Not only will Angels & Demons likely jump start conversations about physics, as some scientists hope, but the summer blockbuster will also be a launching pad for audiences to drive home discussing the relationship between science and religion.
I'm heading up to Georgetown tonight to check out the film and will have more to report on this angle. But for now, check out this short trailer put together by the Angels & Demon's publicity team addressing the science and religion theme in the film.
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"More vomit! Damn it, I need more vomit!"
This is just not right. Orac finds some wacky spiritualist 'healer' who claims to have the cause for diabetes: a demon, the great spirit squid of doom. What? A squid demon?
If you're partial to humor about demons (and all you atheists — you know you are), check out DEMONS, a webcomic, sort of. It's an interesting way to use YouTube, and I also rather like the mockery of Faithmole.
Yesterday I made the offhand comment, "Say what you will about creationists, some of them have genuine critical thinking skills." I followed that up by adding "garbage in, garbage out." My meaning there may have been obscure, and commenter
Based on the trailer, here's what I took to be the message: Science is progressive, curious but naive, and destructive. The church is old, wise, and behaves like an authoritarian parent.
As far as stereotypes are concerned, nothing new.
I would like to believe that this movie could spark an intelligent debate on science and religion, but it seems unlikely. There is just too much ingrained ignorance out there about the history of science, and Angels and Demons does nothing to inform.