Religion in Prometheus - Essay Example

Religion in Prometheus Number May 5, Faculty Religion in Prometheus Introduction Just like the puzzle about Christianity, the Prometheus scientific-fiction film has received serious condemnation from among the believers and non-believers (Grayling, 2012). Such quick condemnation may in one perspective be viewed to mean that people are reluctant to appreciate the religious and philosophical insights into this film. It has proven hard for many to figure out the actual intent of the movie given that the film merely spells everything in it. While a few of the people appreciate the mythological themes in it, the majority are for its refutation. We are then prompted to ask, what is the connection between science and religion? The key to Prometheus is the spoiler alert. In its proposition, the engineers with their religion of self-sacrifice are said to have seeded life on earth and elsewhere. Inferring from the film, the crucifixion of Jesus about 2000 years ago is said to have prompted a civil war among the engineers. The theme of the war was founded on the meaning of the Cross Event as practised on earth. The Argument Ridley Scotts Prometheus has become the most debated film of the summer. It is beautiful and significant and presents human questions that appear the most primary of the time (Hey, 2008). However, whether the questions are asked well in the film and if the responses given out of that are satisfactory is debatable. One of the most controversial and intriguing thematic concern of the films is the involvement of an overt discussion of faith and science. The character of Dr Elizabeth is a scientist whose father was a missionary in the Catholic Church. The controversy arises in her character. The argument is pegged on the fact that she maintains her religious faith despite her argument for the evidence that an alien ancient species had used genetic engineering to create humanity in its image. Instead of questioning the concept of a supernatural creator, Elizabeth shifts her belief to the credence of an intergalactic God who made the creator species. The 1968 ‘Chariots of the Gods book by Erich Daniken promotes the pseudoscience ‘ancient astronaut theory (Juhant & Žalec, 2011). It is quite interesting to imagine how the scientific community would react to Scotts move to embrace this approach. However, it would be more interesting to contemplate the reaction of the religious communities to its plotline. The belief in an external force that plays a role in the creation of humanity could be a concept that has the potential for both anger and delight among the religious groups. It should be understood that the film’s postulation of the descent of humanity from an ancient alien disputes the participation of God in the creation of humanity. In another perspective, the film ardently supports the idea that the development of humanity required direct help from an external entity. The so-called outside entity could be referring to Gods participation in the creation process. Nonetheless, there is an open possibility created in the film that a supernatural being accounts for the larger part of the creation. A number of books and theological materials have been written to address the controversy surrounding the issues of religion, scientific fiction and fantasy. Among the recent of these materials are booked on religion, science and cinema that examine a number of ways in which the Christian communities have responded to the scientific depictions in films. Prometheus is not the first and may not be the last science fiction film to present matters relating to religion and science in its plot involving extra-terrestrial visitors (McLelland, 2004). The mythology of the coming of aliens to earth remained a rarity in the science fiction films up to the 1950s. According to ‘The Day the Earth Stood Still in 1951, a visitor came to earth from the heavens and brought the message of love and peace. According to the theory, the visitor was murdered by the authorities but resurrected and promised to return before he left for the heavens. The similarities and parallels of this mythology to the Christian story of the coming, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is hard to refute. The Public Code Administration, a Hollywood censorship board through its head Breen Joseph, rejects the belief that the messianic character Klaatu resurrected through the use of science and technology. However, in a move that appears as avoidance of offending the Christian believers, a dialogue involving Klaatu confirms the absence of the power of death and life in the robot god. Instead, Klaatu confirms that such power was only preserved for the Almighty Spirit. Founded in 1934 and with strong ties to the Catholic Church, the PCA addressed matters that related to morality in Cinema. The board was sensitive to the overt depictions about religion and particularly the juxtaposition of religion and science in films that involved alien visitors (Stenger, 2012). For example, in the 1953 ‘War of the Worlds’ novel by Wells that pictured technology advanced alien invaders, the controversy of the board on such matters was clearly depicted. According to the novel, religion is explained to be the last refuge for the desperate people. The board sought the certification of the religious angles in the film by a theologian which resulted in its approval on the basis that it privileged religion over science. More recent films have notably depicted the aliens as God like saviours. A mixed reaction from the Christian community to these movies has been witnessed. The 2000 ‘Mission to the Mars film, for example, which has a similar plotline to the Prometheus presents an ancient Martian race that seeds the galaxy; earth included with its DNA. Christians reacted to the film in a mixed way with some appreciating its concept and others utterly refuting it. The Prometheus may be no exception from the previous similar films.While a number of Christians are happy with the heroines faith in the Prometheus, the majority of them are worried of the concept of the ancient alien creators (Hey, 2008). The most Christians are of the view that the film is not only morally dangerous but also biblically problematic. Many have expressed the fear that the film has a potential moral danger of preparing the earth for satanic deception. According to the Catholic review of the Prometheus as entailed in the Catholic News Service, the alien-led human evolution in the Prometheus renders the film extremely problematic for the viewers of religious faith. Owing to the Prometheus’ ultimate end with the wiping out of humanity by the creator species, the negativity of the reviews by the Christian commentators could represent their primary reaction towards this film. Unlike presented in the earlier postulations, the aliens referred to in Prometheus are not compassionate creatures with an intent to help humanity. Taken as an allegory or not, the aliens in Prometheus coupled with the God-fearing character of the scientist may not auger well with the Christian perceptions towards the film. Holding onto the fact that the alien creators of humanity are malevolent rather than benevolent, dismisses the possibility of a positive reception by the Christian audience. Conclusion The film ‘Prometheus is a presentation of one of the greatest controversy between the religion and scientific fiction ever thought of in the history of humankind (Grayling, 2012). The arguments underlying this film about the creation of the people by the Engineers or the alien creators who later change their minds and seek to destroy humanity is beyond the basic conceptualisation of theology. Divided reactions have been witnessed by the Christians and particularly the Catholic Church expressing their deeply rooted refutation of the film as one that lays the foundation for satanic deception. However, a number of people, argue that they find logical sense in the mythological presentations of the film. The talk about the film leaves an unfolded tension and controversy between religion and science. References Grayling, A. (2012). To Set Prometheus Free. London: OBERON Books Ltd. Hey, J. (2008). God, The Failed Hypothesis: How Science Shows That God Does Not Exist byVictor Stenger. Amherst, New York: Prometheus Books, 2007. ISBN 978-1- 59102-481-1. Hbk. 294 pp. $28. Implicit Religion, 10(3). Juhant, J., & Zalec, B. (2011). Humanity after selfish Prometheus. Berlin: Lit. McLelland, J. (2004). Prometheus rebound. Waterloo, Ont.: Published for the Canadian Corp. for Studies in Religion/Corporation Canadienne des Sciences religieuses by Wilfrid Laurier University Press. Stenger, V. (2012). God and the folly of faith. Amherst, N.Y.: Prometheus Books. Read More