Comments on: Expelled is a non-starter http://freethoughtfortwayne.org/2008/04/14/expelled-is-a-non-starter/ Home of Fort Wayne, Indiana's FreeThought Community Sat, 19 Jul 2008 18:49:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU By: neuralgourmet http://freethoughtfortwayne.org/2008/04/14/expelled-is-a-non-starter/#comment-103 neuralgourmet Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:12:30 +0000 http://freethoughtfortwayne.wordpress.com/?p=42#comment-103 Patrick, I respectfully submit that you don't understand what the word 'freethought' means. Freethought is the philosophy that we should form our beliefs on the basis of science and reason without recourse to authority or the supernatural. Ben Stein's film in no way promotes freethought. But that aside, I think you have to ask yourself, as a Christian, whether or not you approve of Ben Stein and the producers of the film lying and resorting to deceitful tactics in the making of this film. Because that's what many of us object to. We don't care if you believe in God or think the Earth is only 6,000 years old. We really don't. We do object to to counterfactual claims and deception in the name of promoting intelligent design though. It seems to me you should too. Patrick, I respectfully submit that you don’t understand what the word ‘freethought’ means. Freethought is the philosophy that we should form our beliefs on the basis of science and reason without recourse to authority or the supernatural. Ben Stein’s film in no way promotes freethought.

But that aside, I think you have to ask yourself, as a Christian, whether or not you approve of Ben Stein and the producers of the film lying and resorting to deceitful tactics in the making of this film. Because that’s what many of us object to. We don’t care if you believe in God or think the Earth is only 6,000 years old. We really don’t. We do object to to counterfactual claims and deception in the name of promoting intelligent design though. It seems to me you should too.

]]> By: mightymjolnir http://freethoughtfortwayne.org/2008/04/14/expelled-is-a-non-starter/#comment-101 mightymjolnir Wed, 23 Apr 2008 13:34:07 +0000 http://freethoughtfortwayne.wordpress.com/?p=42#comment-101 Hi Patrick - welcome to our blog. Having read your comment and a few recent posts on your blog, I can tell that you are an intelligent, well-meaning person. I'm afraid, however, that you've gotten this one wrong. "...his goat was to promote free thought..." No, actually, it wasn't. It was to promote the intellectual surrender you yourself describe on your site. "I don't know - we can never know - we don't have the intellectual capacity - therefore God did it." That is not free thought - it's the end of thought. Patrick, I'm guessing there have been events, phenomena, etc. in your life that you didn't believe at first...then someone showed you evidence, it made sense, and you were convinced. Every scientist bases his or her entire life around the notion that there is specific evidence that would overturn ANY assumption - and I do mean any. I respectfully ask you - what would it take to prove to you that evolution is real? Is it possible? Thanks for visiting, m Hi Patrick - welcome to our blog.

Having read your comment and a few recent posts on your blog, I can tell that you are an intelligent, well-meaning person. I’m afraid, however, that you’ve gotten this one wrong.

“…his goat was to promote free thought…” No, actually, it wasn’t. It was to promote the intellectual surrender you yourself describe on your site. “I don’t know - we can never know - we don’t have the intellectual capacity - therefore God did it.” That is not free thought - it’s the end of thought.

Patrick, I’m guessing there have been events, phenomena, etc. in your life that you didn’t believe at first…then someone showed you evidence, it made sense, and you were convinced. Every scientist bases his or her entire life around the notion that there is specific evidence that would overturn ANY assumption - and I do mean any. I respectfully ask you - what would it take to prove to you that evolution is real? Is it possible?

Thanks for visiting,

m

]]> By: patrick http://freethoughtfortwayne.org/2008/04/14/expelled-is-a-non-starter/#comment-100 patrick Wed, 23 Apr 2008 07:50:16 +0000 http://freethoughtfortwayne.wordpress.com/?p=42#comment-100 just saw Expelled; Ben Stein's goal in making this flick (i gather) was not to win any popularity contests (this by itself helps to validate his message)... his goal was to promote free thought, especially more thinking about motivations that drive American academia and a lot of other behind-the-scenes worldview that we tend to take for granted. just saw Expelled; Ben Stein’s goal in making this flick (i gather) was not to win any popularity contests (this by itself helps to validate his message)… his goal was to promote free thought, especially more thinking about motivations that drive American academia and a lot of other behind-the-scenes worldview that we tend to take for granted.

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