Truth and the Devil

I thought it might be telling to keep an eye on the Expelled blog and see what’s going on there. Ben Stein has a new post which is rather cryptic [edit: the post has been inexplicably removed]. It basically is setting out to create a climate of victimization (which the film seems to be doing as well) starting out with a quote attributed to Jonny Cash.

It’s good to be hated by the right people.”

I’m not quite sure what to make of the following quote, though if it turns out to be some sort of parody, I’ll be pleasantly surprised (though I’m not holding my breath).

Looks like Expelled really isn’t going to provide anything new under the sun. An article on Beliefnet gives us a little more information on what the film might include.

Let the buzz begin. Not that “Expelled’s” intentionally incendiary tone will need much help from the pastors and religious-school teachers in attendance at yesterday’s meeting. From the clips and trailers they showed, the film presents a world of–to use a quote I heard repeatedly yesterday–”the new scientific movement” (Intelligent Design, in case you weren’t sure) vs. the tired, old “theory” of evolution. Relying on news-clip montages, interviews, even cut-away shots of concentration camps, “Expelled” talks of faithful scientists and other believers losing jobs, losing grants, even losing friends in defense of ID. And, relying on footage of Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and other atheists du jure, it sets up a worldview of ID vs. atheism, with no gray areas in between.

Richard Dawkins is back with part 2 of The Enemies of Reason

The Intelligent Design creationists have tried all sorts of tactics to get their religious ideology taught in America’s science classrooms. They’ve written books, changed curricula, been involved in lawsuits, everything except actually doing science. Now, as a new extension of their PR assault on the media, they’re making a movie: Expelled — No Intelligence Allowed. It looks to be bullshit propaganda at its finest. Their website has a blog authored by the co-writer and MC of this film, Ben Stein. Let’s see what he has to say about the film.

You’ve gotta see this one to believe it. This CNBC news anchor is alright with having unsafe toys for children as long as Wal-Mart’s prices stay low.

After doing his two-part television special, The Root of All Evil?, on the BBC, Richard Dawkins is back with a new series. This time, instead of focusing on the dangers of religion, he’s going after superstition and pseudo-science. In the first episode, he discusses astrology, spiritualist churches and water dowsing.

Sometimes, ‘finding the middle ground’ isn’t always the best, or right solution.

Bird Brains

An interesting video criticizing US foreign policy that is as beautiful as it is direct. By Knife Party

If you can get through this video without feeling like you’re going to throw up, I applaud you. Especially when he talks about the families of dead soldiers.

A recent story from Newsweek focuses on a video shot of abortion protesters being asked the question: okay, if abortion’s illegal, what should the punishment be for the women?

You have rarely seen people look more gobsmacked. It’s as though the guy has asked them to solve quadratic equations. Here are a range of responses: “I’ve never really thought about it.” “I don’t have an answer for that.” “I don’t know.” “Just pray for them.”

The simple extension of making abortion illegal is that those who get them should be punished. Apparently this corollary has never been considered, by at least those protesters on the video, and I’m sure, many other anti-abortion advocates. The questioner does an excellent job.