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Create the Controversy: "Expelled" Movie Team to Bribe Moviegoers

News Type: Event — Tue Feb 5, 2008 3:51 PM EST

Photo by Guiri R. Reyes. (License: Creative Commons Attribution)

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You've heard the hooplah-- the premise of the film is that creationism and intelligent design are kept out of science classroom due to a conspiracy among scientists. The general argument falls along typical creationist lines: thousands of scientists out there believe creationism is science, but are simply too afraid to speak out. Well here's an interesting bit of information-- in an effort to boost opening weekend receipts, the makers of "Expelled" are willing to pay viewers to go see it.

Welcome to the Expelled Challenge web site where, as a Christian school or a Christian home school group, you will have a chance to win up to a $10,000 donation while educating your students, parents, and staff of the controversy that is surrounding the Intelligent Design and evolution debate. This is an extremely important project for those of us who believe our world was designed by a creator and not an act of random chance.

Apparently, some good folks who were in early got the breakdown on the bribery donations you can "earn", before the website was edited to removed the details. Here's the going rate for gaming the movie ratings system:

Your school will be awarded a donation based upon the number of ticket stubs you turn in (see submission instructions in FAQ section). That structure is as follows:

  • 0-99 ticket stubs submitted = $5 per ticket stub
  • 100-299 ticket stubs submitted = $1,000 donated to your school
  • 300-499 ticket stubs submitted = $2,500 donated to your school
  • 500 ticket stubs submitted = $5,000 donated to your school

Each school across the nation will be competing for the top honor of submitting the most ticket stubs with that school having their $5,000 donation matched for a total donation of $10,000!

Get that? At the top rate of donations per ticket stub, the producers of Expelled are willing to pay $10/ticket to get Christians to go see this movie-- more than the actual ticket price in most rural locations (our local theater charges $8.50/ticket). Here's the "Expelled Challenge FAQ, where there are still some telltale signs left of the subterfuge

we've found that hosting a school-wide "mandatory" field trip is the best way to maximize your school's earning potential. Send a field trip home with your middle school and high school students, have each child pay for their own ticket, then collect the stubs at the door once you get to the movie theater. With this model, you also will be able to benefit from the ticket stubs purchased by parents who choose to come as well.

...it is important for a movie to have a stellar showing at the box office on opening weekend. Therefore, we will only be able to accept stubs submitted within two (2) weeks of the movie releasing in your area.

Q: How soon will my school receive a check from the Foundation?
A: Within 60 days of the movie's release.

Interesting, isn't it? There's supposed to be a huge underground body of science savvy people who believe creationism is science, and yet the producers have to pay Christian churches to organize mandatory field trips in order to fluff up attendance numbers?

Niiiice.

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