Comments on: The Sci-Fi Religions of the Future http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/06/sci-fi-religions-of-future.html Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:51:57 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Riverwolf http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/06/sci-fi-religions-of-future.html/comment-page-1#comment-1767 Riverwolf Thu, 05 Jun 2008 17:58:00 +0000 http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/06/the-sci-fi-religions-of-the-future.html#comment-1767 So glad someone posted on this! It's been rattling around in my brain as a possibility. Anyway, I love "Battlestar Galactica" and will have to check out all the links posted. So glad someone posted on this! It’s been rattling around in my brain as a possibility. Anyway, I love “Battlestar Galactica” and will have to check out all the links posted.

]]> By: goiriath http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/06/sci-fi-religions-of-future.html/comment-page-1#comment-1764 goiriath Tue, 03 Jun 2008 22:59:00 +0000 http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/06/the-sci-fi-religions-of-the-future.html#comment-1764 Not to mention,<br/>given the Cylon's are the Monotheists?<br/>That Last Supper image... wow, classic!<br/><br/>Actually, this discussion has reminded me that I'd like to watch the last season or so, and should get round to it. Not to mention,
given the Cylon’s are the Monotheists?
That Last Supper image… wow, classic!

Actually, this discussion has reminded me that I’d like to watch the last season or so, and should get round to it.

]]> By: goiriath http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/06/sci-fi-religions-of-future.html/comment-page-1#comment-1763 goiriath Tue, 03 Jun 2008 22:54:00 +0000 http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/06/the-sci-fi-religions-of-the-future.html#comment-1763 In reply to Tom,<br/>I'd have to disagree with your initial premise - I fervently believe and hope we *can* have a high-tech natural world.<br/>Rather than the bastard neither here-nor-there of suburbs, or over sanitised rural areas, I want to see cities intertwined with and surrounded by wild spaces. Permaculture gardens and solar panels. Seed banks and data banks. Things that go together like computer geeks and neopaganism. ;)<br/><br/><br/>And to explain further, I'm not sure anyone here is familiar with the theology of Battlestar Galactica, so I'll summarise:<br/>The humans are Hellenic (ie Greek) polytheists, being tyrannised by the Monotheist robots/Androids/'Cylons'.<br/>I'm not kidding.<br/><br/>And the Hellenic religion thing, is neither played up, nor stage prop. It's an underlying current of the culture. When the humans pray, they pray to the 'Gods of the 12 Colonies', individually named as the 12 Olympian Gods, Zeus, Hera, etc. <br/>Devout characters have been shown unwrapping statues (apparently replicas of genuine roman idols?) of and placing them upon altars, before which they light candles and pray. Different characters have different patron Gods, and of course, some are functionally athiest. There's been brief mention and appearance of women who appear to be Delphic-style Oracles, as part of an underlying cultural function.<br/><br/>There's various discussions about it online, eg "Battlestar Galactica: Pagans in Space!" - http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/4/125028/3269/26/490178<br/><br/>I'd love to see a full analysis of the pagan worship and devotion in this show. ;)<br/><br/><br/>Finally, while BSG is based on an existing pagan religion, we already have pagan religions built on Sci-fi foundations, eg Church of All Worlds. And well, it doesn't matter if a big corporation changed things around - then you'd just get splinter sects. Isn't that basically equivalent of what's happened with Christianity in relation to the Catholic church? In reply to Tom,
I’d have to disagree with your initial premise – I fervently believe and hope we *can* have a high-tech natural world.
Rather than the bastard neither here-nor-there of suburbs, or over sanitised rural areas, I want to see cities intertwined with and surrounded by wild spaces. Permaculture gardens and solar panels. Seed banks and data banks. Things that go together like computer geeks and neopaganism. ;)

And to explain further, I’m not sure anyone here is familiar with the theology of Battlestar Galactica, so I’ll summarise:
The humans are Hellenic (ie Greek) polytheists, being tyrannised by the Monotheist robots/Androids/’Cylons’.
I’m not kidding.

And the Hellenic religion thing, is neither played up, nor stage prop. It’s an underlying current of the culture. When the humans pray, they pray to the ‘Gods of the 12 Colonies’, individually named as the 12 Olympian Gods, Zeus, Hera, etc.
Devout characters have been shown unwrapping statues (apparently replicas of genuine roman idols?) of and placing them upon altars, before which they light candles and pray. Different characters have different patron Gods, and of course, some are functionally athiest. There’s been brief mention and appearance of women who appear to be Delphic-style Oracles, as part of an underlying cultural function.

There’s various discussions about it online, eg “Battlestar Galactica: Pagans in Space!” – http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/4/125028/3269/26/490178

I’d love to see a full analysis of the pagan worship and devotion in this show. ;)

Finally, while BSG is based on an existing pagan religion, we already have pagan religions built on Sci-fi foundations, eg Church of All Worlds. And well, it doesn’t matter if a big corporation changed things around – then you’d just get splinter sects. Isn’t that basically equivalent of what’s happened with Christianity in relation to the Catholic church?

]]> By: Jason Pitzl-Waters http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/06/sci-fi-religions-of-future.html/comment-page-1#comment-1762 Jason Pitzl-Waters Tue, 03 Jun 2008 22:23:00 +0000 http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/06/the-sci-fi-religions-of-the-future.html#comment-1762 "Inherent in what you wrote, was the usumption that "nature loving pagans" and "science-oriented futurist" are opposite each other."<br/><br/>Please see the addendum in my post. Any implied tech/nature dichotomy were unintended. “Inherent in what you wrote, was the usumption that “nature loving pagans” and “science-oriented futurist” are opposite each other.”

Please see the addendum in my post. Any implied tech/nature dichotomy were unintended.

]]> By: Anonymous http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/06/sci-fi-religions-of-future.html/comment-page-1#comment-1761 Anonymous Tue, 03 Jun 2008 21:32:00 +0000 http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/06/the-sci-fi-religions-of-the-future.html#comment-1761 When you imagine the future, do you see more concrete being poured, or concrete being ripped up to make room for new trees? When you picture technology decades from now, do you see ever more elaborate manufactured electronics, or do you see things that integrate ever more closely with nature, using less and less resources to do it? Love of nature may <i>be</i> the technology of the future. When you imagine the future, do you see more concrete being poured, or concrete being ripped up to make room for new trees? When you picture technology decades from now, do you see ever more elaborate manufactured electronics, or do you see things that integrate ever more closely with nature, using less and less resources to do it? Love of nature may be the technology of the future.

]]> By: Helen/Hawk http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/06/sci-fi-religions-of-future.html/comment-page-1#comment-1760 Helen/Hawk Tue, 03 Jun 2008 18:25:00 +0000 http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/06/the-sci-fi-religions-of-the-future.html#comment-1760 Inherent in what you wrote, was the usumption that "nature loving pagans" and "science-oriented futurist" are opposite each other.<br/><br/>Not so sure that's true. <br/><br/>Seems perfectly reasonable to me.....and I know some....that there are plenty of nature-loving science-oriented futurist pagans. Inherent in what you wrote, was the usumption that “nature loving pagans” and “science-oriented futurist” are opposite each other.

Not so sure that’s true.

Seems perfectly reasonable to me…..and I know some….that there are plenty of nature-loving science-oriented futurist pagans.

]]> By: Jonathan Korman http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/06/sci-fi-religions-of-future.html/comment-page-1#comment-1759 Jonathan Korman Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:38:00 +0000 http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/06/the-sci-fi-religions-of-the-future.html#comment-1759 This reminds me of an old Erik Davis <a HREF="http://erikdavis.org/index_klingon.html" REL="nofollow">article</a> that has some interesting things to say about Klingon religious rituals and their complex relationship with pagan ritual.<br/> <br/><em>in a darkened Ramada Inn conference room, the Klingons prepare for their ritual, Tera'daq Tlhinganghom'mey. The hulking beings, all members or allies of the Karizan Empire, file past a table in silence, depositing their energy weapons in a pile. Incense chokes the room as twelve aliens, both male and female, take their seats around an altar. Candlelight reflects off the latex ridges of some foreheads, and the soundtrack of Bram Stoker's Dracula plays on a nearby tape deck. The impressively-built Mok walks counter-clockwise about the altar, brandishing a hammer of Thor as he invokes the heroes of old and demands their presence at the gathering. The candles shake as he slams the hammer on the table. “We are between the worlds,” he announces.<br/>....<br/>There are more differences between fandom and Neopaganism than similarities, and even the Karizans insisted that the Tera'daq ritual was a “show-piece”—not a real Pagan ritual but a way to play with their magical leanings within the Trek mythos. But by performing their spiritual sensibilities in the trappings of a TV show, the Karizans also revived the oldest derivation of the word “fan:” fanaticus, a devotee of the ancient mystery cults.</em> This reminds me of an old Erik Davis article that has some interesting things to say about Klingon religious rituals and their complex relationship with pagan ritual.

in a darkened Ramada Inn conference room, the Klingons prepare for their ritual, Tera’daq Tlhinganghom’mey. The hulking beings, all members or allies of the Karizan Empire, file past a table in silence, depositing their energy weapons in a pile. Incense chokes the room as twelve aliens, both male and female, take their seats around an altar. Candlelight reflects off the latex ridges of some foreheads, and the soundtrack of Bram Stoker’s Dracula plays on a nearby tape deck. The impressively-built Mok walks counter-clockwise about the altar, brandishing a hammer of Thor as he invokes the heroes of old and demands their presence at the gathering. The candles shake as he slams the hammer on the table. “We are between the worlds,” he announces.
….
There are more differences between fandom and Neopaganism than similarities, and even the Karizans insisted that the Tera’daq ritual was a “show-piece”—not a real Pagan ritual but a way to play with their magical leanings within the Trek mythos. But by performing their spiritual sensibilities in the trappings of a TV show, the Karizans also revived the oldest derivation of the word “fan:” fanaticus, a devotee of the ancient mystery cults.

]]> By: Tom Jacobsen http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/06/sci-fi-religions-of-future.html/comment-page-1#comment-1758 Tom Jacobsen Tue, 03 Jun 2008 16:16:00 +0000 http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/06/the-sci-fi-religions-of-the-future.html#comment-1758 Wow, it's interesting that people are taking pop culture religions so seriously now.<br/><br/>The sci- fi worshippers are not pagans, I don't think, but I'm not an expert in religous theory. It just seems to me that it takes more to be a Pagan then just to worship somebody that isn't named Jesus or Mohammed. Further, a worship of science fiction necessarily conflicts with a worship of nature. You can't have a high tech natural world; it's one or the other unfortunately.<br/><br/>Also, at the risk of sounding arrogant, I don't think that the science fiction based religions will have staying power. They are too easy to corrupt, because the religions are just the products of big companies, who can change the basics on a whim. Look at how Lucas changed the force in the Star Wars prequels. Midochlorians? WTF? Wow, it’s interesting that people are taking pop culture religions so seriously now.

The sci- fi worshippers are not pagans, I don’t think, but I’m not an expert in religous theory. It just seems to me that it takes more to be a Pagan then just to worship somebody that isn’t named Jesus or Mohammed. Further, a worship of science fiction necessarily conflicts with a worship of nature. You can’t have a high tech natural world; it’s one or the other unfortunately.

Also, at the risk of sounding arrogant, I don’t think that the science fiction based religions will have staying power. They are too easy to corrupt, because the religions are just the products of big companies, who can change the basics on a whim. Look at how Lucas changed the force in the Star Wars prequels. Midochlorians? WTF?

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