Product Details

• Actors: Bill Harris, Jonathan Wells, Daniel Ely, Stephen Meyer, Warren Nord
• Directors: Brian Barkley
• Format: NTSC
• Region: All Regions
• Number of discs: 1
• Studio: New Liberty Videos
• DVD Release Date: April 18, 2007
• Run Time: 120 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000PLXFSI
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #282,523 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Fair and Balanced Presentation of the Controversy, July 7, 2007

By 

Kimberly Ann Blevins "Kimberly Ann Blevins" - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Teaching Origins Objectively (2 Hour Original Version) (DVD)

This DVD is long (two hours), and there is an even longer (five-hour) one available. Two hours is enough, I think, to appreciate the main points of the controversy surrounding teaching origins in public schools, using the evaluation regarding same in the state of Kansas.

This DVD covers a series of public hearings, taking place over a number of days, during which twenty different experts came to testify regarding the advisability of including Intelligent Design (ID) in the public school curriculum. The presenters ranged from university professors to a freelance media representative from Turkey. All presenters were advocating the inclusion of such material.

Prosecution (cross examination) was done by an attorney, counsel for a group self-identified as a scientific group (which, having been trained as a scientist myself, I question highly). Nevertheless, more often than not, his questions served as springboards into salient and succinct points made by the presenters. His own presentation was an hour and forty-five minutes long, however, only a portion is covered in this DVD. It was a ridiculous display of harassment and yelling toward the board (which was treated most respectfully by all the other presenters), and in the end, he breached rules by refusing to subject his own presentation to questions of any kind. Unbelievable that such intimidation tacts are tolerated; however, the chilling effect on the controversy is pervasive, as I learned myself during some twelve years in higher education, both as a student (from the undergraduate through the doctoral levels) and as a faculty member.

Mustafa Akyol was the Freelance Writer for Turkish and U.S. Media, a Muslim, and he pointed out that this debate in Kansas was of interest beyond the state, even beyond the United States to the world. In response to a question by one of the panelists (of the Board of Education in Kansas), he referred to a quote: In China, it is possible to question Darwin, but not to question the government; in the United States it is possible to question the government, but not to question Darwin. This contrast summarizes a key problem with neo-Darwinian evolution as currently advanced in educational institutions -- particularly public educational institutions, up to the highest level.

The hypothesis of neo-Darwinian evolution is embraced as a religion (by definition) and is advanced with intimidation tactics that kill the heart of what true science -- indeed, true objective inquiry -- is about!

This is not entertainment, it is serious debate on a critical issue that has untold bearing on the very way that vast multitudes are being taught to think about a core question ("From where do we come?") Both sides could benefit from watching this DVD, providing that both sides do so objectively.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must see Movie, September 15, 2009

By 

The Professor - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Teaching Origins Objectively (5+ Hour Extended Version) (DVD)

This film is most of the week long testimony of the 14 pro-intelligent design scientists at the Kansas school board meeting on the topic of teaching criticism of evolution. The testimony was very easy to follow and, aside from the understandable nervousness of some of those who testified, was excellent. They all did a good to excellent job even under the haranguing and, at times, obnoxious questions of the Darwinist's lawyer. The Darwinist's lawyer's behavior illustrates why lawyers have such a bad reputation in America. One student said after watching the 2 hour version of this film the "this guy is such a jerk." He did far more harm to the Darwinist's cause then good by his arrogant and openly nasty attitude. The fact that he would not allow the committee to ask him any questions was very telling. I purchased the 2 hour version, then the 6 hour version just to hear and watch the whole testimony and to observe the Darwinist's lawyer make a fool of himself (which he did).

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Essential 5+ hours (with entertainment from Pedro L. Irigonegaray) :D, May 1, 2011

By 

Konstantin (Inland Empire & San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Teaching Origins Objectively (5+ Hour Extended Version) (DVD)

Oh my, Pedro, Pedro what were you're smoking?

Please watch this! This is 100 % informative, and entertaining. That which is not informative about Intelligent Design per se, happens to be entertaining in the person of Pedro. Pedro is the most entertaining and funniest lawyer I have ever seen. :D

A lot could be said on the subject, and since this is abbreviated version (even thought it lasted 5+ hours) [ if you buy this, please buy extended version. Don't get 2 hours one ], lots of good presentations were recorded.
Biggest IRONY of whole this case is how VERY FIRST presentation PROPHESIED about the Pedro's attitude, role, and strategy to attack Intelligent Design.
I absolutely LOVED how Pedro asked everybody about their PERSONAL views, AS IF personal views modify nature of the reality, or if personal views render argument foolproof. Pedro, it is irrelevant if person believes in 6000 year old, 65 trillion year old, or infinitely old, or whatever. In philosophy this is usually called genetic fallacy. For example, if you're a member of even KKK and say 2+2=4, the facts of math are not contingent upon personal beliefs. 2+2=4 despite personal beliefs of those who pronounce that... WHY in the world would you want to know about their PERSONAL beliefs? Well.... perhaps to paint picture in mind of the masses that criticism of Neo-Darwinism, or Darwinism are based on personal beliefs? Well, if that was the case people would present their beliefs AS arguments. Since they presented arguments, deal with THOSE arguments which were presented. How hard is that?

@7:54 William Harris, presented a case in which he stated: "... the strategy of our opponents was to mis-characterize our position. and actually to malign those of us who presenting this position. They've consistently, and remarkably, in my mind, refused to engage in the discussion of the scientific substance of the issue. ... our opposition has chosen to fight this battle with name calling... [then he cites Liz Craig's post on the web as ] "my strategy at this point is the same as it was in 1999: notify national and local media about what's going on and portray them in the harshest light possible, as political opportunists, evangelical activists, ignoramuses, breakers of rules, unprincipled bullies, etc. There may no way to head off another science debacle, but we can sure make them look asses as they do what they do. our target is the moderates who are not that well educated about the issues, most of whom probably are theistic evolutionists. There is no way to convert creationists."
-- :D I take this last sentence as a compliment! There is no way with just-so stories to do that indeed!!! and not just creationists, but any person with sufficient exposure to the REAL issue.
But besides that, this is REALLY reminds me of ... [make your guess]... YES! Homosexual activists' agenda! ;) YAY! I am not sure if I am the only one who sees the comparison between those two issues, but think for a second. In contemporary American you can question ANYTHING except TWO things: reality of homosexual pathology, and reality of problems in neoDarwinian account of history. Those are the two sacred cows of ever-degrading American [and perhaps West's] culture. To prove my point, which is not really relevant to this DVD per se, but simply worth observation, I cite widely known strategy plan of pro-homosexual activists, as it was laid in their "After the Ball" book:
1.) Talk about gays and gayness as loudly and as often as possible.
2.) Portray gays as victims, not aggressive challengers.
3.) Give homosexual protectors a "just" cause.
4.) Make gays look good.
5.) Make the victimizers look bad.
6.) Solicit funds: the buck stops here. (i.e. get corporate America and major foundations to financially support the homosexual cause)."
Therefore, when I encounter BOTH pro-neoDarwinism activists, and pro-homosexual activists... I see the similarity in their dirty strategy. Makes you wonder... why do they take you as complete moron, and susceptible to their strategy.

All in all, I do not wish to spoil your interest in the DVD by giving summary of each presenter. I can say it consists of 5+ hours of abbreviated presentations from two dozen people, with another disc with entire transcript... if you're really interested in that.
Included in this DVD are:
-William Harris PHD
-Charles Taxton PHD (no video/audio due to technical issues)
-Johnathan Wells PHD
-Bruce Simat PHD
-Ralph Seelke PHD
-Edward Peltzer PHD
-Russel Carlson PHD
-John Sanford PHD
-Robert DiSilvestro PHD
-Bryan Leonard MS
-Daniel Ely PHD
-Roger DeHart BS (high school teacher, who became an easy target of Darwinist political agenda)
-Jill Gonzales-Bravo MA (middle school teacher)
-John Millam PHD
-Nancy Bryson PHD
-James Barham MA
-Stephen Meyer PHD (via video conference)
-Angus Manuge PHD
-Warren Nord PHD
-Mustafa Akyol (freelance writer for Turkish and US media)
-Michael Behe PHD
-John Calvert JD


If you REALLY interested in the issue, and REALLY willing to learn something new, especially from the source itself, not from distortions in the newspapers written by people who have no clue of what they're talking about ... BUY THIS AND WATCH.
You can play a role of a judge yourself! Do not read somebody who created a straw man out of Intelligent Design, and then attacked it.
Again if you're really open-minded, or interested in the subject you cannot let this video pass your attention. At this time there are not many videotaped resources to go around if you're interested in the subject. This is well worth the time and money. Pedro L. Irigonegaray's conclusive presentation is worth the money! [just kidding about Pedro's presentation. Pedro is funny though]