THE EVOLUTION CONSPIRACY (1988)
reviewed by Lorne Marshall
Watch this short film and take a trip down memory lane. Remember when Arkansas tried to give "equal time" to the teaching of creationism in public school classrooms? Remember when the anti-evolution movement thought that their most hated antagonist was on its deathbed? Remember when Paul Kurtz (who has a cameo) was still in the AHA?
Based on a book with the same name, this is an attempt by fundamentalists to explore the conflict between creationism and evolution (which those on the side of the former continually insist is not a conflict between religion and science) in less than an hour. One of the weapons employed is interviews with the least telegenic and eloquent spokespersons for evolution to be found. By comparison, the testimonies offered by young-Earth advocates who dispute various aspects of the dreaded theory seem quite convincing.
The last twenty minutes of the show examines what at that time was an extremely wishful mission, that evolution and creation could be taught side-by-side in public schools. In the spirit of democracy, one proposal mentioned is that students should be presented with "both sides" and be allowed to pick which one is right, as though science education is analogous to choosing ice cream flavors.
Although this product is so slick, if you turned the volume all the way down you could mistake it for an episode of "Nova," there are plenty of ignorant howlers to make you smile. For example, regarding transitional forms, if there are dogs and cats, we should find "cogs and dats" in the fossil record, shouldn't we?!
One expert who appears throughout the show is geologist John Morris of the Institution for Creation Research. He offers this argument against evolution: "If evolution has ever occurred, it was not observed, and therefore it's outside the realm of science. It's inaccessible to scientists and the scientific method." Don't forget, Mr. Morris is a geologist. I wonder if he questions the existence of rocks, since I doubt he was present when they were created, either.
THE EVOLUTION CONSPIRACY was produced by Jeremiah Films, who made somewhat of a reputation for doing these pro-Christian fundamentalism diatribes linking everything that tends to dispute their beliefs with New Age-ism. (The subtitle is "A Quantum Leap into the New Age.") This is why the eminent scholar Shirley MacLaine's photo appears during the opening sequence while the evolutionary postulate is described!
The notice at the conclusion of the picture reads like a tagline in the end credits of a James Bond movie, inviting you to watch for the upcoming sequel titled "The Evidence for Creation." But it's more like a punchline to the humanist. I've searched, but over the last dozen years, no Christian book/video store has ever been able to locate it in any of their ordering catalogues. Surprise.