indoctrinated Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 I've just had an interesting conversation with my husband. He's a football supporter and sci-fi fan. I tolerate the football, but don't really understand it. I like sci-fi and fantasy. We were noticing that when we have conversations about meaning and ethics and life etc we are quite likely to find illustrations from Star-Trek or football come into the conversation naturally. Probably more so than the Bible. The difference is that nobody insists that we confuse those with ultimate truth and meaning! Nobody expects me to be ready to die for my belief in Star Trek! (Well, maybe there are some sad true believer Trekkies out there, but most fans have a sense of proportion! ) And I think Shankly had his tongue in cheek when he said that remark about football. ) I'm a great Harry Potter fan too. But I know he's not real! I could possibly be a liberal Christian and treat the Christian Mythology that way, except that the established churches won't let me. If I carry on calling myself a Christian I'll just keep getting identified with and dragged into loads of crap stuff. The realisation that if I stop being a Christian it doesn't mean I can't have mythological and spiritual resources is a liberating one. I can even pic n mix them and recycle bits of the Christian myths too. And its easier to do that outside of the Christian Church than within it. What do people think? Any trekkies out there? 'Some people believe football is a matter of life and death. I'm very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that.' (Bill Shankly, late great manager of Liverpool FC) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caretaker Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Damn!!!! You mean James Kirk isn't real?!?!?!?! Here I am plotting revenge against nobody? I kid.... Yeah, I enjoy Star Trek, and while I like to think that some of the technologies in Star Trek could be possible some day, I consider it a mere inspiration, and I don't believe that Star Trek is how our future WILL play out down to the smallest detail. Star Trek is an inspiration to our future, not a fortune teller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 What do people think? Any trekkies out there? Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brick Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 Well, as I see it, everyone experiences the world around us differently, therefore ones perception and consequent acceptance of 'reality' is subjective and flexible. I say go with your gut and believe whatever it is that most compells you, even if it is Star Trek or Harry Potter. At the end of the day, if you can support and defend your beliefs, and are sincere in your faith, no one should have the right to deny you them. To facilitate this, I'm even willing to start a cult with Seven of Nine as a goddess! Ummm, seven.....yummy Best of luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead_hobbit Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 Very True. He was being extremely conservative with his predictions. We should have all that stuff by the end of the century (all we need to make are warp drives and transporters, the rest is already here or in developement) Damn!!!! You mean James Kirk isn't real?!?!?!?! Here I am plotting revenge against nobody? I kid.... Yeah, I enjoy Star Trek, and while I like to think that so me of the technologies in Star Trek could be possible some day, I consider it a mere inspiration, and I don't believe that Star Trek is how our future WILL play out down to the smallest detail. Star Trek is an inspiration to our future, not a fortune teller. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eudaimonist Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 Middle-earth (by J.R.R. Tolkien) counts as an alternative mythology. I'm a fan of Star Trek, though I wouldn't go so far as to claim "Trekkie" status. I've never been to even one Star Trek convention. However, I was practically raised on Star Trek. I was watching since I was 3 or 4 years old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vixentrox Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> That's our past with the church! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clergicide Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 I think it's far more healthy to be inspired by notions of morality and ethics from multiple independant sources, even if it's Star Trek, then to adopt all of the beliefs of one source, even if the bulk of them are not something you agree with. People 'should' draw from many different sources and teachings to develope thier own philosophy. This is what I don't understand about people who want to be called 'Christian' without taking the bad with the good...Why bother? If you won't digest 9 out of 10 bags of the shit, why start eating? Just be a human being that happens to agree with a few of the moral and ethical teachings of Christianity(I can't think of any that you couldn't find presented in other faiths or philosophies), but remain an independant entity with conflicting ideas that are your own. Stop chasing the label of Christian, Buddhist, Taoist, Hindu etc and just take the teachings from each you find most rewarding, and true to yourself. Personally, I find 'Free-Thinker' a far more impressive label than...Christian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogmatically_challenged Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 I think it's far more healthy to be inspired by notions of morality and ethics from multiple independant sources, even if it's Star Trek, then to adopt all of the beliefs of one source, even if the bulk of them are not something you agree with. People 'should' draw from many different sources and teachings to develope thier own philosophy. This is what I don't understand about people who want to be called 'Christian' without taking the bad with the good...Why bother? If you won't digest 9 out of 10 bags of the shit, why start eating? Just be a human being that happens to agree with a few of the moral and ethical teachings of Christianity(I can't think of any that you couldn't find presented in other faiths or philosophies), but remain an independant entity with conflicting ideas that are your own. Stop chasing the label of Christian, Buddhist, Taoist, Hindu etc and just take the teachings from each you find most rewarding, and true to yourself. Personally, I find 'Free-Thinker' a far more impressive label than...Christian. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> This is exaclty what I do. I cherry pick everything. OPENLY. UNABASHEDLY. Damn. I could not adequately get this point across. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 I think the problem is that for so many people, they feel (or have evidence) that their families and friends will only fully accept them with the Christian label, and not without. They don't want to give up those friends, even though if your friends don't accept you for who you are, they're not really your friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 I think the problem is that for so many people, they feel (or have evidence) that their families and friends will only fully accept them with the Christian label, and not without. They don't want to give up those friends, even though if your friends don't accept you for who you are, they're not really your friends. Thought: Could friendship be based on equal thinking? We only emotionally accept people as friends just because we have some kind of commonalities? That could explain why I like some people better than others. They remind me of some parts of me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizard Posted September 11, 2005 Share Posted September 11, 2005 I am a big Star Trek fan..and there are "moral" type lessons in there. And..I've been to several conventions, however, they don't come here anymore. I pick and choose too, from many philosophies. What feels right in my gut, that is what I go with. Some from christianity even. Well..one or two anyway. The loving your neighbor thing is cool. And the doing to others.. But, mostly from a humanistic point of view I think. Make this world better instead of working towards some afterlife that may or may not exist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panther Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 Yeah, I hate to be labeled too. So....I just sorta go with the flow, take what I like and leave the rest. It only matters if you think it matters.........(that kinda stuff) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizard Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 Yeah, I hate to be labeled too. So....I just sorta go with the flow, take what I like and leave the rest. It only matters if you think it matters.........(that kinda stuff) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Works for me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All Gods Fail Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 This is what I don't understand about people who want to be called 'Christian' without taking the bad with the good...Why bother? If you won't digest 9 out of 10 bags of the shit, why start eating? Just be a human being that happens to agree with a few of the moral and ethical teachings of Christianity(I can't think of any that you couldn't find presented in other faiths or philosophies), but remain an independant entity with conflicting ideas that are your own. Stop chasing the label of Christian, Buddhist, Taoist, Hindu etc and just take the teachings from each you find most rewarding, and true to yourself. Personally, I find 'Free-Thinker' a far more impressive label than...Christian. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hear hear! If you get right down to it, the basis of all morality is Aristotle's golden rule,anyway. Be nice to people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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