Duped or Deceived?

Richard Dawkins, PZ Myers and Eugenie Scott have all been quoted as saying they were duped into thinking that a movie company was making a documentary called ‘Crossroads – The Intersection of Science and Religion.’ All these people agreed to appear in this film with the understanding that it would be about the debate between Creationism and Darwinism. They said they were given no idea that the project would morph into a Creationist diatribe called ‘Expelled,’ starring Ben Stein as a rabid, militantly ignorant, ID proponent who likens Darwinists to Adolf Hitler.

I don’t think they were duped any more than we were when Wendy Ward from Rampant Films and her cameraman, Nathaniel, came to our Darwin Birthday concert in February, 2007 at the UCSD School of Medicine in La Jolla, California. These two approached us, saying that they were in production of a documentary film, called ‘Crossroads – The Intersection of Science and Religion.’ They said they were interested in asking us a few questions about the evolution vs Intelligent Design controversy in America today. Being duped meant we were all tricked into believing this film would be fair and rational. However, they intended to ‘put one over on us’ and use us as the butt of their derision. We were all deceived – plainly and simply, we were lied to.

Before The Opossums of Truth performed their annual Darwin Birthday concert, complete with songs about Charles Darwin, evolution, other heroes of science and rationalism, we talked with the film crew about the future use of their film. We all signed permission slips, letting them film the concert, but I specifically added under my signature, that they could not use this filming of our concert until I, as manager and agent for the band, saw a preview of how we were going to be portrayed in the film. I know Creationists well. I was suspicious from the moment they told me who they were and what they wanted. However, the film company sounded legitimate and their movie title sounded fair, so I agreed to let them film. But at the back of my mind, during our interviews, I knew that I had to protect the band and myself from being taken out of context. I asked over and over again, “are you sure this isn’t a Creationist movie?” I queried them over and over and demanded – “we must see the finished film before we approve of our being in it!” If they didn’t, Dawkins, Myers and Scott should have done the same thing.

I have not seen the film and do not know if we appear in it or are on the cutting room floor because of my caveat when signing my permission slip. However, if these deceitful people would lie to our faces, then they sure as hell would have burned those permission slips with my warning to them about putting us in a film I had not reviewed prior to being released to the general public.

The film was scheduled to be released this year on February 12th, the birthday of Charles Darwin. It has not been released to general audiences as of now. If Creationists have to stoop so low as to lie about their intentions, then how valid is their viewpoint if it cannot stand the light of day. Religion is about beliefs; science is about facts. There is no controversy here. The two disciplines ask totally different questions and demand different answers. Creationists’ beliefs belong in the Dark Ages, along with the Flat Earth proponents.