Darwin’s Doubt by Stephen Meyer is a landmark in the public discussion of intelligent design. For the first time in history, a book presenting the scientific evidence for intelligent design in biology has landed on the New York Times bestseller list. As a result, the critics of intelligent design are even crankier and angrier than usual (if that’s possible!); and they are doing their best to suppress interest in the book by waging a campaign of character assassination and disinformation.

To get a taste of what’s going on, you need only peruse the content of many of the negative reviews posted at Amazon.com (often by people who clearly haven’t read Meyer’s book). Instead of respectfully disagreeing with Meyer or providing an evidence-based critique of his actual arguments, the “reviews” consist largely of personal attacks and insults like the following:

• “MORE MENDACITY FROM MEYER”
• “an intentional effort to deceive and confuse”
• “this piece of crap”
• “just another smooth piece of BS, meant to mislead those who don’t really know much about the subject… he [Meyer] lacks fundamental intellectual honesty.”
• “Pseudo-science is bad for everyone. This book should be considered kin to screaming fire in a crowded theater. It’s [sic] lies can only do harm.”
• “the same nonsense parroted by creationists everywhere… do not buy this book to line this fraud’s pocket… Leave this steaming pile if [sic] pseudoscience where it belongs.”

Contrast these pseudo-reviews by Darwinian activists to what real scientists are saying about Darwin’s Doubt:

“It’s hard for us paleontologists to admit that neo-Darwinian explanations for the Cambrian explosion have failed miserably….Meyer describes the dimensions of the problem with clarity and precision. His book is a game changer.” —Dr. Mark McMenamin, paleontologist, Mt. Holyoke College and co-author of The Emergence of Animals (Columbia University Press)

“Darwin’s Doubt represents an opportunity for bridge-building rather than dismissive polarization—bridges across cultural divides in great need of professional, respectful dialogue—and bridges to span evolutionary gaps.” —Dr. George Church, Professor of Genetics, Harvard Medical School

“Darwin’s Doubt is by far the most up-to-date, accurate, and comprehensive review of the evidence from all relevant scientific fields that I have encountered in more than forty years of studying the Cambrian explosion.”—Dr. Wolf-Ekkehard Lönnig, Senior Scientist Emeritus, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research

“Meyer demonstrates, based on cutting-edge molecular biology, why explaining the origin of animals is now not just a problem of missing fossils, but an even greater engineering problem at the molecular level….An excellent book and a must read.” —Dr. Russell Carlson, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia

“Darwin’s Doubt is an intriguing exploration of one of the most remarkable periods in the evolutionary history of life…. No matter what convictions one holds about evolution, Darwinism, or intelligent design, Darwin’s Doubt is a book that should be read, engaged and discussed.” —Dr. Scott Turner, Professor of Biology, State University of New York

Make no mistake, the efforts to denounce Darwin’s Doubt and to demonize its author are little more than rhetorical bullying. Some Darwinist true believers are apparently so afraid of the potential impact of Meyer’s book that they want to keep others from reading it. Given the shameful way in which the Darwin lobby treated atheist Thomas Nagel when he simply criticized Darwinian materialism (without embracing intelligent design) in his book Mind and Cosmos, the campaign to smear Darwin’s Doubt isn’t exactly surprising.

You can help push back against the demonization and disinformation by spreading a new short video designed to promote the truth about Darwin’s Doubt and the debate over intelligent design. The video highlights the bestseller status of the book, the scientists who have endorsed it, and clips of Stephen Meyer articulating what his book is really about:

By circulating this new video to your family, friends, and acquaintances, you will help promote constructive discussion about the evidence for intelligent design in nature. And you will be standing up for genuine free speech in science on the origin and development of life.

You can also help promote open discussion by going to Amazon and posting an honest review of Meyer’s book. If you haven’t read Meyer’s book yet, you can weigh in by voting for the most thoughtful reviews and by voting down the ad hominem rants by those who haven’t read the book.

And, of course, if you haven’t purchased your own copy of Darwin’s Doubt you can do that as well! Or you can purchase a copy as a gift for your favorite college student or friend or family member.