Life on other Planets

[ljubim]

I think the science-fiction-loving community could use a good religious author, don’t you? Such an author could explore all those what-if questions that make us wonder, and entertain us, too!

So true! I’d love for it to be me, but my characters are really dumb I would need an amazing co-author!

 

[Bluegoat]

So true! I’d love for it to be me, but my characters are really dumb I would need an amazing co-author!

There are science fiction books written that have religious themes. Some Arthur C. Clarke stuff is thoughtful that way, and of course CS Lewis’ science fiction is essentially Christian in character. Madeline L’Engle, though her books are directed toward teenagers.

 

[cassini]

If you think of the Universe as one big Earth, then there’s really no problem. God made animals and plants for the benefit of humans, so why not expand this idea to the entire Universe? Man is the focus of God’s creation. Think of the whole Universe as one big play ground.

Well, the ‘tent’ we live in, the witness of the almighty God who created ‘as many stars as there are grains of sand on earth’, rather than a playground. Otherwise Catholic 1, you live up to your chosen name, for what you say here is so profound I did not think I would ever see it expressed in these modern times. You have expressed ‘THE DISCARDED IMAGE’ (see C.S. Lewis) once held by all christians and were one to expand on your Catholic instinct what a revelation this would bring about. You have, in one sentence, resurrected the doctrine of geocentricism without realising it. You have in one sentence endorced the revelation of Genesis 1. We could expand, but that would bring down the wrath of the Copernicans on our head lest anyone bring faith and science together as you just did in one inspired thought. Watch as these same Copernicans try to confuse all by insisting that there ‘HAS TO BE’ other intelligent life out there.

 

[cassini]

There are science fiction books written that have religious themes. Some Arthur C. Clarke stuff is thoughtful that way, and of course CS Lewis’ science fiction is essentially Christian in character. Madeline L’Engle, though her books are directed toward teenagers.

By ‘religious’ Bluegoat I presume you mean Catholic. If you do may I say that no science fiction depicts ANYTHING Catholic. Catholicism belongs to the real world. Science fiction does not, quite the opposite, it excludes Christ and His church in its world. It is the imagination of Catholics that conjures up ‘Catholic’ or ‘religious’ themes in science-fiction books when they are usually no more than aspects of human nature shared by theists and atheists alike. For example, Atheists also want good to win over evil. I know some and they are no different in their humanity than Catholics or religious people. So when Catholics claim a science fiction theme that portrays a good winning over an evil they claim it is Catholic when it is not, just normal human nature given to all men. Nay I will go further, science fiction NEVER includes supernatural inspiration or grace in its characters whereas in true Christian writing supernatural inspiration and grace are the ingredients that bring about good.

 

[catholic1seeks]

Well, the ‘tent’ we live in, the witness of the almighty God who created ‘as many stars as there are grains of sand on earth’, rather than a playground. Otherwise Catholic 1, you live up to your chosen name, for what you say here is so profound I did not think I would ever see it expressed in these modern times. You have expressed ‘THE DISCARDED IMAGE’ (see C.S. Lewis) once held by all christians and were one to expand on your Catholic instinct what a revelation this would bring about. You have, in one sentence, resurrected the doctrine of geocentricism without realising it. You have in one sentence endorced the revelation of Genesis 1. We could expand, but that would bring down the wrath of the Copernicans on our head lest anyone bring faith and science together as you just did in one inspired thought. Watch as these same Copernicans try to confuse all by insisting that there ‘HAS TO BE’ other intelligent life out there.

My post had nothing to do with geocentrism. Do you agree or disagree that humanity is the apex of creation? That’s all I was getting at…

 

[Bluegoat]

By ‘religious’ Bluegoat I presume you mean Catholic. If you do may I say that no science fiction depicts ANYTHING Catholic. Catholicism belongs to the real world. Science fiction does not, quite the opposite, it excludes Christ and His church in its world. It is the imagination of Catholics that conjures up ‘Catholic’ or ‘religious’ themes in science-fiction books when they are usually no more than aspects of human nature shared by theists and atheists alike. For example, Atheists also want good to win over evil. I know some and they are no different in their humanity than Catholics or religious people. So when Catholics claim a science fiction theme that portrays a good winning over an evil they claim it is Catholic when it is not, just normal human nature given to all men. Nay I will go further, science fiction NEVER includes supernatural inspiration or grace in its characters whereas in true Christian writing supernatural inspiration and grace are the ingredients that bring about good.

Well, I was thinking of Christian themes rather than specifically Catholic ones. I haven’t got a list in my head of Catholic science fiction writers.

Arthur C. Clarke is interested in many of the big questions of life, and those are the things he talks about. I am actually not sure of his religious affiliation, but in several books he has Christian characters who put forth fairly well understood Christian responses to the situation at hand. I recall in one of the RAMA books one of the characters, a Roman Catholic, is being sent to investigate the alien ship and has questions about what that could mean for his faith.

C.S. Lewis was of course a very orthodox Anglican, and much as his Narnia books for children are a kind of Christian allegory, so are his science fiction books for adults.

Madeline L’Engle was also an Anglican - and her understanding of the nature of humanity, it’s essential goodness, redemption and sacrifice, all reflect that closely. Those are the main themes of her books. So to I think does her vision of family life which is quite compelling. One of her children’s books, Many Waters, is set around the Great Flood of Noah - it’s quite a fantastic treatment but explores the themes of the story in an interesting way.

(As an aside, her autobiographical story of her marriage is one of the best books there is, IMO, on Christian marriage and what it should be and can mean.)

I think you are missing much that is important in literature given you understanding of science fiction. Science fiction and fantasy do tend to put things into alternate worlds, or the future, but always as a way of serving the authors desire to describe something that he thinks is true about the world, humanity, or God. If the person is a Christian, what is depicted will reflect that, sometimes very effectively and powerfully.

It seems to me you would have to reject many other Christian, and even Catholic, classic works. The Divine Comedy, Pilgrim’s Progress… neither of which takes place in the “real” world.

 

[cassini]

My post had nothing to do with geocentrism. Do you agree or disagree that humanity is the apex of creation? That’s all I was getting at…

I agree, humanity is the apex of the universe. Your post, whether intentional or not, whether you want it or not, if brought to its ultimate conclusion, supports geocentricism, for it alone depicts such a universe.

 

[cassini]

Well, I was thinking of Christian themes rather than specifically Catholic ones. I haven’t got a list in my head of Catholic science fiction writers.

Arthur C. Clarke is interested in many of the big questions of life, and those are the things he talks about. I am actually not sure of his religious affiliation, but in several books he has Christian characters who put forth fairly well understood Christian responses to the situation at hand. I recall in one of the RAMA books one of the characters, a Roman Catholic, is being sent to investigate the alien ship and has questions about what that could mean for his faith.

C.S. Lewis was of course a very orthodox Anglican, and much as his Narnia books for children are a kind of Christian allegory, so are his science fiction books for adults.

Madeline L’Engle was also an Anglican - and her understanding of the nature of humanity, it’s essential goodness, redemption and sacrifice, all reflect that closely. Those are the main themes of her books. So to I think does her vision of family life which is quite compelling. One of her children’s books, Many Waters, is set around the Great Flood of Noah - it’s quite a fantastic treatment but explores the themes of the story in an interesting way.

(As an aside, her autobiographical story of her marriage is one of the best books there is, IMO, on Christian marriage and what it should be and can mean.)

I think you are missing much that is important in literature given you understanding of science fiction. Science fiction and fantasy do tend to put things into alternate worlds, or the future, but always as a way of serving the authors desire to describe something that he thinks is true about the world, humanity, or God. If the person is a Christian, what is depicted will reflect that, sometimes very effectively and powerfully.

It seems to me you would have to reject many other Christian, and even Catholic, classic works. The Divine Comedy, Pilgrim’s Progress… neither of which takes place in the “real” world.

There is a tradition of Catholic poetry and story-telling I reject none of it. They are all about this world in which we live, not fantasy worlds like Lewis’s and Tolkien’s. What can be Christian that exists outside of the real world whererin Man is cursed with Original Sin and Mary brought forth a Son, our Redeemer to who we pray in out existance.

 

[Bluegoat]

There is a tradition of Catholic poetry and story-telling I reject none of it. They are all about this world in which we live, not fantasy worlds like Lewis’s and Tolkien’s. What can be Christian that exists outside of the real world whererin Man is cursed with Original Sin and Mary brought forth a Son, our Redeemer to who we pray in out existance.

Do you really think those fantasy worlds are not about the real world - our reality? What makes you think Narnia isn’t, and the dream in the Divine Comedy is?

 

[cassini]

Do you really think those fantasy worlds are not about the real world - our reality? What makes you think Narnia isn’t, and the dream in the Divine Comedy is?

No I don’t Bluegoat. People in fantasy worlds that have no Christ in them are not real worlds. I am not familiar with the dream in the Divine Comedy but the name suggests a dream and dreams are not real life.