Is Science Fiction Hostile to Christianity?

[Armoured]

I was leaving him out because I class him as "fantasy," but he certainly stands head and shoulders above everyone else in that genre.

I had the same hesitation, but I feel there was enough genre overlap to mention him here.

Maybe it's because I'm a WH40K player from way back.

 

[7trees]

Whe

The Federation bow to technology is the Replicator, by which they provided endless supplies of everything at no cost. The Federation of TNG could not exist without it.

The Borg were a post-Roddenberry introduction, like the Dominion War of DS9 (which was the 9/11 of the Federation) and the not-always-very-perfect Vulcans of ST:Enterprise.

When you describe yourself as 'Alien' could you be more specific?

I'd say not only sci-fi but creative media in general is anti Christian. The latest sci-fi 'Westworld' has a new baddy that has to kill everyone because he hears the voice of God.

You hear them quote the bible and you know they're gonna kill right?

 

[RDKirk]

Whe

When you describe yourself as 'Alien' could you be more specific?

When I was a kid, every January the government ran PSAs reminding all "aliens" that they had to report to the immigration service. I was already reading SF by then, so I thought the PSAs were funny.

1 Peter describes Christians as "aliens" in these earthly, wanderers and temporary residents.

 

[7trees]

When I was a kid, every January the government ran PSAs reminding all "aliens" that they had to report to the immigration service. I was already reading SF by then, so I thought the PSAs were funny.

1 Peter describes Christians as "aliens" in these earthly, wanderers and temporary residents.

Thanks, but you've got my suspicions up.

 

[RDKirk]

Thanks, but you've got my suspicions up.

1 Peter is actually the field manual on how to live as an alien on planet earth.

 

[keith99]

The gist of most sci fi is pro abiogenesis and pro atheistic evolutionist. To say that sci Fi isn't anti Christian is tantamount to saying that atheistic abiogenesis and atheistic evolution aren't anti Christian.

The vast majority of Science Fiction does not even touch on the question of how life originated or how the life forms now existent descended from earlier forms.

So No.

 

[Radrook]

The vast majority of Science Fiction does not even touch on the question of how life originated or how the life forms now existent descended from earlier forms.

So No.

Really? Could have fooled me.

 

[keith99]

Really? Could have fooled me.

Off the top of my head I do not recall a single one of Heinlein's works that deals with these. Perhaps one or 2 of Asimov's. Yea there are some like Childhood's End. But the vast majority are looking forward, not backward.

 

[Radrook]

You keep saying that. The burden of proof for "most" and "gist" is on you.



People have said that many, many times before.

Mankind has never had the ability to ruin the Earth as it has now.
Nation rising against Nation never involved the Whole Earth as it did during WWI and WWII.
Signs in the Heavens have never been detected to the degree as they are today.
These and many other signs enumerated by Jesus have never before been as clear as they are today.
So I guess we disagree on that.

 

[Radrook]

Off the top of my head I do not recall a single one of Heinlein's works that deals with these. Perhaps one or 2 of Asimov's. Yea there are some like Childhood's End. But the vast majority are looking forward, not backward.

As I pointed out, it is in subtle ways that the biblical prophecies are undermined. You are looking for frontal attacks while the enemy is outflanking you and is far more cunning and far more subtle in his schemes than you are giving him credit for.

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground and after you have done everything, to stand." Ephesians 6:11-13, NIV

 

[RDKirk]

Really? Could have fooled me.

I'd agree with Keith99 on that. Count up all SF stories--most do not require abandonment of the essential fact of "God the Father Almighty, maker of Heaven and Earth."

 

[RDKirk]

Mankind has never had the ability to ruin the Earth as it has now.
Nation rising against Nation never involved the Whole Earth as it did during WWI and WWII.
Signs in the Heavens have never been detected to the degree as they are today.
These and many other signs enumerated by Jesus have never before been as clear as they are today.
So I guess we disagree on that.

And yet that's been 100 years now and still counting.

I'm not saying it couldn't happen later this afternoon, I'm just saying it might not happen for another hundred years. Or two or three hundred years--lots of time for science fiction settings.

Science fiction doesn't even have to be about the future, it could be set in the present day, such as "Andromeda Strain" or "Terminal Man."

 

[Radrook]

How so? I'd at least argue that the Borg are a significant counter point.

And these Borg originated where? They look like descendants of another Adam gone wrong and unconcernedly allowed to go berserk to the extent of endangering mankind along with other sentient creatures made in God's image.

 

[RDKirk]

As I pointed out, it is in subtle ways that the biblical prophecies are undermined. You are looking for frontal attacks while the enemy is outflanking you and is far more cunning and far more subtle in his schemes than you are giving him credit for.

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground and after you have done everything, to stand." Ephesians 6:11-13, NIV

That goes back to whether a given Christian is knowledgeable enough to eat meat sacrificed to idols.

 

[Radrook]

That goes back to whether a given Christian is knowledgeable enough to eat meat sacrificed to idols.

I don't understand.

 

[RDKirk]

I don't understand.

1 Corinthians 8. Substitute "reading science fiction" for "food scarified to idols."

 

[Radrook]

1 Corinthians 8. Substitute "reading science fiction" for "food scarified to idols."

You mean that it is a matter of individual Christian conscience.
Thanks for the explanation.

 

[Radrook]

Off the top of my head I do not recall a single one of Heinlein's works that deals with these. Perhaps one or 2 of Asimov's. Yea there are some like Childhood's End. But the vast majority are looking forward, not backward.

Look forward doesn't exclude allusions to what has been prophesied as being nonsense.
If Joe said that X would occur and I write a novel where X never happens then I am attacking Joe's credibility.

 

[keith99]

Look forward doesn't exclude allusions to what has been prophesied as being nonsense.
If Joe said that X would occur and I write a novel where X never happens then I am attacking Joe's credibility.

Care to give me a time frame for when any certain event is prophesied to happen? If not then you cannot reasonably say any speculative fiction runs against that prediction.

Of course once you give a date I'll be ready to point out when it passes without being fulfilled.

 

[keith99]

Mankind has never had the ability to ruin the Earth as it has now.
Nation rising against Nation never involved the Whole Earth as it did during WWI and WWII.
Signs in the Heavens have never been detected to the degree as they are today.
These and many other signs enumerated by Jesus have never before been as clear as they are today.
So I guess we disagree on that.

There is no one today that even comes close to fitting things as well as a couple of the Caesars or Hitler.