Today I had to take a day off from class in attempt to throw off a cold I seem to be plagued with. I decided that a blog would suffice for missing class, because hopefully someone can answer the questions that arose last Friday in class.

The one topic I wish to explore more is Rodenberry constantly placing science above religion. This theme could be seen in two separate Star Trek clips. The first clip was during the ship crew's encounter with the Greek god Apollo. One character claims that the humans thought Apollo was a god, because Apollo's species are really aliens that have super powers that can transform them into other beings. The humans simply mistook these powers for a god. In the other clip Worf meets some of his species that have not been exposed to their traditional myths of creation. He attempts to tell these tales, but they refuse to believe the myths, because they are firmly based in the realities of life instead of the supposed supernatural tales that Worf is reciting.

This is where some questions arise. Rodenberry consistently has this theme of science overcoming the supernatural in many episodes. However why does he make his characters religious? If he consistently pins science against religion, why does religion always seem to triumph, such as in Worf's beliefs of his heritage?

My answer to these questions is only speculative. Perhaps Rodenberry wants to believe in religion, but his logical thought process does not allow him to be strung along by faith alone. I believe that Rodenberry wants proof of religion, that something exists in this universe besides life here on planet Earth. But until this proof can be shown, Rodenberry will hold science above religion.