Scary. 1925 is still happening.
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Dominion_Lad — 13 years ago(August 24, 2012 12:13 AM)
It seems that nothing has really changed in the US since 1925.
Why is creationism still such a vocal and divisive issue in the US. For a country that's supposed to be so "educated", the US, and especially its politicians, have some bat sh*t crazy ideas. The concept of evolution is not an issue elsewhere in the developed world. I can think of no other country where praising a deity and public belief in a 6000 yr old universe is part of daily politics.
Time to move on, US, and join the 20th century, if not the 21st century. You embarrass yourself on the world stage with your, er, antediluvian attitudes. -
mspatera — 13 years ago(August 30, 2012 12:57 AM)
I agree completely with the OP. When I first saw this movie in the 1960s, everyone I knew took evolution as fact. It's only since the late 1980s or so that the religious right has taken this dominant and domineering attitude. When I tell my kids this, they think I'm making it up.
Even at the time of the trial, most of the world thought creationism was ridiculous; that's why the case became such a big deal.
I wanted to watch the movie tonight (with my agnostic son, who loved it)after hearing speeches at the GOP convention and getting seriously depressed. I was hoping it would help me understand the thought processes behind some of the outrageous statements I heard. It reminded me that at least there are thoughtful people in the world.
I am a deeply religious person and I, and most of the people I know, exist very comfortably in a world of science and God. It's painful to me that others are so threatened by this that they can't allow the possibility of scientific facts being accepted by a religious person. As soon as someone supports science, they are called atheists and immoral.
Of course, I'm Jewish, so I'm going to hell anyway. -
ilBrutto — 13 years ago(September 24, 2012 06:01 PM)
In Texas, the gov't is allowed to change history books to be lesshmmmfactual I guess would be the word. Or is that less knowledgeable? I get those two mixed up
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37271857/ns/us_news-life/t/texas-oks-schoo l-textbook-changes/#.UGEAlVGz4_c
So maybe things haven't changed too muchjust in a different way. -
Roy72 — 13 years ago(October 03, 2012 01:14 PM)
I admire the US in many ways, esp the very free press and the written constitution and bill of rights.
I would never consider living there though for two main reasons i) one bad medical diagnosis and you are bankrupt.
ii) I would always worry that attempts would be made to teach nonsense to my children.
I'll stay in the UK where Darwin was voted #2 Britain of all-time, and quite rightly is even on our money (the 10 note to be precise).
Roy 72. -
stevorino0 — 13 years ago(October 19, 2012 01:25 PM)
OP has an underlying point which is right, but needs to not distract from his main point with non-sequiturs like slavery and KKK. Stick to what is relevent: the arguments presented by both sides in the movie are STILL being argued today. The religious in our country are willing to slow down and even counter the intellectual growth of our schools for the sole reason of protecting their bible.
The creationists main argument is not based in science, but in religion. It is for that reason that it looks silly when they try to outdo science with science. They are trying to beat science at their own game. The ongoing developments of science are seen as a threat to those who choose to interpret the bible literally. Afterall, how can you reconcile science, which says the earth is 4.6 billion years old, with the bible, which says the earth is 6000 years old? You can't, so they dont'. So instead they attempt to subvert evolution, by posing creation science as an equal competitor to evolution. The purpose of this is not to actually justify creationism as a legitimate science that's impossible. The purpose is just to put a question mark over evolution, that way they can convince their children that the bible is still potentially right.
Looks like this country still has a lot of growing up to do
"Who are you and how did you get in here?" "I'm a locksmithand I'm a locksmith." -
Bush_Pilot — 13 years ago(November 17, 2012 08:31 PM)
@skysaxon - You might try knowing a little something about history and events, instead of relying on Hollywood to educate you. The movie misrepresented the townspeople, Tennessee, and the south as bigoted mobs, and so called evil right-wing religious nuts when in reality the people treated Darrow kindly and with respect as Darrow himself testified to during the trial. Here is the quote from the 'real' trial transcript.. not the biased Hollywood left-wing version.
"I don't know as I was ever in a community in my life where my religious ideas differed as widely from the great mass as I have found them since I have been in Tennessee. Yet I came here a perfect stranger and I can say what I have said before that I have not found upon anybody's part-any citizen here in this town or outside, the slightest discourtesy. I have been treated better, kindlier and more hospitably than I fancied would have been the case in the north, and that is due largely to the ideas that southern people have and they are, perhaps, more hospitable than we are up north" -
MissyH316 — 13 years ago(March 02, 2013 11:23 AM)
Oh, I think a LOT has changed! God was essentially kicked out of public schools just about 3 years after this film was released. Since then, instead of it being illegal to teach Darwin's Theory of Evolution in public schools, it's illegal to teach the BIBLE in public schools!
And to what effect did this 180-degree change have on the USA? From that very controversial decision in 1963 of so-called "separation of church and state", the government's own statistics reflect how in terms of SAT scores, juvenile delinquency, teenage pregnancies, just to name a few, have also been turned completely upside-down!
Staring in the late 1940's, the U.S. Supreme Court started mis-interpreting the "separation of church and state" as "separation of church FROM state". To my understanding, this whole issue was addressed by our Founding Fathers NOT to keep religion of of public life, but to prohibit the government from establishing its own "state-run" church - like the way it was in England at the time when the Pilgrims started coming over here.
No, the Pilgrims weren't trying to escape FROM religion - they were wanting to escape having no freedom OF religion, to worship God as they wished to do, not necessarily the way the Crown said they HAD to do.
"Think slow, act fast."
Buster Keaton -
spongyryno — 12 years ago(July 23, 2013 01:36 PM)
Yes, it is truly scary. America is still oppressing teachers from teaching students multiple points of view to encourage them to challenge their own preconceived notions and think on their own. Only, now, the pendulum has swung all the way over to the other side, and now, anyone who dares teach that there is scientific validity to the theory of intelligent design, and that there are multiple theories for the origin of man can lose their job over it. And their pension. Its happened multiple times at colleges and universities.
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russedav — 12 years ago(October 19, 2013 08:10 AM)
Can't face the truth, can you. www.creation.com would clean your clock regarding the lying distortions of your religious bigotry if you dared to face it, an unlikely prospect in view of the sad cowardice of those who embrace evil, bigoted caricature propaganda lies like Inherit the Wind vs the truth. Also see the Scopes trial fraud ably exposed at
http://www.bradburyac.mistral.co.uk/tennesse.html -
Connie_n_Raymond_Marble — 12 years ago(March 22, 2014 06:23 PM)
The OP is right. If left unchecked, the religious fundamentalist who, basically, control the Tea Party would have false science (creationism) taught in our schools and have those who disagree thrown in jail. They are truly scary. Thankfully, the majority of Americans recognize them as the ignorant stains on humanity they are and fight the good fight to keep them from taking over.
We'll see who's the filthiest person alive! We'll just see! -
expatinasia — 11 years ago(February 18, 2015 09:13 AM)
Conservative Christians are trying to change America into a theocracy, and using Sharia law as described in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible. They want to change the allegiance of the President. Rather than putting his hand on the Bible, and swear to uphold the Constitution, conservatives want the President to put his hand on the Constitution, and swear to uphold the Bible.
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celts1-623-796382 — 11 years ago(February 18, 2015 10:42 AM)
Actually , I've been watching it for the first time in YEARS. It's even more frightening that's it's still happening today! I think the people that espoused that side of anti science crap are even more virulent in their attacks on common sense today because they can say it online and it's taken as fact. They have no idea how to do a fact check and would be too lazy to do it if they knew how.
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Tommen_Saperstein — 9 years ago(July 06, 2016 06:48 PM)
It's nice to see the US progressing toward secularism, very slowly and with much resistance, but the large number of young people leaving the religions of their parents in droves is at least a small comfort.