what about god?
Several nights ago I got to watch the first 15 minutes of a PBS Evolution documentary called "
What About God?" addressing the evolution/creationism wars. It was intriguing, but I had to run out soon after it started, so I was excited to see that it was being shown today as part of the Seattle Film Festival.
While it was interesting to watch Christian fundamendalist students grapple to reconcile their taught-from-birth creation tales with taught-in-class science, the more interesting part was the discussion we had afterwards. (Discussing a film with an auditorium of strangers is always a good time.)
People complained and complained about the fundamentalists' opposition to the scientific method: "Why can't they at least
consider evidence that's contrary to their preconceived worldview?" Were I a more daring man, I would have invited them to extend the same courtesy (which, as Seattle liberals, I'm sure they do not) to controversies over
global warming and
human biodiversity.
But I am not that daredevil, so I instead responded to the man who complained that the film -- by not presenting any foaming-at-the-mouth atheists -- was too pro-religion. Look, I told him, in this country we "respect" people's faith, and we don't
criticize religious beliefs, no matter
how ludicrous they may be. And so merely by addressing the tension between science and religion, the film is edgier than pretty much anything else you'd see on TV. (Possible exception:
Ted Turner).