Ben Stein

Benjamin Jeremy Stein (born November 25, 1944, in Washington, D.C.) is an American lawyer, economist, law professor, actor, comedian, author and former White House speechwriter. He was in the controversial intelligent design film Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.

Ben Stein speaking in 2006.

Sourced quotes

• "Humans are alive, therefore life must be complex."    

Simple: Humans are living, so life is very complex.

• "Yes, it has made my belief in that [Intelligent Design] much stronger. It has pointed out something which haunted me ever since I learned about Darwinism, which is, Where did it all start? How did life start? Darwinism has nothing to say about that--nothing useful, anyway--but I think Intelligent Design has a great deal to say about it."    

Simple: Making Expelled has made me believe in Intelligent Design even more. It has shown me the answers to things I did not know since I learned Darwinism, they are, Where did everything start? How did life start? Darwinism does not say anything about that, it says nothing useful. I think that Intelligent Design says very much about that.

• "But will eradicating religion really lead to a modern utopia? Let me try to imagine that and let's let history be our guide."    

Simple: If we destroy religion, will it make the world a great place? We should just let history show us what is right.

About the quote: Said in Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.

Unsourced quotes

• "I call a spade a spade. I call a horse a horse. And I call an ape an ape. I don't call it Grandma."

What it means: He believes in plain speaking and his grandmother is not an ape.

Other websites

• Ben Stein on Wikipedia