Posted on 03/13/2002 3:13:17 PM PST by ReveBM
Okay, let me first off say that I am a big fan of the newest Star Trek series, Enterprise. I thought that the last series, Voyager, had gotten tired and had too many episodes revolving around the masturbatory holodeck. And, don't even get me started on the series before that, Deep Space 9, with its "angry pissed-off black man in space" theme.
The new Enterprise series has a freshness about it not seen in my opinion since the original series of 1967-69, what with the swashbuckling Captain Kirk. A good slice of the new series' appeal for me is its handsome, rugged, all-American Captain, Jonathan Archer.
One particular episode, though, rubbed me the wrong way. If you've watched the series you may remember the pivotal episode where they visit the "Great Plume of Agasoria", a stellar object that has religious significance for many alien peoples. Smack in the middle of this episode, the alien doctor pointedly asks Captain Archer whether he has a faith (I don't remember the exact wording, he may have used religion or some other wording).
Captain Archer's response: "I try to keep an open mind".
Let's step back a bit and realize that in the Star Trek universe at this point Earth is just emerging from a hard 100+ years of recovering from nuclear war. If there were ever a time for people to turn to God, perhaps it would have been in the aftermath of that holocaust. However, not so for the boys at Star Fleet.
Perhaps in the Star Trek future, people who are religious do not go into space, staying on their farms (as shown in the first episode of the series) or perhaps forming small communities on spacefaring cargo ships (as shown in another episode). However, religious people don't seem to go into Star Fleet, to my knowledge. It's fine and understandable to run across aliens who are committed religiously, particularly the Vulcans, but I have yet in my memory to run across a significant Star Trek character who is committed to Christianity. You might think I'm harping on Christianity in particular, but it's not only a major and still-growing religion in our world today, but it's the dominant religion in the United States, which fields a large portion of visible Star Fleet personnel, perhaps due to the San Francisco location of its training center (or perhaps many other people in the world died during nuclear war)?
Wait, I get it, maybe religious people are somehow screened out during Star Fleet Academy, perhaps for unacceptable views they might have on one or another topic.
Let's also not forget that in the future, at least according to Star Trek, there is no capitalism at some point. The description of how this happens and in what century is vague, but I vividly remember more than one Star Trek Captain saying that in the future they don't use money anymore, just look to expand their "human potential". Thank God for the Ferengi.
Star Trek is written by writers and reflects their view of what the future will be like. They obviously seem to assume that Christianity and capitalism will die out over the generations. This reflects the fondness of liberals in particular to enter our schools and inculcate our young people so that they don't have unacceptable, politically incorrect views among the future generations, whether regarding homosexuality or some other topic.
It would have been extremely refreshing to have had Captain Archer at LEAST say "Yes, I have a faith, but it's very personal to me" and leave it at that.
Whether Christianity could survive the discovery of intelligent life on other planets is a topic for another day. I have read some science fiction suggesting it could. Others may disagree.
Have a nice day!
Little Green Men exist in Star Trek. Therefore, the bible was proven a novel (Which, I think it is) the day the Vulcans landed on earth (2064??). It makes sense that Star Trek doesn't recognize God. (At least the way the Bible says we should recognize him).
Sorry...You can't have it both ways. Either you believe in the bible or you believe NOTHING like Star Trek will EVER be true. (Thus, a lot of my problem with organized religions).
Just my thoughts...
But think about the poor guy who developed the replicator -- he's not going to make any money off his invention because he just basically destroyed the economy. How is anyone going to buy one of these things? Anything they offer for one can just as simply be made by the replicator. Replicators are like free energy -- they are simply too dangerous to an economy to allow to exist.
At the same time, I don't spend my time poring over the bible looking for references to automobiles or nuclear war, I take it as it is and let it inspire me with prayer and reflection.
At a minimum for my faith not to be shaken by contact with intelligent alien cultures, I would have to see *some* evidence of the same God that I worship in their own culture.
I am not an expert on this subject, but when Western missionaries first started visiting China and studying Chinese, they were excited by what they believed were references to the Christian God embedded within the Chinese calligraphy system itself. These ideas are still taught today among Chinese-speaking Christians. I would at a minimum look for some reference to a concept of sin and a need for an intermediary for remission of sins.
I think the Ferengi could be a big problem, unless Christians just decide they are the spawn of Satan...
There are science fiction novels that explore this theme. Not many, but they're out there and some are quite good. I don't remember any titles or authors just now (perhaps someone will chime in with that info) but I recall one where we encountered a species with no concept of sin. Possibly "A Case of Conscience" by James Blish. And there's another novel where God abandons humans and makes a covenant with the aliens instead. If I recall the ending, the humans declare: "He has chosen a worthy adversary."
I really can't bust their chops over that plot. It is simply another retread of a well-worn story, as follows:
*****************************************
(snip)
The general puffed at his cigarette.
"After the debacle in Russia I left the country, for it was imprudent for an officer of the Czar to stay there. Many noble Russians lost everything. I, luckily, had invested heavily in American securities, so I shall never have to open a tearoom in Monte Carlo or drive a taxi in Paris. Naturally, I continued to hunt--grizzliest in your Rockies, crocodiles in the Ganges, rhinoceroses in East Africa. It was in Africa that the Cape buffalo hit me and laid me up for six months. As soon as I recovered I started for the Amazon to hunt jaguars, for I had heard they were unusually cunning. They weren't." The Cossack sighed. "They were no match at all for a hunter with his wits about him, and a high-powered rifle. I was bitterly disappointed. I was lying in my tent with a splitting headache one night when a terrible thought pushed its way into my mind. Hunting was beginning to bore me! And hunting, remember, had been my life. I have heard that in America businessmen often go to pieces when they give up the business that has been their life."
"Yes, that's so," said Rainsford.
The general smiled. "I had no wish to go to pieces," he said. "I must do something. Now, mine is an analytical mind, Mr. Rainsford. Doubtless that is why I enjoy the problems of the chase."
"No doubt, General Zaroff."
"So," continued the general, "I asked myself why the hunt no longer fascinated me. You are much younger than I am, Mr. Rainsford, and have not hunted as much, but you perhaps can guess the answer."
"What was it?"
"Simply this: hunting had ceased to be what you call `a sporting proposition.' It had become too easy. I always got my quarry. Always. There is no greater bore than perfection."
The general lit a fresh cigarette.
"No animal had a chance with me any more. That is no boast; it is a mathematical certainty. The animal had nothing but his legs and his instinct. Instinct is no match for reason. When I thought of this it was a tragic moment for me, I can tell you."
Rainsford leaned across the table, absorbed in what his host was saying.
"It came to me as an inspiration what I must do," the general went on.
"And that was?"
The general smiled the quiet smile of one who has faced an obstacle and surmounted it with success. "I had to invent a new animal to hunt," he said.
"A new animal? You're joking." "Not at all," said the general. "I never joke about hunting. I needed a new animal. I found one. So I bought this island built this house, and here I do my hunting. The island is perfect for my purposes--there are jungles with a maze of traits in them, hills, swamps--"
"But the animal, General Zaroff?"
"Oh," said the general, "it supplies me with the most exciting hunting in the world. No other hunting compares with it for an instant. Every day I hunt, and I never grow bored now, for I have a quarry with which I can match my wits."
Rainsford's bewilderment showed in his face.
"I wanted the ideal animal to hunt," explained the general. "So I said, `What are the attributes of an ideal quarry?' And the answer was, of course, `It must have courage, cunning, and, above all, it must be able to reason."'
"But no animal can reason," objected Rainsford.
"My dear fellow," said the general, "there is one that can."
"But you can't mean--" gasped Rainsford...
(snip)
- Excerpt from The Most Dangerous Game, by Richard Connell ***********************************************
Star Trek, in all of it's forms, has "borrowed" from literature. If this upcoming episode will be about hunting sentient animals, I'm inclined to see it as a re-telling of the above story. BTW, Gilligan's Island did an episode based on that story, too, FWIW.
This will be interesting indeed. At least in the past, when Trek writers "borrowed" plots (i.e.: "Arena"), they were fairly faithful to the original story. If they turn *this* story into a blanket statement against hunting, they will be discarding the original message in favor of current leftist thinking (valuing animals more than people). My response will be swift and brutal: "Tribble Skeet".
Not only hated but obviously a first class liberal of Baldwin proportions. Here is an excerpt from one of the little sphincters earlier flatulations:
"Here's what I think: I currently live in The Corporate States of America. George Bush was appointed CEO by the Board of Directors, and we, the people, are just the pesky shareholders. But we don't even have the good stock, so they really don't have to listen to us, and they rarely do."
Actually I'm glad to find out that this freak is such a flaming liberal.
Annoying Twerp <--> Flaming Liberal
Yes, the universe is OK!
First the Captain, while visiting with an alien race that was activly engaged in a panned game hunt that "hunting grew out of fashion centuries ago in our culture".
Strike one...
Then the captain winds up in contact with one of the species hunted and he gives them a "cover scent" so to speak to help "level the playing field".
He proceeds to ridicule the alien species for hunting.... and their lack of success......
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