Joined: 10/11/2007
Posts: 98
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Sci-Fi stories like the remade TV show Battlestar Galactica often grapple with spiritual questions. What science fiction stories do you think are the most spiritual?
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Joined: 6/30/2008
Posts: 4
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As a practicing Buddhist and agnostic, I view spirituality in terms of the things that make up the human spirit: love, compassion, patience, tolerance, forgiveness, a sense of responsibility, harmony, contentment and joy. None of these involve the need for gods or metaphysical or parapsychological appliances, but only the "examined life."
That said, I think Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land was, in addition to being great science fiction and parable, a wonderful exposition of the teachings of the great buddhas, including Jesus and Siddartha. Certainly there are many other great sci fi excursions into the area, and we would absolutely have to include just about anything written by Sir Arthur.
One might, in fact, argue that -- due to its extrapolations about humanity in general -- all science fiction has a strong spiritual component. But if I were choosing a "book to live by," and it had to be sci fi, it would be the chronicles of Michael Valentine Smith.
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Joined: 9/19/2008
Posts: 81
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Star Wars, of course, with it's references to the Force, but that one is rather obvious. I agree with Digi who said, "all science fiction has a strong spiritual component" I don't have television, but I work at a library, so I take what I can get. Recently we aquired the Stargate SG-1 series where there is a race called the Goa'uld who enslave their human hosts by taking over their bodies and then pretend to be all powerful Gods to get people to worship them and do their bidding. I see parallels with the real world there, people who are enslaved by their religious beliefs... Later in the series there is another race of ascended beings called the Ori who force people under penalty of death to follow their "One True Way." Spooky how similar to real life these things are. Of course there is the Matrix as well which taps into several different philosophies.....I suppose I could go on but I am out of time for today. Perhaps later
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