Answers in Genesis has a nice free streaming video catalog, and have published the first two of a four part examination of the truth and errors in the play/movie Inherit the Wind.
The original, of course, portrayed the infamous Scopes "Monkey" Trial, but took much poetic license to make a political point. In fact, it’s really a fictional anti-religious hit piece. Anyway, both of these critiques can be viewed from their index page (can’t link directly). Enjoy.
MOVIE – Darrow asks about sex in the Bible and Bryan replies that all sex is sinful.
FACT – Nothing was discussed about sex in the trial. Apparently Hollywood just couldn’t resist introducing a little sex in the film and implying that Bryan was a prude.
I just saw "Inherit the Wind" last week. What a classic! Here is my review of "Inherently the Wind"…
Review for Educated people: Obviously, all Seeker's links on this subject are untrustworthy and should be summarily ignored and dismissed. I looked at them so YOU don't have to. Rest assured the AIG video is biased garbage. Sorry Seeker, I don't like creationists smearing classic movies with their stupidity. If really interested in the facts of the trial, here are the court transcripts
Review for Ignorant Creationists: You will love this revisionist take on Inherit the Wind! Even the evil ACLU is shown to have influenced the movie. The video critiques the film not as a movie or play but as a documentary. The stuffed dinosaurs on stage behind David Menton lend an air of credibility.
Court Transcript…
Q–The Bible says Joshua commanded the sun to stand still for the purpose of lengthening the day, doesn't it, and you believe it?
A–I do.
Q–Do you believe at that time the entire sun went around the earth?
A–No, I believe that the earth goes around the sun.
Q–Do you believe that the men who wrote it thought that the day could be lengthened or that the sun could be stopped?
A–I don't know what they thought.
Q–You don't know?
A–I think they wrote the fact without expressing their own thoughts.
Q–Have you an opinion as to whether or not the men who wrote that thought
Mr. Darrow–I read that years ago. Can you answer my question directly? If the day was lengthened by stopping either the earth or the sun, it must have been the earth?
A–Well, I should say so.
Q– Now, Mr. Bryan, have you ever pondered what would have happened to the earth if it had stood still?
A–No.
Q–You have not?
A– No; the God I believe in could have taken care of that, Mr. Darrow.
Q– I see. Have you ever pondered what would naturally happen to the earth if it stood still suddenly?
A– No.
Q–Don't you know it would have been converted into molten mass of matter?
A–You testify to that when you get on the stand, I will give you a chance.
Q–Don't you believe it?
A–I would want to hear expert testimony on that.
Q–You have never investigated that subject?
A–I don't think I have ever had the question asked.
Q–Or ever thought of it?
Conclusion: If you take the bible literally, you don't think, you just assume "God miracled it". Creationism breeds ignorance.
I see you disapprove of the videos. So what specific things does he say that you disagree with? Is he lying when he says that the ACLU was involved with the actual court case?
He is not saying that the movie is meant to be a documentary, but that many people assume it is accurate (similar to the DaVinci Code). He is merely pointing out the difference between this somewhat fanciful anti-religionist portrayal and the real trial.
Obviously, all Seeker's links on this subject are untrustworthy and should be summarily ignored and dismissed. I looked at them so YOU don't have to.
Maybe you should let people decide for themselves rather than throwing up your scary "don't trust him" nonsense. I post this so that people can find it and judge for themselves. Just because you hate creationism and creationists doesn't mean you suddenly can think for everyone else. Unless that's what you call reasoned debate.
Review for Educated People
Feel free to view the videos for yourself, and make educated decisions.
Review for Ignorant People
Don't think for yourself! Why waste time? Just avoid controversies, keep listening to what people tell you, esp. people who convince you how much smarter than you they are! Besides, anyone who questions evolution must be a rube! Everything they say is stupid! Really! They believe (insert long list of straw men).
You are amazingly closed minded sometimes.
Seeker, have you seen “Inherit the Wind?”
Nope. Does that make me a hypocrite for putting up the criticisms? Or just not having done my homework first?
I’ll take your non response as a “NO.” (If you have seen it, just say so) Therefore you are speaking from a position of ignorance concerning the film itself. You don’t know what you are talking about. You are happily spoon fed the the creationist propaganda of AIG instead of judging “Inherit the Wind” for yourself. Then you gladly regurgitate this puke of a review for the other ignorant creationists so that they don’t see this film either. Ignorance propagates ignorance Seeker and that’s your area of expertise.
The AIG review is not cinematic AT ALL. The performances were brilliant and the cinematography was top notch. The tracking shot at the beginning of the film was something I have only seen in “A Touch of Evil” and “Mama Roma.” The dialog is always engaging. The hypocrites at AIG don’t mention any of this in their “review.” No, they are more concerned with how stupid it makes creationists look. Ironically, they don’t even mention the film’s last scene and it’s significance. Pathetic.
Sorry, did you not understand the word “nope”? LOL.
The AIG review is not cinematic AT ALL.
That’s because that is not the question they are addressing. Their issue with the film is that it has been very effective in branding creationists as religious rubes, and has been influential. Their take is that many people errantly believe it accurately reflects the actual case, and their contention is that people who believe that it is “pretty close” to what happened are being duped by anti-religious propoganda.
In fact, that’s what they are claiming this film was – propoganda. I know that you love films, so this approach may offend you.
You are happily spoon fed the the creationist propaganda of AIG instead of judging “Inherit the Wind” for yourself.
For many of us, AIG is a trusted resource (I didn’t say inerrant ;). I put this up because I found it interesting, and many others will as well. The fact that I have not seen ITW makes me unable to critique their analysis (notice I made no claims as to their accuracy), but it doesn’t make me wrong to let people know about it.
While you “gladly regurgitate” your patronizing and insulting views of creationism, I am merely presenting this resource as something for people to consider. I’m sorry that you have problems with that, but I’m glad at least you took my advice and checked it out for yourself. I’d encourage you to allow others to make up their own minds, even if you find it distasteful.
Again, did they say anything that seemed inaccurate, or just offensive to your demand that they evaluate it as art rather than pseudo-documentary that skeptics enjoy as documentary?
I would opine that most Americans today have never heard of the film in question. I well remember showing one of my lobby cards featuring Bogie and Bacall to a young man at work only to have him ask who they were. It seems that most people have only the vaguest of ideas of film history (or any history, for that matter) pre-1980 (and that’s being generous). Thus, it seems that this film has had little effect on people’s opinions. When I read that 40% on the American public believes that the Bible is the literal and inerrant word of God, and that another 40% believes that it was “inspired” by God, I realized that this argument is somewhat moot. Most people, in general, don’t give a damn about facts or evidence, they just want to believe the lies that make them happy. So it goes. In the face of these numbers, what possible difference can it make whether some ancient film got every detail absolutely right about some obscure trial? The overwhelming majority of Americans believe that God especially created the entire Cosmos in 6 24-hour Earth days just so we could exist (and considering the outcome, He must get the prize for the ultimate underachiever). Why do people like seeker get so steamed up over stuff when they have numbers like these behind them? So a few scientists and oddballs believe in factual evidence (we’re going to Hell anyway, so what do you care)? So what? You christianists practically control the gov’t, after all: what more do you want?
Oh, right. You want everything. Sort of like the Muslims.
I wish there were a planet I could emigrate to that forbade religion.