I was reading this news article today. It discusses the fact that “Creation”, the new movie about the life of Charles Darwin has failed to secure a US distributor, as his theory of evolution has been deemed “too controversial” for American audiences. When I was done weeping over that particular extreme fact of Fail (which probably deserves an isabigot.com post of its own–though “American movie audiences” feels like too broad a target for one), I decided to investigate the assertion the article made concerning Movieguide.org. Specifically:
Christian review website Movieguide.org has branded Darwin as “a racist, a bigot and a 1800s naturalist whose legacy is mass murder”.
After a little searching on Movieguide.org, I found the reference, here. It’s illustrative to reprint the referenced paragraph in its entirety:
DARWIN’S RACISTS – YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW exposes the real Charles Darwin: a racist, a bigot and 1800’s naturalist whose legacy is mass murder. This well written book shows that Adolf Hitler, along with other genocidal mass murderers, was influenced by Darwin’s half-baked Theory of Evolution. This book exposes Darwin’s Theory of Evolution for what it is: an elitist and racist dogma that has infiltrated our every area of culture thereby undermining sense and sensibility.
See, this was one of those cases where I had figured the article was making inflated claims, or decontextualizing a statement inappropriately. Nope. Turns out the source material is being referenced euphemistically, if anything. So what the fuck is Movieguide.org’s deal? Originally a biweekly journal, it was founded by M. Robert E. Theodore Baehr, a manifestly insane right-wing fundamentalist Christian nutjob if ever there were one. He currently serves as its publisher and Editor-in-Chief. While the site’s stated mission is “helping parents use informed judgment when deciding what entertainment products are suitable for their families’ enjoyment” (noxious enough), its real job is, as evidenced, the dissemination of right wing Christian hate speech.
And it doesn’t stop there.
Baehr’s public relations company, “Kairos Marketing”, is apparently in the business of accepting payment for “consulting and promotional activities” on behalf of movies “reviewed” in Movieguide. Movies for which payment are accepted are always reviewed positively. If Kairos is not strictly speaking part of Good News Communications (the non-profit that publishes Movieguide), Kairos does “donate” to Good News Communications, and both organizations have the same face on the flag. It’s a clear example of Baehr using the site’s popularity with vagina farm Bible-hugging lunatics to feather his own nest. A hilariously familiar story that grows even more comical when you realize that Movieguide.org is desperately attempting to portray itself as some morally righteous “Hollywood watchdog.” When Baehr got totally busted in 2004 for his two-faced shilling (by a fellow Christian rag, no less), his response served as testimony to the lawyer he once was:
“We’ve lent our expertise to many movies – gratis, for the sake of helping God’s kingdom advance in this industry. In a few cases, after we approve of and review the movie according to our stringent criteria, we have been remunerated for our services through a sister organization set up for this purpose to help underwrite the extra time these promotional efforts required.”
Nice job, Doctor Goebbels. I mean Baehr. Drop us a line if you ever want to stop lying, being a greedy shill, poisoning people’s minds with filth, and publishing slanderous attacks on brilliant scientists who happen to be long dead. We’ll give you a job in our legal department.
Shining shoes.
September 29th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
Thanks for that, Einstein.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:29 am
Baehr is a complete idiot. Apparently he is also a closetted homosexual but I dont know if that is true or not.
October 27th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Ted Baehr is doing a great job. I am glad to see he is stirring up the stew, it shows there is a little life left in the pot.
October 27th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
Nice to see someone so comfortable openly celebrating facism and slander.
October 31st, 2009 at 10:11 am
I know someone who used to work for Ted Baehr. He requires his employees to call him “Dr.” Baehr, even though he is neither an MD nor a Ph.D. Baehr bullies his employees and even threatens them with violence. He’s a charlatan and an egomaniac. It’s a shame he misguides so many sincere, well-meaning Christians with messages of hate and self-righteousness.
December 23rd, 2009 at 12:54 pm
I love Movieguide.org it has helped me decide what movies to allow my children to see and what was not appropriate. I would like to know who decides the age allowed to see the content in certain movies, that decision should be up to the parents not Hollywood, that is why Ted Baehr’s input is VERY IMPORTANT to me!!
January 3rd, 2010 at 2:04 pm
Is Ted Baehr the parent of your children? It sounds to me like you’re giving him the same power you claim it’s wrong to give Hollywood. You should probably be aware, if you’re not already, the Hollywood doesn’t rate its own movies- people do. The selection for a ratings board works similarly to a jury selection.
Instead of relying on someone else to decide what’s good for your children, why not pay attention to the things they want to watch or read, watch it yourself, then decide if it’s appropriate.
January 13th, 2010 at 6:12 pm
Yes, “Ted Baehr is a vampire, he eats kids hearts, he’s actually Hitler who snuck in the US from Brazil after escaping from Germany.” Come on lots of ad hominems. Is this the best we can do? You guys are disgrace to us freethinkers everywhere. The xian fundy’s are going to crucify us with this sort of logic. If you dont like Baehrs private website dont use it. Stop whining for crying out loud. Or deal with the real arguments about why Darwin was not responsible for Hitler. That’s where I spend my energy, not whining like some imbeccillic vain frustrated prima donna teenager.
January 13th, 2010 at 6:33 pm
This comment would have merited a response were it produced by someone using a less obvious-troll pseudonym.
January 14th, 2010 at 10:10 pm
How is Ad Hominem an obvious pseudonym ?
January 15th, 2010 at 5:57 am
*pat head*
January 22nd, 2010 at 11:59 am
I am a Christian, and I love this article. So don’t led Ted Baehr and the rest of those fundamentalist bigots mask the truth underneath the religious institution. Any belief that becomes an organized pseudo-corporation is a religion. Jesus stood for a way of living and never advocated any “religion” whatsoever. In fact – he lived his life against the establishment – so Ted Baehr smells more like a pharisee than anything else.
February 5th, 2010 at 3:53 pm
I agree with Hville. I am a Christian, but I bear no resemblance to Ted Baehr. So many “christians” who are judgemental these days, give us a bad name, and distract everyone from the True Jesus. You are right , he is a Pharisee, stay away from him. Fundamentalists like Baehr, and the “religious right” are a cancer on the true followers of Jesus. so sad