Sci Fi and Religion

[Soldier of the One]

By 'popular demand' (well, two people, really ;)), here is the 'Sci Fi and Religion' thread.

This idea was born while discussing Caprica, BSG and Star Trek on another thread and what Sci Fi says (or warns) about (extremist) religion.

Thoughts?

[nuri]

My favorite sci-fi and religion novel is The Sparrow by Marie Doria Russell. Doesn't talk a lot about extremists, but it's very interesting religiously nonetheless. What happens when we discover life on another planet? The Jesuits quietly send out an expedition. They didn't mean any harm.

It's one of my favorite books overall, and it has a lot of different theological viewpoints in it, some of the best marriage advice I've encountered, the wanderingest jew in history, and it makes me cry every damn time I read it.

[Cassandra]

My favorite sci-fi and religion novel is The Sparrow by Marie Doria Russell. Doesn't talk a lot about extremists, but it's very interesting religiously nonetheless. What happens when we discover life on another planet? The Jesuits quietly send out an expedition. They didn't mean any harm.

It's one of my favorite books overall, and it has a lot of different theological viewpoints in it, some of the best marriage advice I've encountered, the wanderingest jew in history, and it makes me cry every damn time I read it.

I started that book, but never finished it. I don't remember why, but something turned me off it about 3/4 of the way through and I never picked it up again. But I do recall it being well written.

[Rosa]

Well, there's always Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, which is about dominionists taking over the US.

[Eclipse]

Sci Fi gives religion warnings? Really? I live in Canada and we don't get the Sci Fi channel here. There is a science fiction network here called Space and I've never seen such a warning up here. What shows do they warn about?

[Soldier of the One]

Oh, I loved 'The Sparrow'! There's also a sequel called 'The Children of God'. I thought it was absolutely fascinating.

Also, many of Octavia Butler's books contain a religious theme. Especially 'The Parable' series, if I remember correctly.

Eclipse: I am not talking about SyFy the channel but Sci Fi the genre and how the genre often 'warns' readers/watchers about the possibly detrimental impacts of religion.

[Patsy]

I was annoyed by a few things in 'The Sparrow', but not enough that I didn't notice it had a nice writing style and some really interesting ideas. After reading it I was desperate to read 'first contact' books and short stories with religious perspectives, so I will be very excited to get around to reading the recommendations in this list: http://www.tor.com/blogs/2011/01/religi ... ce-fiction

[debrand]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0775537/

According to IMDB, The Sparrow might become a movie

[nuri]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0775537/

According to IMDB, The Sparrow might become a movie

Been saying that for year -- and Brad Pitt wants to be Emillio. Which I would hate, because Pitt is not right for the part at all, Emillio is Puerto Rican, which is a rather big part of the story and his culture.

I like Children of God too, but not as much, and I haven't figured out why. I also want to figure out why people put down The Sparrow, if the two of you put it down around 3/4, that's when everyone starts ...well, dying and the world is crashing around Emillio in both the past and present.

[Patsy]

I finished it, if it's me you're referring to :) and some of the stuff I was annoyed by showed up before the 3/4 point.

I'm curious to know people's thoughts on Star Trek. From what I've heard, it's a VERY atheistic series, generally (I guess it would depend on which iteration you're talking about?), yet I've known and heard about quite a few fundamentalists being HUGE fans. I find that interesting. (I haven't watched it, but I intend to... eventually.)

[bananacat]

I know we're used to hardcore fundies because of this board, but a lot of religious people can somehow manage to follow their religion while believing in things that would contradict or at least make them question their religion. So if we did actually find humanoid or intelligent life on another planet, I think the vast majority of people would find a way to fit that into their religion.

I have a good friend who is Christian but she also believes in all kinds of supernatural things, like aliens and ghosts. I have never asked her how ghosts fit in with her belief in what happens to souls after death. I don't know how to bring it up without sounding like I'm challenging her, but I would be curious to know. I guess they would have to be angels, or God doesn't let every soul goal go to its destination right away.

[Sola]

My favourites are the Galactic Mileau trilogy and the Saga of the Exiles trilogy by Julian May. I've never met anyone else who has even heard of them but they are fantastic books.

Both trilogies are linked and there is another book, 'Intervention' which links the two sets.

Both feature Catholicism, Jesuits, higher mental powers, time travel, aliens and immortality. I've read them so many times and now I've started to think about them I'm wondering where my copy of 'Jack the Bodiless' is...

[PBrooke]

WOT! The Milieu Trilogy is absolutely my favorite series ever, with the Intervention books closely followed. I was always a bit meh about the Pleistocene stuff, as it was a bit more fantasy, but they need to be read for completion's sake. I'm not sure what all's in print right now, but I heard the Galactic Milieu might soon be available for ebook - I might have to get it just to support it, even though I own all the novels.

[Soldier of the One]

Haven't heard of the Milieu Trilogy but I can heartily recommend Kim Stanley Robinson's 'Mars Trilogy'. Very serious (if a bit dry) and realistic Sci Fi about terraforming Mars. Also includes a lot of religious and philosophical themes.

Although not Sci Fi, I did enjoy the 'Sword of Truth' series by Terry Goodkind. I completely disagree with his Objectivist ideology but I did feel that he treated questions of ideology, religion and human autonomy in an interesting way.

For the rest, I must confess my Sci Fi skillz have gone a bit rusty. I tend to read non-fiction exclusively these days.

[Swamptribe]

Star Trek TOS was very 'atheistic' in it's outlook. There was an occasional brief mention of religion, could cite episodes if I weren't being lazy right now. I think that was more a sign of the times than the series itself.

Later series of Star Trek did tackle the question of religion more, but always through alien cultures. Bajoran's are an excellent example of this. Klingon spirituality was also hit on many times. There is a Voyager episode in which the crew comes across a civilization that originated during the dinosaur age on earth. I never really liked the Voyager series, but this episode nicely tackles what happens when religious dogma takes precedent over fact.

A show I always enjoyed, that never shied away from religious topics was Babylon 5. Don't know how many of you ever watched it.

Firefly had a preacher main character. I remember one episode, one of the other character 'correcting' the preachers bible. The show also had a very strong theme of faith through it.

Science Fiction literature really does a better job of exploring various aspects of religion than television or film have done. The Sparrow sounds interesting. I've also thought an interesting idea would be exploring what would happen if an alien race made first contact with earth, and they were missionaries.

[Swamptribe]

Oh dear lord (pardon the pun). How could we forget to mention Dune.

[Soldier of the One]

Oohhh, humans converting to alien theology! Well... wasn't the (re-imagined) series 'V' kind of about that? In a tangential way?

I never really got into Dune. (Is that blasphemy? ;)) I really tried. I read all of the glossary and found the world-building incredible. I just couldn't get into the narrative/story telling myself.

Of course: Babylon 5. Watched that show after school as a teen. My mom hated it, because my mom hates Sci Fi. It's one of the few things we really disagree on :)

I quite liked it but also felt it wasn't quite serious enough.

Keep 'm coming, folks! :)

[Cassandra]

Been saying that for year -- and Brad Pitt wants to be Emillio. Which I would hate, because Pitt is not right for the part at all, Emillio is Puerto Rican, which is a rather big part of the story and his culture.

I like Children of God too, but not as much, and I haven't figured out why. I also want to figure out why people put down The Sparrow, if the two of you put it down around 3/4, that's when everyone starts ...well, dying and the world is crashing around Emillio in both the past and present.

I think I put it down because the religious themes got to be too much for me. But this was about 2 years ago so I'm not sure.

[finleeport]

How about CS Lewis's The Space Trilogy?

[aubrietta]

The Chrysalids

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chrysalids

There's a little boy in our church with six toes on each foot, and I always think about Sophie in this book.

[nuri]

love love love B5. I wish the effects aged better though, but I still love it. I think I rooted so much of my early religious independance on Delenn. And I loved that the show, despite being run by an avowed atheist, got religion better than most of the other shows on TV.

(I can't speak for BSG. I can't watch it -- the camera work makes me woozy)

[Sola]

WOT! The Milieu Trilogy is absolutely my favorite series ever, with the Intervention books closely followed. I was always a bit meh about the Pleistocene stuff, as it was a bit more fantasy, but they need to be read for completion's sake. I'm not sure what all's in print right now, but I heard the Galactic Milieu might soon be available for ebook - I might have to get it just to support it, even though I own all the novels.

:o :o OMG OMG!!! You love The Galactic Milieu trilogy!! *flails*

I have never met anyone who has even heard of it before, let alone loves it!!

You are now my new favourite person ever!!

[Alecto]

Heinlien's Stranger in a Strange Land

Enough said.

[Sweetpea1]

Babylon 5 was an awesome series. As far as Star Trek and religion go - I like Deep Space 9 the best. I'm a huge trek fan and DS9 is one of my favorites for a few reasons. Contact is a good story (both the movie and book.)

[Deleted12]

I think a lot of Mormons are into sci-fi. Hell, Orson Scott Card's a Mormon.

Which makes a lot of sense with their theology, no?