Star Trek and the Death of God - Essay Example

Star Trek and the Death of God A majority of Americans viewed religion as an organization of conscious, private, and expressed beliefs articulated in formal doctrines and churches. Differentiation was manifest in the other circles of life like politics, leisure and labor. However, after the medieval period when practices of religion were closely connected to ordinary life, Christian practices was abstracted from normal life. As a result of these, religion was regarded as being connected with establishments like denominations and churches. In addition, religion was viewed as being private and personal, and as a psychological assistance peripherally linked to the public life of an individual (Mellor and Shilling 102). In the 19th century, many scholars predicted the collapse of religion in the society. New practices of religion came up, the majority of which expressed beliefs in the potential of humanity and their knowledge of the environment either through mystical philosophies or science (Jindra 32). Several cultures today articulate religion in diverse ways with the inclusion of God’s non-existence in most movies. The essay illustrates how Star Trek is vital for the manifestation of contemporary religious practices and depicts God as a being whose power diminishes in the civilized modern society. Star Trek is among the most notable movies that depict aspects of religion in the popular culture. In addition to the identifiable system of belief and vision of the future that are present in star trek, the activities of its enthusiasts are equally directed towards participation in the vision and its realization. Star Trek is a subsection of the bigger category of science fiction which in itself referred to as being a religion with the myth of progress that can help people live in the future. Science and technology are the avenues through which the future will come into existence. Therefore, there is a need to understand it in terms of religion as the vehicle that bring new life to humanity. Religion exists in Star Trek as revealed in the 1984 argument of Gerrold, an asserted fan of star trek who claims that star trek entails challenging oneself. He further claims that star trek encompasses finding one’s limits by having the will to go past them and that it is also about the eventual nobility of the spirit of humans. Gerrold continues by claiming that star trek leads persons to seek bigger goals and realize possibilities within them that they would not have realized (Porter and McLaren 13). Gerrold’s sentiments describe a critical spiritual teaching expressed in many religions in the world. The claim results due to a common challenge passed to humanity by the founders of religion for them to realize and create a potential within themselves. Individuals must move past the limits that are created by their personal egos efficiently to express divine attributes such as justice and love. Therefore, it is evident that star trek has substantial affinities with an outlook that is religious, given that it has fundamental ideology and mythology. Star Trek view organized religion as being a product of an age of preparation opposed to reason and science, and depict God as a type of mistake. The view was as a result of Roddenberry’s personal lack of trust and dislike of organized religion. Besides being the executive producer and creator of the series, Roddenberry wrote the majority of the scripts and approved them all. He remarked in 1991 that he was close to a total monarch as was possible in that industry, claiming that he had control over what his show says and does (Porter and McLaren 15). Roddenberry believed that institutions of religion sustained close-mindedness among their adherents that helped to keep people in a state of not questioning their ignorance and other viewpoints of happenings in the world. Despite this, Roddenberry was equally an optimist, and he had a passionate belief in both the essential goodness and humanity dignity, and in the unlimited potential of human beings for development. In Star Trek, there is no particular human religion mentioned directly (Kraemer et al. 147). However, the movie presents religion as being a set of beliefs and rituals with sources, authority, and efficacy credited to some superior beings as commonly portrayed in the culture of aliens. A motif that is recurrent in Star Trek is that a race that is less advanced technologically can mistake a very advanced civilization or the outcomes of technology for being gods. The motif has three related themes. These include the mistaking of a computer for a god, and race or being that is advanced being mistaken for God. Additionally, a technologically advanced being or race that tries to show itself as being like a god. The themes neglect the existence of God through putting in His place other beings. In the episode of the first series, people living in a spaceship without their knowledge willingly submit to the directives on a sophisticated computer known as the Oracle. In the 1967, “The Apple”, a computer of the ancient times known as Vaal takes control of the existence of a race that is stagnant and child-like. Other people including the enterprise doctor are shocked with the doctor telling Jim that he cannot blind himself to what is taking place (Porter and McLaren 17). He goes further to claim that those are humanoids and that they have to advance what they are going through is stagnation. Kirk and his crew come up with a plan that destroys the computer god. Kirk tells the people that they would be free to think what they wish and learn strange things that are good. In the 1967 “The Return of the Archons” had a teleplay based on the story of Roddenberry. Here, a computer that was once programmed by a wizard of technology to guarantee peace among his people who were previously warring now commands the bodies and minds of their offspring in the image of the machine. Despite the existence of order, the descendants lack personal initiative given that the body of the machine god known as Landru, who holds the thought of maintaining the outright good had brainwashed them. The descendants lost their individual humanity until the Enterprise crew comes and makes use of logic to influence the self-destruction of the false god. The 1968 “Paradise Syndrome” is an excellent example of a highly technologically advanced race being mistaken for being God by a technically weak race. In the episode, Kirk saves a child who has drowned, and the primitive occupants of the planet interpret the resuscitation as proof that this man is a god. Kirk almost believed in himself, but his failure to perform other godly feats makes the people turn against him. The event is very critical as it suggests to the viewers that faith is fickle when belief is not rational. The last theme concerns a technologically or physiologically advanced race who attempt to command humans to be obedient and even worship them. The episode of the 1967’s “Who Mourns for Adonais” and 1968’s “Plato’s Stepchildren” shows the theme. On the other hand, in the 23rd century, the majority of humans are not willing to submit their attitudes of humiliation in front of other species. Particularly, the episode “Who Mourns for Adonais?” is an explicitly critical example that suggests that humans have overcome the desire to worship a higher being. The third-season episode of The Next Generation clearly expresses contemporary religious activities in Star Trek. The 1989’s episode “Who Watches the Watchers” is a case study that is relevant for depicting modern religion in Star Trek. The episode’s theme taken from what the writer apparently views as a smooth backward slip from the rationality that is emergent. In conclusion, Star Trek summarizes a simplistic dichotomization of science and religion in which case the two areas are brought forth as being mutually exclusive. In addition, the episodes character apparently produces a view of the consequences of organized religion on a culture, a point that Roddenberry would have agreed to. Star Trek explicitly depicts God as a being that humans regard as inferior, and that loses relevance with the advancement of technology. Work Cited Jindra, Michael. “Star Trek as a religious phenomenon.” Sociology of Religion. 55.1 (1994): 27-51. Kraemer, Ross., William Cassidy, and Susan L. Schwartz. Religions of Star Trek. Basic Books, 2003.Print. Mellor, Phillip A., and Chris Shilling. Reforming the Body: Religion, Community, and Modernity. London: Sage Publishers, 1997. Print. Porter, Jeniffer E., and Daren L. McLaren. Star Trek and Sacred Ground: Explorations of Star Trek, Religion, and American Culture. New York: State University of New York Press, 1999. Print. Read More