Christian Perspective on Star Trek

http://undiscoveredcountryproject.com/?p=338

An interesting interpretation of Kirk's final words

The article repeatedly says that Star Trek was anti-religion. I remember an episode in the original series where the Enterprise came across a planet where the population was divided, masters and slaves. The latter appeared to be sun worshippers, but at the end of the show, Uhuru corrected Kirk. "I've been listening to their transmissions...they worship the coming son!" And the captain says something like, "Wouldn't it be something to see it again?"

I hink that was "bread and circuses". The old show did have some episodes that were favorable to Christianity. Those episodes are said to be Gene's least favorite. Gene was a humanist who believed in the human potential to improve itself and evolve. 

I remember the creator of the M5 the AI that could theoretically captain a starship with a minimal crew. The machine's creator was a believer in God. In "who mourns for Adonias" Kirk makes a throwaway line about, "the One is enough". Kirk was referring to worshipping gods that the "One" was enough. In Captain's Summit dvd Shatner says Gene didn't like the ancient aliens themed episodes either. His faith was in humanity alone. Now the other powers that be would override Gene now and then. If they hadn't TOS wouldn't haven't been so good. 

I can recall numerous anti-religious and anti-faith comments as well. The Talosians referred to hell fire as a myth. McCoy in ST:II TWOK calls the creation story myth. Spock in ST:VI TUC he calls the painting in his quarters a depiction of the expulsion from paradise from human mythology. Alternate reality Sisko says humans don't believe in souls. Picard exclaims quite arrogantly humans haven't believed in a god figure in centuries. 

Star Trek is a mixed bag of fruit sometimes.

RRCmdrBennett wrote:Gene was a humanist who believed in the human potential to improve itself and evolve. 

And yet, by any measure, man himself has devolved. Technology serves to distract us from the fact that locally, nationally and internationally, things are going to heck in a handbasket. "Come, Lord Jesus" Rev 22:20

Man always thinks he can improve himself.

Science fiction can be enjoyable, especially when it pokes at things that actually happen here on earth. That's what made Star Trek enjoyable for me. Trouble arises, however, when you invest too much belief in the exceptionally small possibility of extraterrestrial life. It brings up all the what ifs...like "What about salvation for Klingons? Our savior only died once." Sigh.

I think we've got more than enough work to do here on Earth, than to spend any time worrying about whether Tribbles will go through tribulation.

joecool wrote:I think we've got more than enough work to do here on Earth, than to spend any time worrying about whether Tribbles will go through tribulation.  

You crack me up!

I think tribbles will be fine as long as they stay away from terra prime and Qo'noS.

wow I can't believe I missed this, I'm a massive Trekker.

I have an interesting perspective on trek. When I was young and dumb I gobbled it up without a second thought. Now that I look back, I have a few cringes, but still enjoy it as entertainment.

As far as religious, I would agree that Trek is a mixed bag, but often reflect the times. The TOS would have a few shows that had a positive view on Christianity, if not at least faith. TNG was very mixed one way or the other. DS9 is likely the series that dealt with faith the most as the CO was also a religious figure and as the series stayed in one spot with a very religious people, you at least got to see them going to temple and trying to maintain their faith in the middle of war. Voyager was very tech heavy, often it was the Doctor / Seven of Nine show. But it also was a mixed as when they would look into it they would go spiritualist with their Indian.

Looking back I have always found Trek FAR more political than religious. With just about every thing being for the good of the Federation it's space socialism.

How would you classify Star Trek Enterprise the prequel?  

I gobbled up all things Trek in the early '80s with it rerunning 5 nights a week and TNG came out in '87. My father took us out to see all the original and tng movies in the theaters. 

I agree trek has been more political than religious but at times the two are intertwined. The spiritual aspect of DS9 and the ongoing story arcs were great. It was the least sanitized version of the tng era treks. Voy without dr and seven wasn't all that great. I enjoyed it better after Kaazon were ditched and Borg were introduced. TNG was an answer to my prayers of seeing new trek episodes. It got a little silly with some of its lines about not enslaving animals for food, Wesley couldn't understand drug addiction or why people turn to drugs, and humanism. 

Enterprise was interesting concept to go back and see the founding, not all things were reset after each episode, and they couldn't just use technobabble to save the day. One incidental thing I noticed was an earth farmer shot a Klingon with a plasma rifle. Good to see 2A survives till the mid 22nd century.

I think Ent was good concept except I hated the alternate timeline / temporal war concept. A few eps here and there sure, but a full subplot to that concept just to get out of continunitiy issues. That felt cheap to me.

Frankly I think a better series would be to make a full four - five years out of Starfleet. Academy, but make it more like the training from Starship Troopers. If Starfleet is so tough, show us why and how. Plus they would get to have the 'young demo' they always want. Between gest instructors or holos, any guest star you wanted could come on

Seemed like the first few TNG episodes were all about "Q". I remember thinking if they're repeating the same stuff already, then it's going nowhere. I moved on and never went back.

I discovered Enterprise long after it was over. (thanks, Netflix!) My favorite of all the ST series. Real people trying to solve real problems. Like you said, Dan, no quick fixes with technology. The cast clicked from the first episode, and I loved them all. The TV screen got a little blurry when the engineer died. Saw Bakula in a later interview. Though he didn't use the word Christian, he did say that he believes in a spiritual dimension. Voyager? Horrible acting by everyone except the XO. The captain's voice was chalk screeching down the board. Gave up after a handful of episodes.

Season 3-4 of Ent got much better. As far as getting out of continuity issues time travel and unfixed incursions are canon and do happen. I always believed Ent was an alternate timeline created by TNG First Contact movie. There was a tie-in episode where Borg are awakened that were trapped in Antarctica. This clearly puts the series in a different coexisting universe/timeline. Much the same Star Trek 2009 and ST Into Darkness created a parallel reality from the point of Kirk's birth. 

I loved season 4 wih exception of the finale where Trip dies and its all a holodeck program retconned into the TNG episode Pegasus. Manny Coto made the series come back alive. 

I believe jn keeping major continuity but its impossible with such a large franchise to keep every throwaway line such and such alien said fit. Look at TOS they made it up as they we t along. One of the fav eps I Liked was the augments from Khan's era some wer preserved as embryos for centuries that were gestated in artificial wombs. This was used as a way to explain the temporary change in Klingons during TOS to smooth and back to ridged heads. All of the TNG era and Ent took 3-4 seasons to get good. 

Q was only in the pilot episode and 1 episode in each subsequent season. He was a recurring villian. He pops up in DS9 and VOY. While I liked him I was glad he was not introduced into Ent.

Out of dedication and interest in Trek, I've watched it all. I'm a rarity. I like DS9 the best. I feel it had the best character development and I like the grit of the War.
here, let me solidify my nerdness

I'm just like you I've seen it all. I even got to see STTAS on netflix when I used to subscribe. 

I always hought we should have gotten a movie out of DS9 even if just a made-for-tv movie like they did with B5.

That was an awesome DS9 trailer!

Its funny every good decision in Trek Gene initially was set against. He was against Stewart being cast as Picard. 

http://trekmovie.com/2010/08/13/patrick-stewart-on-his-lunatic-casting-as-picard/