelled last night.

My reactions: It was pretty good, but it could have been great.

Ben Stein is an incredibly intelligent man, but he resorted to Michael Moore-like tactics in his film. He made himself look stupid on one occasion in particular, and made the people who didn't agree with him look stupid on a number of occasions.

In one particular case, he was talking to a scientist with a definite naturalistic worldview, and asking about how life began from some goo. The scientist said that one theory (among many) is that the molecules necessary for life were attached to crystals as they grew. In any case where crystals grow, there are "mistakes", and these "mistakes" could account for certain molecules getting together in particular ways. OK, I'll agree that this is patently stupid, but it doesn't bolster Mr. Stein's argument in any way when the film cuts from this interview to a clip of a fortune teller gazing into a crystal ball. It's a blatant attempt to make the scientist appear goofy, which he did quite well on his own.

The link between a naturalistic paradigm and the horrors of Nazi Germany was explored in great (if somewhat graphic) detail, and it's probably that part that earned the film a PG rating. Still, it was nothing adults shouldn't see. In fact, it is precisely the sort of thing adults need to see.

I'm still digesting what I saw. I won't recommend against seeing the film, I just feel that it could have been done with a bit more class. Mr. Stein has seen too many Michael Moore movies, I fear.

PS: I used my CB&G gift certificate yesterday to buy two books:
The Case for a Creator by Lee Strobel
Darwin's Black Box by Michael J. Behe
I'm already a third of the way through Strobel's book. Expect a review soon.