| | On the other hand, those critical of the miracles of the Bible are portrayed as eminently reasonable people who must suffer abuse, threats and ignorance from fundamentalist Christians. | | On the other hand, those critical of the miracles of the Bible are portrayed as eminently reasonable people who must suffer abuse, threats and ignorance from fundamentalist Christians. |
| − | The evidence suggests that the inaccuracies in the play and film Inherit The Wind are substantive, intentional and systematic. Christians, and particularly William Jennings Bryan, are consistently lampooned throughout the play, while sceptics and agnostics are portrayed as intelligent, kindly, and even heroic. I cannot escape the conclusion that the writers of ''Inherit The Wind'' never intended to write a historically accurate account of the Scopes trial, nor did they seriously attempt to portray the principal characters and their beliefs in a fair and accurate way.<ref>Menton, David, [http://creationontheweb.com/content/view/682 Inherit the Wind: an historical analysis], ''Creation'' 19(1):35–38, December 1996</ref>}} | + | The evidence suggests that the inaccuracies in the play and film ''Inherit The Wind'' are substantive, intentional and systematic. Christians, and particularly William Jennings Bryan, are consistently lampooned throughout the play, while sceptics and agnostics are portrayed as intelligent, kindly, and even heroic. I cannot escape the conclusion that the writers of ''Inherit The Wind'' never intended to write a historically accurate account of the Scopes trial, nor did they seriously attempt to portray the principal characters and their beliefs in a fair and accurate way.<ref>Menton, David, [http://creationontheweb.com/content/view/682 Inherit the Wind: an historical analysis], ''Creation'' 19(1):35–38, December 1996</ref>}} |
| − | Simultaneously conceding and denying their deception, the play's authors wrote in their preface that the play "does not pretend to be journalism. It is theatre. It is not 1925. The stage directions set the time as 'Not too long ago.' It might have been yesterday. It could be tomorrow."<ref>http://www.novelguide.com/InherittheWind/toptenquotes.html</ref>. | + | Simultaneously conceding and denying their deception, the play's authors wrote in their preface that the play "does not pretend to be journalism. It is theatre. It is not 1925. The stage directions set the time as 'Not too long ago.' It might have been yesterday. It could be tomorrow.".<ref>http://www.novelguide.com/InherittheWind/toptenquotes.html</ref> |
| | Nevertheless, the fictionalisation is virtually all in the direction of vilifying Christians. | | Nevertheless, the fictionalisation is virtually all in the direction of vilifying Christians. |