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“Smithsonian to Screen a Movie That Makes a Case Against Evolution”

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Smithsonian to Screen a Movie That Makes a Case Against Evolution
By JOHN SCHWARTZ, as reported in the NYTimes
Published: May 28, 2005

The Discovery Institute, a group in Seattle that supports an alternative theory, “intelligent design,” is announcing on its Web site that it and the director of the [Smithsonian] museum “are happy to announce the national premiere and private evening reception” on June 23 for the movie, “The Privileged Planet: The Search for Purpose in the Universe.” For full story go here.

Comments
What part of Privileged Planet did you think is not science, Chris? I suspect you don't agree with the interpretation of the evidence. Everyone's entitled to an opinion but they aren't entitled to use tax dollars to peddle their opinions as facts. See if you can manage to separate your opinions from the facts in the future. Only a tiny fraction of the population in the U.S. are atheists. They cannot continue to hold science ransom to their materialist agenda when the public is the one paying the bills. If you want to peddle dogmatic materialism in denial of all evidence to the contrary feel free to do it on your own nickel, not mine. As long as the Smithsonian is a public institution it will damn well represent the interests of the public at large and not the interests of the head atheist running the institution. Got that? The majority in the U.S. is fed up with pandering to the loud mouthed loony left. The adults are taking over the country. Get used to it, Chris. DaveScot
June 2, 2005
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Looks like this Smithsonian isn't approaching this as "unprejudicially" as you'd like, Dave. Instead, they appear to be prejudiced towards actual science: The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History recently approved a request by the Discovery Institute to hold a private, invitation-only screening and reception at the Museum on June 23 for the film "The Privileged Planet." Upon further review we have determined that the content of the film is not consistent with the mission of the Smithsonian Institution’s scientific research. Neither the Smithsonian Institution nor the National Museum of Natural History supports or endorses the Discovery Institute or the film "The Privileged Planet." However, since Smithsonian policy states that all events held at any museum be "co-sponsored" by the director and the outside organization, and we have signed an agreement with this organization, we will honor the commitment made to provide space for the event.Chris
June 1, 2005
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They're going bananas over this on Panda's Thumb. I wrote a letter to the Smithsonian expressing my delight the institution was able to unprejudicially take part in the screening of a film that contains the minority view of controversial science. The Privileged Planet attempts to discount the Copernican principle of mediocrity which is one my personal icons but one must follow the evidence wherever it leads. Maybe the Copernican principle is wrong. The Darwinian narrative apologists abandoned the mediocrity principle too but for philosophical rather than evidential reasons.DaveScot
June 1, 2005
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I understand the NYT made a mistake in the title - the movie doesn't address biological evolution at all but rather only astronomy, physics, and cosmology. http://www.illustramedia.com/tppinfo.htm Sloppy reporting and lack of objectivity is being taken to a whole new level by the New York Times. DaveScot
May 29, 2005
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