Go See “Expelled” – The Movie

Posted on April 20, 2008 by rbirkey

Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed

$Ben Stein\'s \$ My wife and I went and saw the newly released movie “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed” last night, and I’ve got to say it is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a long time. We had not heard about it before yesterday, and we knew very little about what it was about. It just sounded more interesting than anything else playing. It turned out to be not only interesting, but also entertaining, thought-provoking, and it actually draws you in like a good drama with a compelling plot and interesting characters. Yet, it’s a documentary!

Ben Stein is a well-known actor, comedian, speech writer, syndicated columnist, economist, lawyer, professor and TV game show host, author, commentator and financial adviser – to name just a few of his accomplishments.

In recent years Ben has taken on “Big Science” and what he calls the Darwinian Evolutionists establishment, charging them with suppressing free and open scientific inquiry, and persecuting those who do not toe the line in the politically correct academic environment.

As Ben writes on his blog: “America is not America without freedom. In every turning point in our history, freedom has been the key goal we are seeking: the Mayflower coming here, the Revolution, the Civil War, World War II, the Cold War. Tens of millions came here from foreign oppression and made a life here. Why? For freedom. Human beings are supposed to live in a state of freedom. Freedom is not conferred by the state: as our founders said, and as Martin Luther King repeated, freedom is God-given.”

Of course there are critics in the media and in the scientific community who claim the movie is propaganda, or just a sleazy cover for creationism. This will no doubt continue as the film gains more viewers in the coming weeks and months.

I particularly enjoyed the interviews with Richard Dawkins, John Lennox and Alister McGrath because of my personal connection with Oxford, England having studied there with the Zacharias Trust in the summer of 2006. I heard lectures from both Alister and John, and heard other lectures in a lecture room down the hall from Richard Dawkin’s office.

My hunch on this film is that most people who have thought about these issues before will either love the film or hate it depending on their pre-existing worldview. However, I think there is a large number of people in the middle, who are not aware of there being a growing “issue” with Darwinian Evolution, nor the growing Intelligent Design movement within the scientific community. This movie will be the first exposure to the issue for most people. For this reason alone, I personally think it is fantastic… even if all it does is get people aware and thinking about it, and asking questions.

The scientific method is based upon free, open and honest inquiry. I don’t see how anyone who understands this should have a problem with an open debate between Darwin’s theory of Evolution, and the proponents of Intelligent Design. Let’s have an open, fair fight and may the best theory win!

Watch the official movie trailer:

All I can say is to go see the movie and draw your own conclusion.

Zactrust Summer School – Oxford, England – Day 3

Posted on July 4, 2006 by rbirkey

Happy 4th! Our English hosts greeted us today with a gift of a very nice official Oxford University key ring and fob.

Keble College Dining Room Observation: Our food and service here at Keble College has been very good. I was not expecting it to be this good based upon my past experience in Oxford in 1980, and my exposure to British food in general. So, that has been a good surprise! Also, the dining hall reminds me of the one at Hogwarts! Apparently the dining hall in the Harry Potter movies was filmed here in Oxford at Christ Church (College).

Morning Session – Rhodes House

I heard Alister McGrath this morning speak on “The Uniqueness of Nature vs. Creation,” addressing the question of “what difference does it make to believe in a Creator God?” Does this belief change the way we see things?

Alister shared how he thought it did in three areas:
- Spirituality
- Ecology
- Apologetics

Rhodes House Tea I especially liked this quote he shared from C. S. Lewis: “I believe in Christianity as I believe the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it, I see everything else.”

This evening we will be treated to “punting” on the Cherwell river (see photo below), and a BBQ and fireworks. The British have been very kind to us, even though we “wooped their butts” back in 1776! They appear to have gotten over it!

Morning Session Revelation Notes – John Lennox

Revelation Notes - Day 3

Afternoon Session

This afternoon I attended a seminar talk delivered by L.T. Jeyachandran on the issue of Suffering, or “Why Should the Innocent Suffer?” L.T. explored answers offered in various worldviews:
1 – Fatalism (Islam and Hinduism): Don’t ask questions!
2 – There is no “Good God”, or there is a “No-Good” God: This is a finite view of God. He is all-loving, but not all powerful.
3 – An Escapist Enlightenment (New Age and Eastern): We are all part of a whole, we will merge with Nirvana.

Given these views, there are 4 possible consequences:
1 – We are living in an accidental, impersonal, chance universe: Richard Dawkins believes this.
2 – The world is made of an impersonal force or energy, and therefore no morality can be attributed to IT.
3 – The world is a place where good and evil are equal and opposite forces where we have to fight evil with our bare hands: Dualism, Deism
4 – There is an all-powerful, loving God who made the world and who is sovereign over it and in control of it.

Therefore we may ask:
1 – Is it an all-good world?
2 – Is it an all-bad world?
3 – Is it a bad world, slowly becoming better until utopia is reached?
4 – Is it a good world, that at some crucial point turned and is now becoming bad?

Christianity believes #4. We believe evil is a fallen good. We believe finite creation has a potential for growth, which includes the possibility that it can and will be restored to full good. We believe evil is only understandable in a moral world, and that it is an idirect proof of the existence of a moral God.

Special Early Afternoon Session

I also heard the testimony of Tom Tarrants today.

Tom lived in the South during desegregation. He became full of hate toward blacks, Jews, Communists, socialists, and others. He entered the White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan in Mississippi, and become a domestic terroist, ending up on J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI Top-10 Most Wanted list.

In an FBI sting and shootout, he was shot and miraculously survived, and sent to prison. He escaped and was again miraculously spared from death in another shootout, captured and sent back to prison in solitary confinement in a 6 x 9 cell.

In prison, he began reading, starting with “Mein Kampf” and others of that genre. He moved on to classical philosophy, then decided to read the Gospels. In the Gospels, Tom was confronted with his own sin and need of a Savior. He gave his life to Jesus Christ and started walking with him.

He was released from prison early, in a miraculous way, and now directs the C.S. Lewis Institute Fellows Program in Washington, D.C. and lectures in practical theology, with a special focus on biblical discipleship and spiritual formation/mentoring.

You can get more info on these 2 web pages: American Anglican and Sarges.com

OTHER NOTES

Punting on the Cherwell • I also found a solution to my laptop power problems today! At lunch I sat with a few “interns” who work for The Zacharias Trust and are helping here for the summer school. One of them named Simon Farres, is a sort of “techie” here. I explained my laptop power recharging problems and he said “Oh, I have what you need!” Sure enough, he had an Apple part that fit right on my power chord and fixed everything – plus it was an extra one and he doesn’t need it until the end of the week! Amazing! Thank you, Simon!

• We also went to the Cherwell River this afternoon to watch “punting.” Many of us enjoyed a “punt” down the Cherwell and back. Later, we all joined together in a tented area near the boat house for a “BBQ.” The Brits did a pretty good job! I sat in a circle with some ZachTrust interns and Americans, discussing and contrasting the many different expressions and accents between our two cultures. I laughed so hard my stomach hurt. It was a hilarious time! (Punting photo at right by Maynard)

Zactrust Summer School – Oxford, England – Day 2

Posted on July 3, 2006 by rbirkey

It has been unusually warm here in Oxford… in the 90′s (degrees F). There is no air conditioning, so the lectures are difficult to stay awake through for an American who is not used to sitting and listening to serious lectures in the heat. I have however, managed to stay awake, even with the remaining effects of jet lag! I have the notes to prove it!

Monday’s sessions were good. I have been especially impressed with Professor Alister McGrath. What a mind he has been gifted with, and yet what a man after God. I imagine that C. S. Lewis was like this.

Today, I also learned of the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics (OCCA), a joint training and equipping ministry of The Zacharias Trust with Wycliffe House, in Oxford. You can get more info here.

OCCA offers 2 programs for additional apologetics training: an 8-week course, and a full-year course. I am interested in both and plan to find out more on them.

I also heard a bit from a man named Tom Tarrants, who apparently was on the FBI’s Top 10 Most Wanted List! I plan to attend a session to hear his story on July 4th! (See my post for Day 3)

Alister McGrath Notes – just my typical visual way of taking notes!

A CHANCE CONVERSATION?

At dinner today I met a young man who is here from an east coast American city. who I will call “John”. As we talked, I shared about where I was from and some of the reasons that I came to Oxford, and what I was hoping and praying this trip would be for me in my life. He did the same.

In that process, I talked about Oak Park, and our church’s current discussion and desire to reach out to our community in new ways. I talked about our long history in the community and our negative image with the local “gay” community. FYI – Oak Park is the second largest “Gay” community in Illinois, second only to Chicago. It has been named one of the most “Gay Friendly” cities in the USA.

It turns out that John is an “ex-gay” man himself. Through the work of the Lord in his life, and the help of his church (a Vineyard Christian Fellowship) and a healing and counseling ministry to the relationally and sexually broken, called Desert Stream, he has abandoned the “gay” lifestyle and identity. He seemed truly happy and even though it is very hard work, he shared that his desires have changed and he is experiencing life as he had hoped he could when he was “gay.”

We talked about the causes and sources of homosexuality in his life, and how the counseling he received and the support and prayers of a Christian community like Vineyard, had made a huge difference for him.

John is a creative writer and poet, and is in Oxford seeking how he might combine his gifts and abilities, passions and talents with Christian apologetics.

It was such a good conversation for me to have. It reminded me that there is real healing possible through the love, hope and hard work of a committed group of regular Christian people, and with the help of trained Christian counselors. John cautioned against a focus just on “gays & lesbians” in our outreach, but instead to focus on the community as a whole and reaching out to all, and allowing that to include some “gays,” lesbians and transsexuals, as God allows and directs. The conversation reinforced the idea that building relationships in our community (Oak Park) is the way that will allow God to work in and through us. Thank you, “John” for sharing your heart and for agreeing to pray for us believers in Oak Park!