It’s been a week since Expelled was released into the theaters. That’s enough time for dozens of movie reviews; blogs about it; and blogs about other bloggers views, even from people who didn’t see the movie. So it’s safe to say that the movie has been successful — in getting people to talk — and ask questions.

I had been itching to see Expelled, since my friend John (from Michigan) told me about it, and Wednesday night I saw it. This morning my facebook friend John (from California) told me about Dinesh D’Souza’s (Hoover Institute – Stanford) AOL News article where DD says:

Stein brilliantly responds that he had no idea Richard Dawkins believes in intelligent design! And indeed Dawkins does seem to be saying that alien intelligence is responsible for life arriving on earth. What are we to make of this? Basically Dawkins is surrendering on the claim that evolution can account for the origins of life. It can’t. The issue now is simply whether a natural intelligence (ET) or a supernatural intelligence (God) created life. Dawkins can’t bear the supernatural explanation and so he opts for ET.

ToTheSource is running a side by side comparison of viewpoints.

Terry W. Frizell says: Stein deals with the huge question, “Where did life come from?” and therefore the movie is a “must-see”.

Seldom Wrong still had not gone to the movie, but asked – Is it reasonable to think that life arose by chance?

… as noted by D’Souza, Expelled exposes Richard Dawkins’s belief that life on earth was seeded by extraterrestrials. That is genuinely as good a demonstration as one can imagine that it’s not reasonable to think that life arose by chance…

We assert further that evolutionary biology and ID are really only different in very narrow areas that have to do with these very questions: is it reasonable to think that life arose by chance, and is it reasonable to think that an intelligence designed the universe?

Mary Alice has already seen the movie twice, and gets to the heart of the matter.

Kevin Porter said the movie was “quite excellent” and Richard Dawkins reminded him of a dog chasing his tail.

Brock Gill says: A new front has been opened in the culture wars.

Universalist Steve questions the honesty, ethics and marketing techniques of the films producers.

Monado from Toronto asserts in her Science Notes that: “An invincible ignorance of science seems to be the real pre-requisite for Intelligent Design believers” — and appears comfortably ignorant of her own presuppositions.

Chris Mooney at Science Progress says the movie is a deeply dishonest piece of propaganda.

Images of Hitler and the Berlin wall frighten people. Movies are supposed to have images — moving images. That’s what movies do. Movies sell ideas with imagery to make a point. Vodka advertisements use imagery to sell products, and the pundits just don’t like a movie that mixes imagery with science, religion, ethics, epistemology, and philosophy.

But, there is more at risk than selling vodka. Absolutely, says Kevin Clark at the Charcoal Fire: “This is the most thought-provoking thing to come out of Hollywood in a long time” … Expelled Exposes Irresponsible and Irrational Scientists :

“Darwinism indeed was the philosophy that Nazi scientists held. Darwinism’s theory of natural selection was the foundation of policies and propaganda that helped build the menace of the Nazi regime. And Darwinism is today building the menace of academic totalitarianism and the abortion machine. And yes, this is the problem: Scientists have squelched philosophy as a pseudoscience, and in doing so have themselves become the philosophers.”

Daniel Wigington says in his hopefully-not-boring blog:

Stein prods the Darwinists enough that some of them — including Richard Dawkins — make some unexpected statements about the possibility of intelligence in biological design and the philosophical implications of Darwinian theory.

Expelled (the movie) was even better than I thought it would be.

Did you know that today is DNA day? “Science Progress” asks How Do We Eliminate Controversy Without Teaching It, in a short sermon meditation article entitled “Reflections on DNA Day”.

Leading film-makers are seeking to change the way we think about other countries. This is one of a powerful series of films to be shown on Pangea Day, May 10th, “the day the world comes together through film”. Set against the backdrops of Nairobi city and the beautiful landscape of Uhuru Park, a Kenyan choir sings the Indian national anthem, Jana Gana Mana.

Credits…

Concept: JOHANNES LEONARDO / Produced by: Blue Sky Films (EPZ) Ltd
Producers: Mario Zvan, Jim Shamoon
Director: Bob Nyanja
Production Manager: Hemal Shah
Production Coordinator: Shiv Mandavia
Production Assistants: Consolata Karani, Phylis Andika
Production Accountant: Catherine Mumbua
Assistant Director: Tosh Gitonga
Location Manager: Yayha Chavanga
Director of Photography: Martin Munyua
Combined flags provided by conceptual artist: Mariano Favetto
Choir Coordinator: Maggie Kiundi
Camera Assistant: Kevin Ouma
Best Boy Lighting: Francis Ouma
Electrician: Ezekiel Andika
Key Grip: Jackie Tella
Crane Grip: Steve Obunde
Assistant Grip: Ken Omutimba
Sound Recordist: Lee Smith
Wardrobe Coordinator: Sophie Oprisanu
Wardrobe Assistant: Chris Kariuki
Unit Coordinator: Patrick Musyimi
Unit Assistants: Wycliff Obote, Joel Karo
Editor: Philip Murugi
Drivers: Lawrence Macharia, George Atsiaya, Ferdinand Yeswa, Mwangi D., and also Mbugwa D.

Choir: Geoffrey Mukoto, Esther Nyandia Kariuki, Violet Muhonjia Ingosi, Urbanus Kioko Octavy, Jane Wandi Wanjira Njeru, Mathew Muriuki Githinji, James Kagwimah, Brenda N. Munyasia, Marietta Mwamachi, Rosemary Nyongai, Stephan Okoth, Mary Mwende Mutua, Liboyi Paul Nganyi, Justus Mutua, David Mumanga, Dorcas Akinyi, Agatha Nafula, Abbyserah W. Kiruri, Scholastica Ngolanie