Expelled - No Intelligence Allowed
I rarely take a political stand from the pulpit, and I try very hard to not bring up issues that have the potential to divide us as brothers and sisters in Christ. However, when I feel strongly about something that has implications for our spiritual health, I will bring it up and will try to talk about it in ways that can lead to meaningful conversations, in hopes that our spiritual lives can be improved and enhanced while not damaging relationships.
So, at the risk of sounding a bit demanding "politically," I want to make a request of you: please go and see the movie “Expelled – No Intelligence Allowed” by Ben Stein. This movie opens Friday, April 18 and will show at the following theaters in our area:
Franklin Park 16 in the Mall and Showcase at Fallen Timbers
The movie is a “whistleblower” exposing a renewed effort by the scientific, educational, and news communities to ostracize and discredit educators, scientists, and other professionals who, because of their faith, believe in “intelligent design.” In other words, because they believe that God created the heavens and the earth – these men and women are losing their jobs, being denied grants, losing their tenure, and are branded “intellectual terrorists” and shunned as people who believe in "fairy tales."
The argument is age-old; the fight has been around for a long time. But as our world spins towards its final outcome, the enemy continues to unleash new battles and offensives to detract from God and the cause of Christ and to lure individuals and society away from faith. The renewed persecution against those who believe in "intelligent design" is another new salvo in the fight. The movie "Expelled" is the latest defensive “return fire” of the Faithful - or at least of those who desire freedom of speech and constructive dialog from all sides of any issue. The movie’s goal is not to prove God’s existence – the goal is to bring this new persecution to your attention and to enlist your voice as together we demand equal rights under our nation’s laws to have the Bible’s “intelligent design” heard, considered, and taught alongside "Darwinism", “evolution” and the “Big Bang theory.” We want educators and scientists who come from the "intelligent design" point of view to be respected and protected.
I encourage you to buy tickets for the first day (Friday, April 18, 2008) or the first weekend. The reason for that unusual suggestion is that we’re hearing chuckles from the media, the movie theaters, the movie industry as a whole, and the “neo-Darwinist” scientific community that the movie won’t even last a week. If we all go and take a guest, we'll prove the naysayers wrong, and present a formidable united voice for equal rights and freedom of speech.
Did you think that religious persecution would never take place in American in our lifetime? It's already here. . . what will you do about it?
