The Origin of the Species by Darwin, and Ben Stein’s Movie, “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed”

When I recommended that people go out and see Ben Stein’s Movie, Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, which is in theaters now, the readers of Political Pistachio erupted into all kinds of opinions. In the comment section of Political Pistachio alone the following discussion took place:

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Doug. Read the selfish gene by richard dawkins, it is an excellent book and explains how evolution works in an amazing way.
You can see evolution in action in the world around us eg. the flu virus, that evolves new strains every few years that humans are not naturally protected against.

LBM
lordbrownmouse Email 04.17.08 - 2:52 pm #

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Doug,

So you do not believe in evolution at all?

Let me ask a question. If you were able to leave earth for 100,000,000 years and then returned, would you expect to find no adaptations or changes in the animal species that live here?
lordbrownmouse Email 04.17.08 - 3:00 pm #

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Obviously there are some adjustments in nature. Survival of the fittest, and all that. However, I do not subscribe to the theories of evolution beyond the basic adaptions in nature - and I am in full belief that there is a Creator. There is too much information and proven data that is in opposition to most of the Evolutionary Theories - and after all, like Creation, Evolutionary theories are unproven, hence the reason they are “theories”.
Douglas V. Gibbs Email Homepage 04.17.08 - 10:32 pm #

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Survival of the fittest?
a Email 04.17.08 - 10:57 pm #

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But lots of basic adaptations over millions of generations is evolution. lbm
lordbrownmouse Email 04.18.08 - 10:59 am #

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Certain Aspects of adaption are an inevitable part of life, but does it explain the origin of life? Can the origin of life truly be from a lack of intelligent design? Can Darwinism declare how life began without using the words “perhaps” and “may”?
Douglas V. Gibbs Email Homepage 04.18.08 - 4:04 pm #

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Remember the origin of life is the simplest single cell life form you can imagine - don’t you think there is a possibility that the conditions for this could occur in a planet of volcanoes, earthquakes and meteors without intellgent design?
lordbrownmouse Email 04.19.08 - 4:25 am #

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Darwinism doesn’t explain the origin of life, it explains the evolution of life forms - it never meant to. Science doesn’t answer religious questions. Also, Darwinism is over 100 years old, and scientific methods have changed greatly since then, and there’s so much
more to the laws of evolution then just Darwinism.

Survival of the fittest is the most relevant aspect of old time Darwinism.
a Email 04.19.08 - 11:30 am #

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I guess what I’m trying to say is that Darwinism is no more the sum total of evolution science, than Eienstein’s theory of relativity is the sum total of the laws and science of physics. Darwinism is somewhat dated.
a Email 04.19.08 - 11:39 am #

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if Darwinism doesn’t explain the origin of life, only the evolution of life forms - and it was never meant to, as you state, then why, pray-tell, is the book by Darwin called “The Origin of Species”? Besides, this movie is not really about whether or not certain aspects of Darwinism are acceptable or not acceptable, but that Darwinism is the only scientific theories allowed to be put forth in academia - and scientific evidence or theories regarding Intelligent Design is suppressed. . . Why is that?
Douglas V. Gibbs Email Homepage 04.19.08 - 4:25 pm #

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As you can see, it sparked a lot of discussion. But why is it such a volatile issue? And why is the mere mention of an Intelligent Designer enough to get people all up in arms? Is the possibility of an Intelligent Designer that much of a threat to science? I always thought that science was about endless possibilities, and pursuing the evidence to support any idea through the scientific method. Problem is, regardless of the data and evidence acquired regarding Intelligent Design, the Scientific Community suppresses it, and blacklists any scientist that even dares mention Intelligent Design. . . in fact, the wall put up by Science against those that support the possibility of an Intelligent Designer is not much unlike the Berlin Wall built to keep out any dissenting opinion by the Communists.

So, is this an issue about Darwinism? Or is it about Freedom?

Well, all of you out there that find this an important topic that needs to be discussed, tonight on Political Pistachio Radio I am going to be joined by Andrea Shea King, Sunday Night Host of the Andrea Shea King Show on WDBO AM 580 on the Space Coast in Florida, as well as a fellow Blog Talk Radio host, to discuss this matter. We both saw the movie yesterday morning when it was released, and encourage all of those who have an interest in this issue to listen to the show, and participate in the discussion. . . Join us on Political Pistachio Radio Tonight at 10PM Eastern Time!