INHERIT THE WIND
Michael Grey's film, Inherit the Wind illuminates the controversy between the Christian theory of creation and the scientific theory of evolution. A biology teacher is arrested for illegally teaching evolutionism to his class which is seen as a conflict between social and intellectual values.
Welcome to Hillsboro!
The Evil is believed to be in town and he is trying to take over the soul of the young and innocent children. An evil biology teacher is teaching evil things, he talks about Darwin's theory of Evil-utionism. Teaching about evolution is against the law in the town of Hillsboro.
The new teaching says, that human was not created by a higher intelligence, but it developed over millions of years. There was and there is no higher intelligence, only us human created the concept for self comfort.
People are suspicious. They believe science is against religion.
Bert Cates, the young teacher, is imprisoned in the jail for teaching evolution to his biology class. The town firmly believes that Cates is wrong and awaiting for Matthew Harrison Brady the "big-shot" prosecuting attorney to come to town to prosecute Cates.
However it is highly unusual to imprisone a biology teacher just because he talks about science in class. There might be something good coming out of this "queer" situation. There might be something the town can learn from its educated prisoner.
"Long as I've been bailiff here, we've never had nothin' but drunks, vagrants, couple of chicken thieves...Seems kinda queer havin' a schoolteacher in our jail. Might improve the writin' on the walls." (6)
Cates' fiance Rachel urges him to tell the town he is sorry and what he did was wrong. She wants him to comform with society and accept the Bible as an only source of legitimate information about the world. "Where we came from, where are, where we're going?...All the answers to those questions are in the Bible." (34)
Rachel: Why cant you admit you're wrong?
Cates: "Man wasn't just stuck hee like a geranium in a flower pot. Living comes from a long miracle, it didn't just happen in seven days!" (18)
Can we really all believe literally what the Bible says? We should ask questions and look for answers!
Town people in front of the courthouse geathering. They are selling Bibles and holding banners. They believe in the Bible and they are afraid from science. They are afraid from losing their faith if they are exposed to the facts of science.
The banners say: "Where will you spend eternity? Buy a Bible! Your guidebook to eternal life!" (14)
The crowd is yelling: "Down with Darwin! Darwin is wrong!" (18) Jesus Christ will cast all sinnes into the lake of fire on The Day of Judgement!!! They are threathening those who won't follow the teaching of the Bible and might be interested in Darwin's theories. However the Holy Bible supposedly gives history, guidance, and comfort to people, and teaches tolerance and understanding. People should gravitate toward religion on their own. They should not be forced to follow any belief. Cates can hear their chanting from his cell and he says:
"Religion suppose to comfort people not frighten them to death," (77)
The crowd singing: "gimme that old-time religion, It's good enough for me!" (19)
People don't want to hear new ideas, not interested in learning, they are happy with the one they know. They don't want to stir up their life with anything new and unknown to them.
Rachel is thinking: "A schoolteacher is a public servant: I think he should do what the law and the school-board want him to." (33)
Does not matter if the law is good or bad we should follow it regardless! Free thinking is trouble.
We all think and process information, even if it is forbidden to us. Can the law tell you what to think?
"The right to think is very much on trial." (72)
How can a trial be fair when one party cannot have the same rights as the other. Talking about science in front of the jury was forbidden.
Brady: I want a fair trial. Drummond: So do I. (47)
Sometimes we believe in our own rightness so much that we wan't to force it on others too even if that means their spiritual and/or phisycal destruction. We may think that our opinion is the universal truth.
Brady: "It is possible to be overzealous, to destroy that which you hope to save." (66)
"God spake to the men who wrote the Bible...God tells me to oppose the evil techings" (98)
Every word in the Bible is valid because God told the man what to write. All needs to be done to follow the teachings of the Bible word by word and refuse to listen to anything else.
Some people want to force their religion on others using the educational system. They go so far that they forbid to teach about sciences and progress in the class.
"You know that's not true. I'm trying to stop you bigots and ignoramuses from controlling the education of the United States! And you know it! (98)
Can knowledge and learning do people any harm? Can free thinking hurt people? Can science destroy morals and social norms?
"Did it [learning about Darwin] do you any harm? You still feel resonably fit?...Havent't murdered anybody since breakfast?" (73)
People worry that science may destroy faith. Contradicting the Bible might shatters their souls and spirit.
"Ask him if his Holy Faith in the scriptures has been shattered..." (73)
The scientist, those who could talk about the facts of evolution are not allowed to speak infront of the court. Their argument might be very convincing for the audiance, not to mention those who will listen to the radio or read the papers about the trial. The defendant might walk free and the law might be changed.
The Evolutionists want to take away our faith, our glorious past and to destroy our social order, and to poison the new generation to recruit follovers of their Godless science.
"I say that these Bible-haters, these Evil-utionist, are brewers of poison...I tell you, if this law is not upheld, this boy will become one of a generation, shorn of its faith by the teachings of Godless science!" (70)
Who won? "I am not sure. Did I win or did I lose?" (122)
Science versus Religion? This kind of argument can never be won.
"You don't suppose this kind of thing is ever finished, do you?" (123)
Be open minded! Study science, but also learn about religion and about the beliefs of others.
"The man who has everything figured out is probably a fool." (55)
Science and religion are both beneficial to mankind. Science helps advance our civilization and religion comforts us.
