Expelled from Science

The recent film Expelled has received a lot of media exposure. I wonder if Ben Stein, the film’s host, had any idea what a stir his documentary would make. Stein once played a teacher whose student played hooky for a day in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986). Ferris got a day off. I got a whole semester off—because of my beliefs about creation!

It was 1977. Biology was required for just about every high school student in the country, except me. I had no idea that my request of my biology teacher would get me “expelled” from his course.

“Mr. K” was soft-spoken. He often wore a white lab coat and always stuck to the textbook. We got along well, until that day.

About halfway through the year, I asked to show a documentary about dinosaurs.

It had already been shown in thousands of public school classes, so Mr. K agreed. But, as he and my classmates were soon to discover, the film’s information was not in keeping with the textbook story.

The documentary showed evidence that humans and dinosaurs walked together. Before the film even finished, the man in the white lab coat turned off the clackety 16mm projector, flipped on the lights, and sternly told us to review our textbooks. The next morning I was presented with an offer I could not refuse.

Mr. K felt that I was a threat to the education of my classmates, so he worked it out for me to graduate without completing his course. Somehow he got the exception approved by both the principal and the district. Mr. K got me, effectively, expelled from his class.

But God used that event to open discussion with my peers. I ended up working for the organization that produced that documentary and eventually helped produce and distribute more like it.

Now I have the privilege to be part of what God is doing through Answers in Genesis. God took this “expelled” biology student and burdened me to get out the truth in any way possible to help reach my world for Christ.

Each one of us has an opportunity to share the wonders of the Creator. His ways are beyond knowing fully, but He definitely works all things together for good for those who are called according to His purpose!

Consider: What “setbacks” in your life may actually be stepping stones for spreading the truth about Him?

For the Creator’s glory,

Dale Mason, Publisher