Criticism of Ben Stein
From Wikinfo
Actor Ben Stein's views on the theory of Evolution, have generated controversy.
Stein has publicly denounced the theory of evolution, which he and other intelligent design advocates term "Darwinism", declaring it to be "a painful, bloody chapter in the history of ideologies", "the most compelling argument yet for Imperialism", and the inspiration for the Holocaust.[1][2] Stein does not say belief in the theory of evolution alone leads to genocide, but that it is a necessary component.[3]
He co-wrote and stars in the film Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, which attempts to link evolution to the eugenics movement in Nazi Germany and to the Holocaust, and portrays advocates of intelligent design as victims of discrimination by the scientific community, which has widely rejected intelligent design as pseudoscience.[4][5][6] The Chicago Tribune's conclusion was "Rating: 1 star (poor),"[7] while the New York Times described it as "a conspiracy-theory rant masquerading as investigative inquiry."[5][8] Noted evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins has strongly criticised Stein's film in an open letter on his website.[9]
In a Trinity Broadcasting Network interview with Paul Crouch Jr. regarding Stein's movie,[10] Stein made the following statement about science and religion:
Stein: When we just saw that man, I think it was Mr. Myers, talking about how great scientists were, I was thinking to myself the last time any of my relatives saw scientists telling them what to do they were telling them to go to the showers to get gassed … that was horrifying beyond words, and that’s where science — in my opinion, this is just an opinion — that’s where science leads you.
Crouch: That’s right.
Stein: …Love of God and compassion and empathy leads you to a very glorious place, and science leads you to killing people.
Crouch: Good word, good word.
Stein was criticized by the Anti-Defamation League for the use of the Holocaust to further an anti-evolution agenda.[11] Asked for a comment about this by Vancouver Sun writer Peter McKnight, Stein replied, "It's none of their fucking business."[12]
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