Go ahead, Brits, laugh

[ensho]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/michaeltomasky/2009/sep/15/creation-darwin-evolution-usa


Here's one you'll like, my British friends: it seems that the new Darwin biopic, Creation, can't find a US distributor. It pains me to link to the Telegraph, but I don't see the story on the Guardian site, so here:

The film was chosen to open the Toronto Film Festival and has its British premiere on Sunday. It has been sold in almost every territory around the world, from Australia to Scandinavia.

However, US distributors have resolutely passed on a film which will prove hugely divisive in a country where, according to a Gallup poll conducted in February, only 39 per cent of Americans believe in the theory of evolution.

Movieguide.org, an influential site which reviews films from a Christian perspective, described Darwin as the father of eugenics and denounced him as "a racist, a bigot and an 1800s naturalist whose legacy is mass murder". His "half-baked theory" directly influenced Adolf Hitler and led to "atrocities, crimes against humanity, cloning and genetic engineering", the site stated.

-snip-

Jeremy Thomas, the Oscar-winning producer of Creation, said he was astonished that such attitudes exist 150 years after On The Origin of Species was published.

"That's what we're up against. In 2009. It's amazing," he said.
-snip-
---------------------------


'that's what we're up against.'

[YOY]

1. That Gallup poll has to be wrong.

I mean what percentage of Americans are Catholic? Catholics are fucking supposed to be believe in evolution. Mainstream protestants are supposed to believe in evolution?

There is something very very very wrong with that poll.

Perhaps it's the insinuation that if they don't believe it then they must believe that creationist BS. Perhaps they asked if people understand the theory of evolution.

but there is something very wrong with that poll.

The numbers don't make any sense. I know I'm surrounded by idiots...but they're not 70% biblical literists. It's just fucking impossible.

[jwirr]

2. Catholics are also supposed to believe birth control is wrong.

[YOY]

3. Yes but the reality of life comes into play over the tenants of faith regarding Birth Control.

Not the other way around.

I absolutely refuse to believe the other way around is happening with American CAtholics for Evolution. No. Sorry. Raised Catholic. Educated K-12 Catholic. We laughed at the creationists in Catholic High School. Nobody took them seriously. We all laughed when the biology teacher in 10th grade in 1991 explained Creationism. She was not making light of it...but it sounded rediculous to eveyone including her.

Hovind's museum is not flooded with Catholics by any stretch of the imaginiation. Creationism is an evangelical fundie thing.

[Libertas1776]

11. The late John Paul II

embraced evolution as a scientific fact. (Of course, I don't know about the new pope.)

I just don't understand why these evangelicals or whatever the heck they are just cannot accept the science, even as a more detailed way of explaining creation itself. I was raised Catholic but am an agnostic now, but I still think that evolution should be accepted by all faiths. I think it would be pretty insulting to god, if you believe in him, to simply say that he came up with this and he came up with that with the snap of his finger or wiggling his nose like Samantha from Bewitched. Wouldn't it be more faithful to actually study in depth the actual structure, intricacies, workings, and shear beauty of what you consider "creation" and life as we know it?

[YOY]

13. Vatican II. Since Vatrican II they all do.

One might like to think they learned their lesson after Copernicus. It's a bitch being proven wrong with demonstrative fact. The Catholic church is afraid of losing well eductated members. Recently...they seem to be easing off on that. We're just too tough to please.

[Gabi Hayes]

14. who are these people who rent their faith?

[YOY]

16. Oopsidoodles!

Caught me posting rapidly.

[Prophet 451]

12. They don't have to be biblical literalists

The attack on evolution has succeeded in creating the notion that disbelieving evolution is a seperate issue to accepting Biblical creationism. Plus, most of humanity are fairly dumb and not sure what they believe. So, I think the poll is probably about right, it's certainly similar to other polls I've seen on the subject.

If it makes you feel better, here in the UK (where we're a strange amalgam of American and European attitudes) only about half accept that evolution is definately or probably true (that's from the Beeb earlier this year, can't remember the exact date).

[soonerliberlmom]

17. Load Polls and misleading questions.

can be answered so many differnet ways without getting to the
point

[renate]

18. welcome to DU!

:hi:

[pansypoo53219]

4. lolita too

that was a good movie.

[Zoeisright]

5. You don't 'believe' in evolution. You either understand it or you don't.

Science isn't about believing. It's based on verifiable facts, proven through testing, replication, and falsification.

Belief has nothing to do with it.

[spooky3]

6. I believe in gravity.

:sarcasm:

You're right and it's frustrating when journalists misuse terms.

[JNelson6563]

19. Well said.

Blind faith not required. Sound logic required.

Julie

[krabigirl]

7. Hmm, I still think this is a publicity stunt for te movie. Not that there many idiots here,but still

[MemeSmith]

8. That's not the biggest laugh

Out in the rest of the world, the biggest laugh is the notion that the US is the leader of anything.

The last 'leader of the free world' was William Jefferson Clinton.

When Hillary said that the US under Barack, should return to its position of leadership, she was so far off line it was hilarious.

That day is gone and it will not return.

The political leadership was lost when the host of the United Nations and the chief antagonist in the Nuremberg trials committed what was described in the Nuremberg principles as the prime war crime, namely waging aggressive war.

The economic leadership was lost when American capitalism ate itself and all who came within reach of it.

When the US reinvents itself, it will be as a vibrant member of the community of nations, with a great deal to contribute in innovation, social philosophy and popular culture.

In the meantime, the death throes of the notion of leadership are the biggest comedy show for the outsiders. Many progressive Americans are as aware of this as the spectators. In the case of those who cling to the idea of American Exceptionalism, or whose sense of personal validity is tied in with the idea of a superior nation, it's like watching a woman in a nighclub who doesn't realise that she has left the toilets with her skirt tucked in the back of her knickers.

[lunatica]

9. Welcome to DU

"When the US reinvents itself, it will be as a vibrant member of the community of nations, with a great deal to contribute in innovation, social philosophy and popular culture."

I sincerely hope you're right and I hope to see it happen soon.

[Libertas1776]

10. I just don't understand this.

Why are the American movie studios such pussies? Like they haven't released controversial movies before? They're the ones who are the real villains of the story. My god are we really regressing this far back in time, even for Hollywood. My god, what about the American made movie "Inherit the Wind" for Christ's sake, that was released in 1960. We're not even up to 1960 standards?!!!

[liberalpragmatist]

15. This story is very weird

I know that most Americans are dunces when it comes to science and evolution. But movie studios release plenty of controversial films! Yeah, they'll release them in "independent" theatres, etc., but is this seriously not being picked up by, say, Sony Pictures Classic or Fox Searchlight? I find that somewhat hard to believe.

[TxRider]

20. It's a publicity stunt to gain attention