Featuring Matt Anderson and Ben De Bono
In this episode of The Sci-Fi Christian, Ben and Matt countdown their top 5 favorite sci-fi worlds
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Episode 15: Top 5 Sci-Fi Worlds
May 3, 2011- Categories: Countdowns,
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August 4, 2024
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Just so you know, the Superman citizenship story was a backup story in an anniversary issue, so I’m not sure it had “canonical” status. And, for sure it doesn’t know, post reboot. The person who wrote that story, by the way, was none other than Damon Lindelof (of “Lost,” ahem). It gives me pause about the new Superman story, and I’m a Superman fan, so…. we’ll see!
I should have said, “new Superman movie.” Speaking of new superhero movies, you know the villain I’d like to see in a Batman movie sometime? Man-Bat. How awesome is Man-Bat? I even think he’d fit well into Nolan’s Bat-verse since he is a science-based villain (granted, it’s comic book science; but Nolan could finesse it to make it work). Plus, you’d have a chance for the awesomely symmetrical title, “Batman: Man-Bat”!
Like Ben, I would want to share the Gospel with the Star Trek universe, because (unlike Ben) I am a proud Trekkie, but, clearly, by Gene Roddenberrry’s 23rd and 24th centuries, humanity thinks it has “outgrown” all religion, let alone Christianity. I guess it would be a hard sell, given that humanity has, to all appearances, done pretty well for itself, what with warp drive, the Federation, and so on. But, as Jesus said, “what does it profit you to gain the world but lose your soul?” (Funny story: The groom’s cake at our wedding was made and decorated to look like me in a Starfleet uniform and wearing a clerical collar — Starfleet Chaplain Mike!) God does come up in Star Trek V (which is not as bad a movie as everyone says it is — that’s another one I have to defend at some point!); and while it’s not exactly a pro-religion message, it’s at least not necessarily an anti-religion message, either.
Matt, I wanted to commend you for sharing your reservations (which I remember sharing) about cheering bin Laden’s death. I agree with all you both said about him being a definite bad guy, glad he can do no more harm, etc. But, like you, some of the reaction I saw, including from Christians, really took me aback. So thanks for sharing your feelings about it “on air.”
On a lighter note, just added “Sunshine” to my Netflix queue. 🙂
I think people underestimate Star Trek and its Christianity…though not openly evident, the likns are there. the most drastic occurs in “Who Mourns for Adonais?” when Kirk responds to Apollo: “We have no need for gods; we finds the One quite adequate.”
It would make an interesting discussion, Joshua. That is, after all, just one line out of 79 episodes, and that’s just counting the original series. I can’t think of one instance where we get any conclusive evidence that any religious tradition known to humanity today is still around in the Trek future. There is the weirdness at the end of “Bread and Circuses” about “not the sun in the sky, but the Son of God,” but that seems more just another parallel between 892-IV’s cultural development and Earth’s. I guess we could read it into it that some humans are still Christians, maybe even Kirk; but it seems to me the more consistent message of Trek is that gods/God in any form are to be rebelled against because “the human adventure is just beginning.”
Still, as a sci-fi Trekkie, I’d be open for the debate!