Film About Volcanoes Falls Victim To Creationists

Here’s something that’s happening, not under some intolerant theocracy abroad, but right here in the good ol’ free US of A. Chicago Sun Times columnist, movie critic, and Beyond the Valley of the Dolls co-conspirator Roger Ebert writes:

Associated Press - IMAX theaters in several Southern cities have decided not to show a film on volcanoes out of concern that its references to evolution might offend those with fundamental religious beliefs.

I suppose the AP meant to say “fundamentalist,” since most people with fundamental religious beliefs, including the pope, believe in the theory of evolution. But what is more disturbing is that the theaters have made this decision simply because they are afraid someone might be offended. Not even a single protester needed to appear before the chilling effect of faith-based intolerance was felt.

Surely moviegoers deserve the right to decide for themselves what movies to see? “Volcanoes of the Deep Sea,” according to the AP, “makes a connection between human DNA and microbes inside undersea volcanoes.” It says that if life could evolve under such extreme circumstances, it might help us understand evolution all over the planet.

This is not a controversial opinion. The overwhelming majority of all scientists everywhere in the world who have studied the subject would agree with it. Although discussion continues about the mechanics of evolution, there is no reputable doubt about the existence of DNA and the way in which it functions.

Yes, there is “creationist science,” an attempt to provide a scientific footing for beliefs that should be a matter of faith. Creationists say evolution is “only a theory” and want equal time for their theories, one of which is that God created the Earth from scratch in six days, and man on the seventh.

Evolution is indeed a theory. Creationism is a belief, not a theory. In science, a theory is a hypothesis that has withstood the test of time and the challenge of opposing views. It is not simply somebody’s notion about something. The creationist belief cannot withstand such tests and challenges; it exists outside the world of science altogether…

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