Expelled: Thinking Outside the Box

Written by Darren Hewer

"It’s wrong to suppress scientific research and limit academic freedom simply because one doesn’t approve of certain scientific conclusions."

Few would disagree with the statement above. But when it’s applied to ID (short for "Intelligent Design") the question becomes somewhat thornier.

The premise of Ben Stein’s new movie Expelled is that "educators and scientists are being ridiculed, denied tenure and even fired – for the “crime” of merely believing that there might be evidence of “design” in nature, and that perhaps life is not just the result of accidental, random chance." As such, it is not a movie about Intelligent Design per se

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but about academic discrimination.

Nonetheless, controversy has already cropped up. The movie opens today at 1,000 theaters in the USA, so it shouldn’t be hard to find a theater in your area.

One question that is sure to arise during the film is: Can a person be both a scientist and believe in God? Richard Dawkins, prominent atheist & scientist, says no, but Hugh Ross, who earned his PhD in astrophysics at the University of Toronto, says yes in his piece "God and Science Collide". Check it out and leave your comments on both Expelled and Ross’ scientific and spiritual journey.