When I read articles like this, it becomes clear that there is going to be an ugly civil war in the United States, and it is going to happen soon:
The fight over evolution has reached the big, big screen.
Several Imax theaters, including some in science museums, are refusing to show movies that mention the subject – or the Big Bang or the geology of the earth – fearing protests from people who object to films that contradict biblical descriptions of the origin of Earth and its creatures…
Carol Murray, director of marketing for the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, said the museum decided not to offer the movie after showing it to a sample audience, a practice often followed by managers of Imax theaters. Ms. Murray said 137 people participated in the survey, and while some thought it was well done, “some people said it was blasphemous.”
In their written comments, she explained, they made statements like “I really hate it when the theory of evolution is presented as fact,” or “I don’t agree with their presentation of human existence.”
On other criteria, like narration and music, the film did not score as well as other films, Ms. Murray said, and over all, it did not receive high marks, so she recommended that the museum pass.
“If it’s not going to draw a crowd and it is going to create controversy,” she said, “from a marketing standpoint I cannot make a recommendation” to show it.
Don’t get me wrong- I applaud the theatre for handling it this way- they should be able to choose what products they choose to show to their prospective audience. This is precisely how it is supposed to happen- without the ham-handed efforts of Brent Bozell and the FCC trying to dictate decency to all of us.
What is worrisome, however, is that a brief discussion of evolution is so damn troubling to some segments of our society that they just can’t stand a movie about life forms existing in steam vents thousands of feet under water.
I have seen Volcanoes, and if this is perceived as a threat to the beliefsa of the devoutly religious in our society, then everything that deviates slightly from the prevailing dogma is a potential threat. That includes you and your personal decisions.
Fargus
I just wrote a post about this very subject (with the example being Terri Schiavo, not evolution).
There are “wars” of a sort coming, over religion in the public sphere, and in American life, and they’re not going to be pretty.
Just Passing Through
During the Reagan years and the ascendancy of the Christian Right the same predictions about cultural clashes becoming violent were made. Didn’t happen and the situation ran down. The vast majority of this country whether left or right is moderate. Don’t fall into the trap the left is setting to marry Christian Fundamentalism to the moderate right any more than you should the rights attempt to marry moveon.org to the moderate left.
There may be a high visibility cultural war as grist for the media mill, but the majority of the electorate still believes in live and let live in this country and historically does not sign on to culture wars over religion.
Kimmitt
historically does not sign on to culture wars over religion.
Hee. Dude, there are three separate states — two of the thirteen colonies and Utah — which were founded for the express purpose of escaping religious persecution in other states.
Oliver
The American Taliban marches on.
Just Passing Through
Hee, Kimmit. That has to be one of the most assinine response comments I’ve seen in a long while.
fledermaus
Carol Murray, director of marketing for the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, said the museum decided not to offer the movie
A science museum showing a science movie that discusses evolution?? Intolerable!
Sandi
The evolutionists have been around for a long time, and there has always been disagreement between them and Christians. But it has gotten a lot more shrill from the far left and the far right. Don’t make the mistake of thinking it is just Christianity vs atheists/agnostics. That is how it appears on the surface, and is only part of it. For one thing, if the far right fringe wanted to bring a change to theocracy, almsot all of the country’s Christians would join the left in quashing them.
The real problem is that for secularists the very mention, or reminder of God in any form causes distress and discomfort. I wrote a post last night about a columnist at the Philadelphia Daily News who is awed by Ashley Smith’s heroism in getting Brian Nichols, the Ga courtroom murderer into giving himself up, yet can’t abide her Christian overtones. The columnist Jill Porter writes:
And suddenly, those of us who are wary of the increasing influence born-again Christians have on our political and cultural life feel a regrettable discomfort with this wonderful story. . .
It is a long post, and shows why the secularists cannot just live and let live.
Sandi
Your blockquote doesn’t work worth a darn. the 2nd to last paragraph should also be shaded as Porters quote.
J Bowen
It’s the secularists who pick all the fights. That they couldn’t even tolerate scientifically truthful and accurate stickers in biology textbooks in Georgia shows you their utter intolerance.
Terry
And Blogdam’s biggest and most obnoxious asshole drops off with a typical inane comment, “The American Taliban marches on.”
What a tired and sick mind has become Oliver since he fell under the complete spell of his new MASTER.
Kimmitt
That has to be one of the most assinine response comments I’ve seen in a long while.
Maybe, but it’s still true.
Just Passing Through
‘Maybe, but it’s still true.’
Events in the late 1700s are about as relevant to my observation that the majority of the electorate in this country historically does not sign onto culture wars over religion as the Protestant Reformation of the 1600s. Neither one has any relationaship to what I meant by historical. Although I seldom agree with your take on things I don’t believe for a moment that you’re stupid and believe you knew that.
JKC
Uhh… the two positions are not mutually exclusive. It is quite possible to be a Christian without checking one’s brain at the door, and not at all difficult to believe that evolution was (and is) God’s method of creation.
And no, that’s not an endorsement of “Intelligent Design.” My acceptance of evolutionary theory is based on observable fact. My faith is not; that’s why it’s called faith, and not certainty.
Kimmitt
Events in the late 1700s
Utah achieved statehood in 1896.
Look, I’m not trying to be difficult here, but your statement just isn’t true. The US has endured plenty of sectarian strife, just not very much in the last thirty years or so. Remember, one of the talking points against Kennedy was that he would be taking marching orders from the Pope — and people took that crap seriously! There really isn’t a lot of reason to think that we can’t go back to the bad old days.
Aaron
Kimmitt, Look on the bright side, in 2004, people got upset that John Kerry DIDN’T take marching orders from the Pope.
Kimmitt
Life’s little ironies, I guess.
Sandi
JKC I am in total agreement. I only ment to point out the friction that has been there and didn’t want to get too deep into it as a side issue. I am a Christian who also beleives in evolution.
wild bird
Hey even darwin showed doubts about evoltion and the fact that the whole idea of evolution is based on nothing more then a few bone fragments and insignificants fossels its weird that these evolutionists can base their ideas on nothing more then junk science and crack-pot ideas
Mob_Triggerman
Holy shit, I guess part of the old culture survived. Urban New England has seriously warped my perception of this country. Guess I should spend more time out west, huh?