Posted on 11/25/2009 7:56:35 PM PST by GodGunsGuts
HUNTSVILLE, AL, Nov. 25 Christian Newswire -- Two creation films called "inappropriate" were denied the opportunity to be shown in government facilities this week--which marks the 150th anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin's "Origin of Species". While the intelligent design film "Darwin's Dilemma: The Mystery of the Cambrian Fossil Record" has not been granted permission for a showing in California, "The Mysterious Islands", a new 90-minute Vision Forum film that challenges Darwin's evolution by taking audiences back to engage the enchanted Galapagos Islands, has enjoyed a victory and will premiere as previously scheduled tonight, Nov. 25, at 6:30 PM, at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, AL.
"We want to commend the U.S. Space and Rocket Center ("USSRC") for allowing equal access to its facilities for a private screening of 'The Mysterious Islands' this week," said a jubilant Doug Phillips, executive producer of "The Mysterious Islands". Phillips and his crew--his son Joshua Phillips, Dr. John Morris of the Institute for Creation Research and Jon and Andy Erwin, the award-winning production duo who shot and produced the documentary--have been traveling the country screening the film since its release on Nov. 12, with key members making the trip on the "Galapagos Ark" Tour Bus.
"Knowing that the USSRC was a government facility, we contacted attorneys at the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) for assistance," Phillips continued about legal action that led to the victory. In a letter dated Nov. 23, 2009, Daniel Blomberg, ADF litigation counsel, informed the USSRC executives that their "refusal is in direct violation of Vision Forum's First and Fourteenth Amendment rights," and he highlighted the fact that the USSRC had shown two pro-evolutionary films, "The Magic of Flight" and "Blue Planet", at their facility. The USSRC responded to ADF's letter within hours of receiving it and is now cordially allowing access for a screening of "The Mysterious Islands". Though the film is premiering with short notice in Huntsville, hundreds have already registered to attend at: http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e2mzzpjzfd3e5dcc
"The Mysterious Islands" documents Phillips as he leads a team of Christian scientists and investigators to the Galapagos Islands to engage with the amazing creatures Darwin chronicled during his storied trip to this island chain aboard the HMS Beagle in 1835. Seen through the eyes of 16-year-old Joshua Phillips, who joins his father and noted researchers like Dr. John Morris, "The Mysterious Islands" is the story of one boy's search for answers to a great controversy of the modern world. The fast-paced adventure combines cinematically breathtaking footage with high adventure in its quest is to determine whether the Galapagos Islands are a laboratory for evolution, as Darwinists claim, or a showcase for the biblical account of creation.
Along the way, "The Mysterious Islands" examines intriguing questions that Darwin failed to answer, or that he just got wrong: Why do the animals on these islands appear to have little fear of man? Why have some of the creatures of the Galapagos developed such unusual characteristics--are these phenomena evidences of evolution or something else? Does natural selection produce new kinds of animals, or just variations within the same kinds?
Meanwhile, the fate of the other film "Darwin's Dilemma: The Mystery of the Cambrian Fossil Record" hangs in the balance. The California Science Center (CSC) has not yet reversed its decision to allow a showing at the museum's IMAX Theater.
First the creation group doesn’t have a right to display their film to anyone who doesn’t want it.
Secondly, the creation group doesn’t do science, they do propaganda.
If you want to, you can watch the creation movie until you are blue in the face, and dumber than you are.
See, you have rights!
This statement shows that you lack a basic understanding of science.
I.D. currently has not testable hypothesis.
But you're violating my rights if you don't believe it's science, or that evolution is religion.
I wonder why they don’t rent a conference room at the Ramada and show it there. They have plenty of venues to exercise their free speech.
I don’t know that any criteria, other than being creationists, was applied.
Do you what criteria was applied and whether it was different from that applied to other renters?
Getting to advertise it as having been shown at a Ramada Inn just isn't the same.
They only seem to be concerned with the content of the film. It appears that another film presented by creationists was accepted, so the claim that they were denied because they are creationists is suspect.
This is a great bit of twisted logic, but it did work for the Evo's in a simular way. Check out what Evo's did in the 30's and 40's in law and school;i.e., separation of Church and State. Does Separation of Church and State really exist in the Constitution? And don't tell me that Evo's had nothing to do with it, read all the biographies of the judges and ACLU lawyers that backed and passed that decision.
Will be back tonight; celebrating Thanksgiving, have a good one too.
Who is the “they” you mention and what are the two films you are talking about?
The article speaks of one film shown in Alabama and one not shown in California.
Funds are donation or membership dues. There are quite a few restrictions on how they can make their funds and how it's spent.
Also, most 501(c) organizations will take just about any opportunity to increase income. My question is the movie isn't advertised on the website, much less anywhere other than the article.
Seems a bit of twisted logic on your part to say “the evos” did it. It ended up in the courts when Tennessee tried to make it illegal to teach evolution through the Butler Act.
Public venue = Legitimacy.
I have yet to see any creationist threads, posts, books, movies, etc that had an iota of science in them.
Right. And you violate my rights if you don’t believe in Zeus/Jupiter...
See, we can all get along.
Who is the “they” you mention and what are the two films you are talking about?
The article speaks of one film shown in Alabama and one not shown in California.
Sounds like a lack of science education on your part.
I always get a chuckle when you project onto Creationists and IDers what your side is in fact guilty of...thands for the laugh :o)
When it’s a taxpayer funded government institution, it’s called equal access. When they sign a contract and then break it, it’s breach of contract. No matter which way you slice it, the Temple of Darwin is in the wrong. And hopefully they will be made to pay...through the nose.
From the the supporting foundation about 2 years ago:
Revenue
Primary Revenue $20,731,298
Other Revenue $6,916,912
Total Revenue $27,648,210
Expenses
Program Expenses $42,973,082
Administrative Expenses $2,197,270
Fundraising Expenses $1,176,193
Total Functional Expenses $46,346,545
Payments to Affiliates $0
Excess (or Deficit) for the year $-18,698,335
Net Assets $54,646,025
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