Ben Stein's mind

For a smart guy, Ben Stein ain't so bright.

Stein has been in Florida this week trying to drum up support for legislation that would would bar any action against a teacher who "objectively presents scientific information" critical of "biological or chemical evolution."

Stein also has a new movie out: Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. The movie documents efforts to teach creationism -- now called intelligent design -- in schools.

Stein has hosted a quiz show host, Ben Stein's Money, and was a former speech writer for Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. Without a doubt Stein is a smart person and now he's using that intelligence to further tweak the religious-right's efforts to teach their brand of religion in schools.

The new twist is to call for intellectual honesty in the classroom -- a value that academics hold dear -- by allowing challenges to evolution. While that sounds reasonable on its face, teaching creationism fails to meet even the basic criteria to be taught in a science class.

Which isn't to say it can't be discussed. Florida American Civil Liberties Union executive director Howard Simon said he doesn't have a problem with teachers talking about such non-scientific theories as Intelligent Design in classes on comparative religion or politics. Stein and John Stemberger, president of Florida Family Action, say the legislation would not permit teaching Intelligent Design or creationism-related theories because the bill only applies to criticism of evolution based on scientific information.

And that's the time-proven method that the right uses. First they challenge facts with ideas that sound reasonable on their surface, but which easily fall apart when challenged. In time, they succeed in creating doubt where none existed before and that gap is just wide enough for them to give their biased ideas legitimacy. Tobacco companies used dubious results from their paid scientists to create doubt about studies that proved smoking caused cancer.

The cancer the right wants to infect the schools with is its own brand of religion. A successful effort to teach intelligent design would lead to teaching values based on its religious view. That would make it much easier to pass laws to reinforce those values. If your religion differs from the view of the right, you'd still be forced to live under the rules of another religion.

Which is why we're seeing wars around the world as one religion seeks to impose its world view on everyone else.

Ideas should be discussed, but part of education's duty is to teach people the difference between science and opinion. Scientists are sometimes wrong, but those errors should be exposed with facts, not ideology.

And that's the mistake that exists in Ben Stein's mind.

    -- Jim Grinstead

Comments

[Benjamin Franklin]

This films' main thesis, that anyone in the science community who believes in God is being "expelled" is false at its core.

In a New York Times interview, Walter Ruloff (producer of Expelled) said that researchers, who had studied cellular mechanisms, made findings suggestive of an intelligent designer. "But they are afraid to report them".

Mr. Ruloff also cited Dr. Francis S. Collins, a geneticist who directs the National Human Genome Research Institute and whose book, “The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief”, explains how he came to embrace his Christian faith. Mr. Ruloff said that Dr. Collins separates his religious beliefs from his scientific work only because “he is toeing the party line”.

That’s “just ludicrous,” Dr. Collins said in a telephone interview. While many of his scientific colleagues are not religious and some are “a bit puzzled” by his faith, he said, “they are generally very respectful.” He said that if the problem Mr. Ruloff describes existed, he is certain he would know about it.

Similarly, Dr. Ken Miller is a professed Christian who wrote "Finding Darwin's God" (which I suggest you read). Dr. Miller has not been "expelled" in any fashion for his belief in God.

The movie tries to make the case that "Big Science" is nothing but a huge atheist conspiracy out to silence believers, but only presents a very one-sided look at some Discovery Institute "martyrs".

Carolyn Crocker "expelled"? - No.
Her annual teaching contract was not renewed. Was she "fired" for daring to bring God into research? - No. She was hired to teach Biology, and she decided to ignore the schools' curriculum and substitute her own curriculum.

Guillermo Gonzalez "expelled"? - No.
He was not granted tenure. The film doesn't bring up the fact that in all his years at ISU he had only brought in only a miniscule amount of grant money. Nor does it bring up the fact that in all his years at ISU he failed to mentor a single student through to their PhD. Nor does it mention that in his career at ISU, his previous excellent record of publication had dropped precipitously.

Richard von Sternberg "expelled"? - No.
Sternberg continues to work for NIH in the same capacity. Of course the movie doesn't bring up his underhanded tactics in getting Meyers work published.

This movie attempts to influence it's viewers with dishonesty, half-truths, and by a completely one-sided presentation of the facts.

If a scientists' research is not accepted by the scientific community, it isn't because the scientist either believes or doesn't believe in God, it is usually because they are producing bad science. Like the idea of Intelligent Design.
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