There are some Christians who would see the “Christian Inspiration”, “Christian Fiction” and “Bibles” sections at Barnes & Noble as a victory in Jesus. I think it’s a defeat of the first order and directly contradicts the Scriptural injunction of the Great Commission -- because what atheist would be caught dead among the rows of Christian Inspiration?
A hard-core science fiction fan might rather die than have her best friend discover her touching a Christian Fiction novel.
This way, B&N – and Borders and WalMart and Target and Lucifer – have created an island of literary safety for Christians to go to (because they don’t want to be sullied by those racy romances) and non-Christians to stay away from (because they are very happy with their personal philosophical choices, thank-you-very-much!)
Hell forbid, a seeker might stumble across the autobiography of Billy Graham alongside a Mahatma Ghandi autobiography. We have made SURE that all that “Christian stuff” is safely packed away with suitable warning labels so that all the people who aren’t Christians won’t be offended and are handily warned away from Christian thinkers like T.D. Jakes and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. People seeking the latest New Age Tarot book or PHILOSOPHY FOR DUMMIES absolutely will NOT stumble across Richard Swinburne or Dorothy L. Sayers’ THE MIND OF THE MAKER. Certainly, sports jocks won’t be able to find Skip Bayless’ (honest and critical) book about Tom Landry, God’s Coach because it will be hidden in the “Christian Biography” section.
Why NOT shelve Dee Henderson in the MYSTERY section? Why isn’t Frank Peretti’s THE OATH in the Literary Fiction section near Chuck Palahniuk’s FIGHT CLUB?
Because the Christian right has insisted that we have our own place in the store, a place we can call our own, a place where everyone thinks alike, and speaks the same language – while at the same time, making less money than others who write exactly the same thing but don’t carry the label “Christian…”. Voluntary or involuntary, this place is called the…
ghetto – (Italian: “part of the city to which Jews are restricted”) formerly the restricted quarter of many European cities in which Jews were required to live; "the Warsaw ghetto"; any segregated mode of living or working that results from bias or stereotyping; a poor densely populated city district occupied by a minority ethnic group linked together by economic hardship and social restrictions wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
And as we all know, the ghetto is a dangerous, dangerous place to live.
June 22, 2008
A Slice of PIE: The Christian Ghetto at Barnes and Noble
Guy Stewart is a husband; father, father-in-law, grandfather, and retired teacher/school counselor who maintains POSSIBLY IRRITATING ESSAYS offering his writing up for comment. His new novel, MARTIAN HOLIDAY will be released on December 23, 2025 and takes place in a world 500 years in the future of his first novel, EMERALD OF EARTH (YA/MS, 2024! He also writes on other worlds that have touched his life: GUYS GOTTA TALK ABOUT DIABETES, ALZHEIMERS; BREAST CANCER. He has 70+ publications in Analog, Cast of Wonders, Shoreline of Infinity, Cricket, Stupefying Stories, Nanoism, an essay in The Writer, and has created experiments for episodes of the PBS science shows Newton’s Apple, and The New Explorers—for which he became the Science Museum of Minnesota’s Teacher of the Year in 1997. Really.
June 19, 2008
WRITING ADVICE: In the Write Spirit
“And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written.” John 21:25
We interpret the Bible every day, asking the Holy Spirit how God’s Word applies to our lives. I skim past verses that a friend of mine tells me later are “deeply powerful and exactly what I needed to hear.” Clearly, God uses his Word to talk to us where we are.
That’s why this verse may seem a bit “stretched” to you. Keep in mind that God’s speaking to me and now I’m sharing with you how this might be significant to us as writers. More simply: please bear with me!
My logic chain is as follows:
a) I belong to Jesus.
b) I listen to Him and learn about Him through Scripture, prayer, preaching and reading the thoughts of other Christians – all the while listening to hear the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
c) What I learn of Him, for the most part, has been written.
d) ALL the books of the things He did have NOT been written – if they had, the world itself could not contain them.
e) The world’s not filled yet, therefore, there are books WAITING to be written about what He has – and IS – doing.
f) Because I belong to Jesus, He lives in me and moves me and breathes in me.
g) The “me” I am includes my imagination and the imaginary worlds I’ve dreamed up.
h) These places – at least when I submit to Him and LISTEN to His voice with my heart, in the words of others, in His Word – were made by Him and are things He did through me.
i) So, I can write about these worlds of imagination – I can ADD to the books that have been written about Him because these worlds of my imagination are HIS.
Lastly, these verses speak to me as well:
“Write everything I tell you in a book.” Jeremiah 30:1
“And don't tell me that I have no authority to write like this. I'm perfectly free to do this—isn't that obvious? Haven't I been given a job to do? Wasn't I commissioned to this work in a face-to-face meeting with Jesus, our Master?” I Corinthians 9:1
“For we write nothing else to you than what you read and understand, and I hope you will understand until the end;” 2 Corinthians 1:13
This is my call to missions, codified. Anyone hearing anything else?
We interpret the Bible every day, asking the Holy Spirit how God’s Word applies to our lives. I skim past verses that a friend of mine tells me later are “deeply powerful and exactly what I needed to hear.” Clearly, God uses his Word to talk to us where we are.
That’s why this verse may seem a bit “stretched” to you. Keep in mind that God’s speaking to me and now I’m sharing with you how this might be significant to us as writers. More simply: please bear with me!
My logic chain is as follows:
a) I belong to Jesus.
b) I listen to Him and learn about Him through Scripture, prayer, preaching and reading the thoughts of other Christians – all the while listening to hear the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
c) What I learn of Him, for the most part, has been written.
d) ALL the books of the things He did have NOT been written – if they had, the world itself could not contain them.
e) The world’s not filled yet, therefore, there are books WAITING to be written about what He has – and IS – doing.
f) Because I belong to Jesus, He lives in me and moves me and breathes in me.
g) The “me” I am includes my imagination and the imaginary worlds I’ve dreamed up.
h) These places – at least when I submit to Him and LISTEN to His voice with my heart, in the words of others, in His Word – were made by Him and are things He did through me.
i) So, I can write about these worlds of imagination – I can ADD to the books that have been written about Him because these worlds of my imagination are HIS.
Lastly, these verses speak to me as well:
“Write everything I tell you in a book.” Jeremiah 30:1
“And don't tell me that I have no authority to write like this. I'm perfectly free to do this—isn't that obvious? Haven't I been given a job to do? Wasn't I commissioned to this work in a face-to-face meeting with Jesus, our Master?” I Corinthians 9:1
“For we write nothing else to you than what you read and understand, and I hope you will understand until the end;” 2 Corinthians 1:13
This is my call to missions, codified. Anyone hearing anything else?
Guy Stewart is a husband; father, father-in-law, grandfather, and retired teacher/school counselor who maintains POSSIBLY IRRITATING ESSAYS offering his writing up for comment. His new novel, MARTIAN HOLIDAY will be released on December 23, 2025 and takes place in a world 500 years in the future of his first novel, EMERALD OF EARTH (YA/MS, 2024! He also writes on other worlds that have touched his life: GUYS GOTTA TALK ABOUT DIABETES, ALZHEIMERS; BREAST CANCER. He has 70+ publications in Analog, Cast of Wonders, Shoreline of Infinity, Cricket, Stupefying Stories, Nanoism, an essay in The Writer, and has created experiments for episodes of the PBS science shows Newton’s Apple, and The New Explorers—for which he became the Science Museum of Minnesota’s Teacher of the Year in 1997. Really.
June 9, 2008
POSSIBLY IRRITATING ESSAY: One Holy Klingon and Apostolic Church
Maybe it’s just me, but I can see on cursory inspection several similarities between the Roman Catholic Church and the religion created for the imaginary, fictional aliens called the “Klingons”:
________________________________
Catholics: THE BIBLE: As in all Christian Churches, the Bible is the source of doctrine and provides a “roadmap” to following the tenets of Christianity. As well, it offers a history of events that led up to the establishment of both Judaism and Christianity as well as commentary on those events, stories of the heroes and heroines of the faith and expectations of what is to come.
Klingons: PAQ’BATLH: The Paq'batlh is a large series of ancient Klingon scrolls and religious texts, that, among other things, passes on the stories of Kahless. Along the side of the scrolls are icons of the Klingon culture, such as bat'leths, d'k tahgs, and the emblem of the Empire. Among the scrolls in the paq'batlh are Klavek's tomes. The Eleventh Tome of Klavek describes how Kahless came back from the afterlife, and had kept a scar to show that what he'd experienced was real, so that he may save the soul of his brother. (VOY: "Barge of the Dead")
___________________________________
Catholics: CREATION: God created the Heavens and the Earth and gave them and all that was in them to Adam and Eve with a single exception – they couldn’t eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Adam and Eve did so anyway, earned the punishment for disobedience: being cast out of God’s presence. (See Genesis 2:1-3:24)
Klingons: CREATION: "With fire and steel did the gods forge the Klingon heart. So fiercely did it beat, so loud was the sound, that the gods cried out, 'On this day we have brought forth the strongest heart in all the heavens. None can stand before it without trembling at its strength.' But then the Klingon heart weakened, its steady rhythm faltered and the gods said, 'Why do you weaken so? We have made you the strongest in all of creation.' And the heart said... 'I am alone.' And the gods knew that they had erred. So they went back to their forge and brought forth another heart. But the second heart beat stronger than the first, and the first was jealous of its power. Fortunately, the second heart was tempered by wisdom. 'If we join together, no force can stop us.' And when the two hearts began to beat together, they filled the heavens with a terrible sound. For the first time, the gods knew fear. They tried to flee, but it was too late. The Klingon hearts destroyed the gods who created them and turned the heavens to ashes. To this very day, no one can oppose the beating of two Klingon hearts."
A version of this creation myth is told during the traditional Klingon wedding ceremony: DS9: "You Are Cordially Invited")
______________________________________
Catholics: ANGELS/FALLEN ANGELS: St. Augustine says: "'Angel' is the name of their office, not of their nature. If you seek the name of their nature, it is ‘spirit'; if you seek the name of their office, it is ‘angel': from what they are, ‘spirit,' from what they do, ‘angel.' With their whole beings the angels are servants and messengers of God. Because they "always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven" they are the "mighty ones who do his word, hearkening to the voice of his word." As purely spiritual creatures angels have intelligence and will: they are personal and immortal creatures, surpassing in perfection all visible creatures, as the splendor of their glory bears witness. From the Incarnation to the Ascension, the life of the Word incarnate is surrounded by the adoration and service of angels. They will be present at Christ's return, which they will announce, to serve at his judgment. (Cf. Acts 1:10-11; Mt 13:41; 24:31; Lk 12:8-9) For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, sections 328 and following: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt1art1p5.htm
Klingons: FALLEN ANGELS: In Klingon mythology, the kos'karii are pale, serpent-like creatures which inhabit the blood-red waters crossed by the Barge of the Dead on its way to Gre'thor. They attempt to lure dishonored souls to them with voices of friends and loved ones, and then drag them into the water. (VOY: "Barge of the Dead") ___________________________________________
Catholics: UNIQUENESS OF THE CHURCH: Belief that the Church is the vessel and deposit of the fullness of the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles from which the Scriptures were formed. This teaching is preserved in both written scripture and in unwritten tradition, neither being independent of the other.
Klingons: UNIQUENESS OF THE KLINGON PEOPLE: “Early in the 23rd Century…the Klingons trumpeted their superiority over the physically inferior and comparatively docile humans…”
_____________________________________
Catholics: JESUS the CHRIST: Belief that Jesus Christ is Divine, a doctrine officially clarified in the First Council of Nicea and expressed in the Nicene Creed.
Klingons: KAHLESS: Kahless awaits all Klingons in Sto-vo-kor: the life, which lies beyond this life. His teachings of honor and tradition form the basis of modern Klingon philosophy and culture. Kahless is still worshipped as a divine figure by the Klingons. (VOY: "Day of Honor")
_____________________________
Catholic: THE SECOND COMING: Few truths are more often or more clearly proclaimed in Scripture than that of the general judgment. To it the prophets of the Old Testament refer when they speak of the "Day of the Lord" (Joel 2:31; Ezekiel 13:5; Isaiah 2:12), in which the nations will be summoned to judgment. In the New Testament the second Parusia, or coming of Christ as Judge of the world, is an oft-repeated doctrine. The Saviour Himself not only foretells the event but graphically portrays its circumstances (Matthew 24:27 sqq.; 25:31 sqq.). The Apostles give a most prominent place to this doctrine in their preaching (Acts 10:42; 17:31) and writings (Romans 2:5-16; 14:10; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 2 Timothy 4:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:5; James 5:7). Besides the name Parusia (parousia), or Advent (1 Corinthians 15:23; 2 Thessalonians 2:19), the Second Coming is also called Epiphany, epiphaneia, or Appearance (2 Thessalonians 2:8; 1 Timothy 6:14; 2 Timothy 4:1; Titus 2:13), and Apocalypse (apokalypsis), or Revelation (2 Thessalonians 2:7; 1 Peter 4:13). The time of the Second Coming is spoken of as "that Day" (2 Timothy 4:8), "the day of the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 5:2), "the day of Christ" (Philemon 1:6), "the day of the Son of Man" (Luke 17:30), "the last day" (John 6:39-40).
Klingon: THE SECOND COMING: Upon his death, Kahless promised he would return one day and lead the Empire again. Since his death, it is said that Kahless awaits all Klingons in Sto-vo-kor: the life, which lies beyond this life. His teachings of honor and tradition form the basis of modern Klingon philosophy and culture. Kahless is still worshipped as a divine figure by the Klingons. (VOY: "Day of Honor") Kahless later invented the forms of what would become the Mok'bara when he went to the Underworld in search of his father. Kahless showed him the forms, and his father was able to remember his body and return to the world of the living. (TNG: "Birthright, Part II") When Kahless united the people and gave them the laws of honor, he saw that his work was done. So one night he gathered his belongings and went to the edge of the city to say good-bye. The people wept, they did not want him to go. And Kahless said, "You are Klingons. You need no one but yourselves. I will go now, to Sto-Vo-Kor. But I promise one day I will return." Then Kahless pointed to a star in the sky and said, "Look for me there, on that point of light." (TNG: "Rightful Heir") The story of "The Promise" indicated that Kahless was to reappear in the lava caves on the planet of Boreth. The Followers of Kahless, or "Guardians", waited there for his return. To Klingons, there was no more sacred place. For over 1,500 years, Klingons came to Boreth to ask questions. According to the Clerics, the only way a Klingon warrior could find the answers they sought was to: "Open your heart to Kahless, ask him your questions, let him speak to you with your mind unclouded by doubt or hesitation. Only then can you find what you are looking for." (TNG: "Rightful Heir")
________________________________
Catholics: PURGATORY: Pope John Paul II used his Wednesday general audience during the period of late 1999-JUL to early 1999-AUG to discuss topics related to life after death. He had described heaven and hell; at his AUG-4 audience, he described Purgatory. He affirmed Roman Catholic theology that: "Before we enter into God's Kingdom, every trace of sin within us must be eliminated, every imperfection in our soul must be corrected. This is exactly what takes place in purgatory." But he continued by stating that Purgatory "does not indicate a place but a condition of life. Those who, after death, live in this state of purification are already immersed in the love of Christ which lifts them out of the residue of imperfection." Like Hell, Purgatory is not a physical place. He urged Christians to pray and do good works on behalf of those in purgatory, so that the latter will be released earlier than they would otherwise be.
Klingons: PURGATORY: Sto-vo-kor is, in Klingon mythology, the afterlife for the honored dead, where all true warriors go after they die to fight an eternal battle against great enemies. The halls of Sto-vo-kor were said to be guarded by Kahless the Unforgettable. A Klingon can enter Sto-vo-kor by dying in battle or while performing a heroic deed. In addition, they may enter Sto-vo-kor by allowing themselves to be killed by another Klingon. (DS9: "Children of Time"). Alternatively, the relatives of the deceased can also perform such a deed in the name of the fallen to ensure their arrival in the halls. In 2375, Worf destroyed the Monac shipyards in the name of Jadzia Dax, in order to gain her entry into Sto-vo-kor. (DS9: "Image in the Sand", "Shadows and Symbols")
________________________________
SOURCES OF RESEARCH
http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/features/documentaries/article/1614.html
http://startrek.wikia.com/wiki/Paq'batlh
http://www.klingon.org/smboard/index.php/board,37.0.html
http://www.sub-space-9.com/ie/kfile02.html
http://www.religioustolerance.org/purgatory1.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic
________________________________
Catholics: THE BIBLE: As in all Christian Churches, the Bible is the source of doctrine and provides a “roadmap” to following the tenets of Christianity. As well, it offers a history of events that led up to the establishment of both Judaism and Christianity as well as commentary on those events, stories of the heroes and heroines of the faith and expectations of what is to come.
Klingons: PAQ’BATLH: The Paq'batlh is a large series of ancient Klingon scrolls and religious texts, that, among other things, passes on the stories of Kahless. Along the side of the scrolls are icons of the Klingon culture, such as bat'leths, d'k tahgs, and the emblem of the Empire. Among the scrolls in the paq'batlh are Klavek's tomes. The Eleventh Tome of Klavek describes how Kahless came back from the afterlife, and had kept a scar to show that what he'd experienced was real, so that he may save the soul of his brother. (VOY: "Barge of the Dead")
___________________________________
Catholics: CREATION: God created the Heavens and the Earth and gave them and all that was in them to Adam and Eve with a single exception – they couldn’t eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Adam and Eve did so anyway, earned the punishment for disobedience: being cast out of God’s presence. (See Genesis 2:1-3:24)
Klingons: CREATION: "With fire and steel did the gods forge the Klingon heart. So fiercely did it beat, so loud was the sound, that the gods cried out, 'On this day we have brought forth the strongest heart in all the heavens. None can stand before it without trembling at its strength.' But then the Klingon heart weakened, its steady rhythm faltered and the gods said, 'Why do you weaken so? We have made you the strongest in all of creation.' And the heart said... 'I am alone.' And the gods knew that they had erred. So they went back to their forge and brought forth another heart. But the second heart beat stronger than the first, and the first was jealous of its power. Fortunately, the second heart was tempered by wisdom. 'If we join together, no force can stop us.' And when the two hearts began to beat together, they filled the heavens with a terrible sound. For the first time, the gods knew fear. They tried to flee, but it was too late. The Klingon hearts destroyed the gods who created them and turned the heavens to ashes. To this very day, no one can oppose the beating of two Klingon hearts."
A version of this creation myth is told during the traditional Klingon wedding ceremony: DS9: "You Are Cordially Invited")
______________________________________
Catholics: ANGELS/FALLEN ANGELS: St. Augustine says: "'Angel' is the name of their office, not of their nature. If you seek the name of their nature, it is ‘spirit'; if you seek the name of their office, it is ‘angel': from what they are, ‘spirit,' from what they do, ‘angel.' With their whole beings the angels are servants and messengers of God. Because they "always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven" they are the "mighty ones who do his word, hearkening to the voice of his word." As purely spiritual creatures angels have intelligence and will: they are personal and immortal creatures, surpassing in perfection all visible creatures, as the splendor of their glory bears witness. From the Incarnation to the Ascension, the life of the Word incarnate is surrounded by the adoration and service of angels. They will be present at Christ's return, which they will announce, to serve at his judgment. (Cf. Acts 1:10-11; Mt 13:41; 24:31; Lk 12:8-9) For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, sections 328 and following: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt1art1p5.htm
Klingons: FALLEN ANGELS: In Klingon mythology, the kos'karii are pale, serpent-like creatures which inhabit the blood-red waters crossed by the Barge of the Dead on its way to Gre'thor. They attempt to lure dishonored souls to them with voices of friends and loved ones, and then drag them into the water. (VOY: "Barge of the Dead") ___________________________________________
Catholics: UNIQUENESS OF THE CHURCH: Belief that the Church is the vessel and deposit of the fullness of the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles from which the Scriptures were formed. This teaching is preserved in both written scripture and in unwritten tradition, neither being independent of the other.
Klingons: UNIQUENESS OF THE KLINGON PEOPLE: “Early in the 23rd Century…the Klingons trumpeted their superiority over the physically inferior and comparatively docile humans…”
_____________________________________
Catholics: JESUS the CHRIST: Belief that Jesus Christ is Divine, a doctrine officially clarified in the First Council of Nicea and expressed in the Nicene Creed.
Klingons: KAHLESS: Kahless awaits all Klingons in Sto-vo-kor: the life, which lies beyond this life. His teachings of honor and tradition form the basis of modern Klingon philosophy and culture. Kahless is still worshipped as a divine figure by the Klingons. (VOY: "Day of Honor")
_____________________________
Catholic: THE SECOND COMING: Few truths are more often or more clearly proclaimed in Scripture than that of the general judgment. To it the prophets of the Old Testament refer when they speak of the "Day of the Lord" (Joel 2:31; Ezekiel 13:5; Isaiah 2:12), in which the nations will be summoned to judgment. In the New Testament the second Parusia, or coming of Christ as Judge of the world, is an oft-repeated doctrine. The Saviour Himself not only foretells the event but graphically portrays its circumstances (Matthew 24:27 sqq.; 25:31 sqq.). The Apostles give a most prominent place to this doctrine in their preaching (Acts 10:42; 17:31) and writings (Romans 2:5-16; 14:10; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 2 Timothy 4:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:5; James 5:7). Besides the name Parusia (parousia), or Advent (1 Corinthians 15:23; 2 Thessalonians 2:19), the Second Coming is also called Epiphany, epiphaneia, or Appearance (2 Thessalonians 2:8; 1 Timothy 6:14; 2 Timothy 4:1; Titus 2:13), and Apocalypse (apokalypsis), or Revelation (2 Thessalonians 2:7; 1 Peter 4:13). The time of the Second Coming is spoken of as "that Day" (2 Timothy 4:8), "the day of the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 5:2), "the day of Christ" (Philemon 1:6), "the day of the Son of Man" (Luke 17:30), "the last day" (John 6:39-40).
Klingon: THE SECOND COMING: Upon his death, Kahless promised he would return one day and lead the Empire again. Since his death, it is said that Kahless awaits all Klingons in Sto-vo-kor: the life, which lies beyond this life. His teachings of honor and tradition form the basis of modern Klingon philosophy and culture. Kahless is still worshipped as a divine figure by the Klingons. (VOY: "Day of Honor") Kahless later invented the forms of what would become the Mok'bara when he went to the Underworld in search of his father. Kahless showed him the forms, and his father was able to remember his body and return to the world of the living. (TNG: "Birthright, Part II") When Kahless united the people and gave them the laws of honor, he saw that his work was done. So one night he gathered his belongings and went to the edge of the city to say good-bye. The people wept, they did not want him to go. And Kahless said, "You are Klingons. You need no one but yourselves. I will go now, to Sto-Vo-Kor. But I promise one day I will return." Then Kahless pointed to a star in the sky and said, "Look for me there, on that point of light." (TNG: "Rightful Heir") The story of "The Promise" indicated that Kahless was to reappear in the lava caves on the planet of Boreth. The Followers of Kahless, or "Guardians", waited there for his return. To Klingons, there was no more sacred place. For over 1,500 years, Klingons came to Boreth to ask questions. According to the Clerics, the only way a Klingon warrior could find the answers they sought was to: "Open your heart to Kahless, ask him your questions, let him speak to you with your mind unclouded by doubt or hesitation. Only then can you find what you are looking for." (TNG: "Rightful Heir")
________________________________
Catholics: PURGATORY: Pope John Paul II used his Wednesday general audience during the period of late 1999-JUL to early 1999-AUG to discuss topics related to life after death. He had described heaven and hell; at his AUG-4 audience, he described Purgatory. He affirmed Roman Catholic theology that: "Before we enter into God's Kingdom, every trace of sin within us must be eliminated, every imperfection in our soul must be corrected. This is exactly what takes place in purgatory." But he continued by stating that Purgatory "does not indicate a place but a condition of life. Those who, after death, live in this state of purification are already immersed in the love of Christ which lifts them out of the residue of imperfection." Like Hell, Purgatory is not a physical place. He urged Christians to pray and do good works on behalf of those in purgatory, so that the latter will be released earlier than they would otherwise be.
Klingons: PURGATORY: Sto-vo-kor is, in Klingon mythology, the afterlife for the honored dead, where all true warriors go after they die to fight an eternal battle against great enemies. The halls of Sto-vo-kor were said to be guarded by Kahless the Unforgettable. A Klingon can enter Sto-vo-kor by dying in battle or while performing a heroic deed. In addition, they may enter Sto-vo-kor by allowing themselves to be killed by another Klingon. (DS9: "Children of Time"). Alternatively, the relatives of the deceased can also perform such a deed in the name of the fallen to ensure their arrival in the halls. In 2375, Worf destroyed the Monac shipyards in the name of Jadzia Dax, in order to gain her entry into Sto-vo-kor. (DS9: "Image in the Sand", "Shadows and Symbols")
________________________________
SOURCES OF RESEARCH
http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/features/documentaries/article/1614.html
http://startrek.wikia.com/wiki/Paq'batlh
http://www.klingon.org/smboard/index.php/board,37.0.html
http://www.sub-space-9.com/ie/kfile02.html
http://www.religioustolerance.org/purgatory1.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic
Guy Stewart is a husband; father, father-in-law, grandfather, and retired teacher/school counselor who maintains POSSIBLY IRRITATING ESSAYS offering his writing up for comment. His new novel, MARTIAN HOLIDAY will be released on December 23, 2025 and takes place in a world 500 years in the future of his first novel, EMERALD OF EARTH (YA/MS, 2024! He also writes on other worlds that have touched his life: GUYS GOTTA TALK ABOUT DIABETES, ALZHEIMERS; BREAST CANCER. He has 70+ publications in Analog, Cast of Wonders, Shoreline of Infinity, Cricket, Stupefying Stories, Nanoism, an essay in The Writer, and has created experiments for episodes of the PBS science shows Newton’s Apple, and The New Explorers—for which he became the Science Museum of Minnesota’s Teacher of the Year in 1997. Really.
June 4, 2008
WRITING ADVICE: Absolutely Basic Genre
GENRE: the French term meaning “a type of”. A literary genre is a recognizable and established category of written work employing such common conventions as will prevent readers or audiences from mistaking it [with] another kind. writing2.richmond.edu/jessid/eng216/216terms.html
OK: now that we’ve defined it, let’s say it together: “g” – pronounced the same way as the name of the elderly actress Zsa Zsa Gabor; or the sound represented by the “s” in Asia – “ah” – as in “open your mouth and say…”; and “nra”, as in the middle part of corporate cheats, E“nro”n.
CONTINUING: What’s it all mean? The absolute basics of genre are this: you can clearly recognize what you like to read and there’s a place for it at Barnes & Noble/Borders/Waldenbooks/Half-Price Books. If you say, “I want a romance,” and the floor clerk leads you to a section that has a sign above it that says ROMANCE, then that’s a genre.
FINALLY: The genres listed on Wikipedia are: action-adventure, crime, detective, fantasy, horror, mystery, realistic fiction (historicals are part of this), romance (historicals are also part of this), science fiction and western. ALL of these have “special divisions” such as action-adventure (thrillers), crime (true crime), detective (hard-boiled), fantasy (urban), horror (slasher), mystery (cozy), realistic fiction (history), romance (historical, steamy), science fiction (cyberpunk – the word invented by Bruce Bethke) and western (historical here, too).
LAST OF ALL: If genre is what you enjoy, the go forth and WRITE IT!
OK: now that we’ve defined it, let’s say it together: “g” – pronounced the same way as the name of the elderly actress Zsa Zsa Gabor; or the sound represented by the “s” in Asia – “ah” – as in “open your mouth and say…”; and “nra”, as in the middle part of corporate cheats, E“nro”n.
CONTINUING: What’s it all mean? The absolute basics of genre are this: you can clearly recognize what you like to read and there’s a place for it at Barnes & Noble/Borders/Waldenbooks/Half-Price Books. If you say, “I want a romance,” and the floor clerk leads you to a section that has a sign above it that says ROMANCE, then that’s a genre.
FINALLY: The genres listed on Wikipedia are: action-adventure, crime, detective, fantasy, horror, mystery, realistic fiction (historicals are part of this), romance (historicals are also part of this), science fiction and western. ALL of these have “special divisions” such as action-adventure (thrillers), crime (true crime), detective (hard-boiled), fantasy (urban), horror (slasher), mystery (cozy), realistic fiction (history), romance (historical, steamy), science fiction (cyberpunk – the word invented by Bruce Bethke) and western (historical here, too).
LAST OF ALL: If genre is what you enjoy, the go forth and WRITE IT!
Guy Stewart is a husband; father, father-in-law, grandfather, and retired teacher/school counselor who maintains POSSIBLY IRRITATING ESSAYS offering his writing up for comment. His new novel, MARTIAN HOLIDAY will be released on December 23, 2025 and takes place in a world 500 years in the future of his first novel, EMERALD OF EARTH (YA/MS, 2024! He also writes on other worlds that have touched his life: GUYS GOTTA TALK ABOUT DIABETES, ALZHEIMERS; BREAST CANCER. He has 70+ publications in Analog, Cast of Wonders, Shoreline of Infinity, Cricket, Stupefying Stories, Nanoism, an essay in The Writer, and has created experiments for episodes of the PBS science shows Newton’s Apple, and The New Explorers—for which he became the Science Museum of Minnesota’s Teacher of the Year in 1997. Really.
May 31, 2008
Why I Ride In the Tour de Cure Against Diabetes
People ask "why do you bother to ride 45 miles on a Saturday when you could just ask people to give to the American Diabetes Association (http://www.diabetes.org/home.jsp) and be done with it?"
I also did the Walk For A Cure here in Minneapolis as well and people asked the same thing. It did seem to be enough to tell them that my wife, Liz, is a Type 2 diabetic. It wasn't enough that Greg Lundholm -- best man in my wedding and one of my very closest friends -- died a year after I got married in a horrible way stemming from Type 1 diabetes complications.
So this year I thought about it. A bit of background, first: I am NOT a crazy biker! I don't have toe clips, or a top-of-the-line bike, I don't wear padded shorts or Team Jerseys. I just ride around a nearby lake sometimes or out to the Coon Rapids Dam on the Mississippi to have devotions at sunrise. Sometimes.
I DIDN'T train for weeks for the Tour de Cure. I didn't time myself. I'm just an ordinary "shmoe" trying to do a good thing -- raise money for research into the causes, prevention and cures of Type 1 and 2 diabetes.
I'm writing this six hours after I finished the Tour de Cure in Minneapolis -- in dead last place! I ache from head-to-toe. My arms are even sore, my butt, legs and neck are sore. I have three naproxene in me. After I showered (immediately upon arriving home), I fell asleep instantly for an hour. Woke up, had supper, watched storms hit the northern Minneapolis suburbs and now came to the computer.
I ride in the Tour de Cure -- the 45 mile version; you can also do 5 mile or 20 mile -- because it hurts me. I was exhausted, sunburned and my legs were trembling with "pre-cramps". All I needed to do was peddle a little harder and my legs would explode into full-scale, falling down agonizing cramps. I was asked four times if I wanted to ride in the "saggin' wagon" and turned them down all four times. I can make it alone.
Because, despite all the support, research and help -- someone who is Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes has to face life with diabetes alone. So if I push myself to the limit and start to hurt, I feel like I can, in some "mystical" (or half-baked...) way, feel some of their pain. And because my pain will go away overnight, maybe some of the pain they feel will dissapate with it. Maybe my pain can take away some of their pain.
I know it's crazy, but after much reflection, I realize now that that's why I ride in the Tour de Cure.
I also did the Walk For A Cure here in Minneapolis as well and people asked the same thing. It did seem to be enough to tell them that my wife, Liz, is a Type 2 diabetic. It wasn't enough that Greg Lundholm -- best man in my wedding and one of my very closest friends -- died a year after I got married in a horrible way stemming from Type 1 diabetes complications.
So this year I thought about it. A bit of background, first: I am NOT a crazy biker! I don't have toe clips, or a top-of-the-line bike, I don't wear padded shorts or Team Jerseys. I just ride around a nearby lake sometimes or out to the Coon Rapids Dam on the Mississippi to have devotions at sunrise. Sometimes.
I DIDN'T train for weeks for the Tour de Cure. I didn't time myself. I'm just an ordinary "shmoe" trying to do a good thing -- raise money for research into the causes, prevention and cures of Type 1 and 2 diabetes.
I'm writing this six hours after I finished the Tour de Cure in Minneapolis -- in dead last place! I ache from head-to-toe. My arms are even sore, my butt, legs and neck are sore. I have three naproxene in me. After I showered (immediately upon arriving home), I fell asleep instantly for an hour. Woke up, had supper, watched storms hit the northern Minneapolis suburbs and now came to the computer.
I ride in the Tour de Cure -- the 45 mile version; you can also do 5 mile or 20 mile -- because it hurts me. I was exhausted, sunburned and my legs were trembling with "pre-cramps". All I needed to do was peddle a little harder and my legs would explode into full-scale, falling down agonizing cramps. I was asked four times if I wanted to ride in the "saggin' wagon" and turned them down all four times. I can make it alone.
Because, despite all the support, research and help -- someone who is Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes has to face life with diabetes alone. So if I push myself to the limit and start to hurt, I feel like I can, in some "mystical" (or half-baked...) way, feel some of their pain. And because my pain will go away overnight, maybe some of the pain they feel will dissapate with it. Maybe my pain can take away some of their pain.
I know it's crazy, but after much reflection, I realize now that that's why I ride in the Tour de Cure.
Guy Stewart is a husband; father, father-in-law, grandfather, and retired teacher/school counselor who maintains POSSIBLY IRRITATING ESSAYS offering his writing up for comment. His new novel, MARTIAN HOLIDAY will be released on December 23, 2025 and takes place in a world 500 years in the future of his first novel, EMERALD OF EARTH (YA/MS, 2024! He also writes on other worlds that have touched his life: GUYS GOTTA TALK ABOUT DIABETES, ALZHEIMERS; BREAST CANCER. He has 70+ publications in Analog, Cast of Wonders, Shoreline of Infinity, Cricket, Stupefying Stories, Nanoism, an essay in The Writer, and has created experiments for episodes of the PBS science shows Newton’s Apple, and The New Explorers—for which he became the Science Museum of Minnesota’s Teacher of the Year in 1997. Really.
May 26, 2008
A Slice of PIE: Left Behind = The Foundation?
In 1995, the Christian Reverend Tom LaHaye (With Jerry Jenkins) released the very first of the LEFT BEHIND Series books. In 1951, the atheist Isaac Asimov released the very first of the FOUNDATION Series books. Both "first-in-the-series" books named their multi-volume epics and provided a convenient handle by which both could be referred to.
There are more parallels in the two series, which, given the mutually exclusive philosophical bents of the authors, I find disturbing. To wit:
1) The LBS and FS chronicle the fall of civilization.
2) The LBS and FS follow the lives of on-the-scene, movers-and-shakers as they attempt to save civilization.
3) In the FS, Hari Seldon keeps an eye on things from afar, putting in occasional appearances. In the LBS, Jesus keeps an eye on things from afar, putting in occasional appearances.
4) Powerful, choice-making, Jesus grabbing, faith powered, men (and a couple of women)-o-God are prominently displayed in the LBS. Powerful, choice-making, Seldon grabbing, psychohistory powered, men-o-Hari are prominently displayed in the FS.
5) There's none of that humility crap that Jesus talks about in either the LBS or the FS.
6) The main characters in the FS and the LBS blow away anyone who gets in their way -- apparently with Hari's and God's approval.
7) Both Jesus and Hari have carefully laid out events leading to the salvation of Humanity.
8) Both the FS and the LBS focus on hidden forces opposing monolithic evil in the name of Humanity and God.
9) Reading them raises the question, which will come first, the Thousand Year Reign of Christ or the Foundation?
10) Both the FS and the LBS made their authors scads of money and established them as household names.
When any author writes, they expose a bit of themselves for public viewing. The fact that these two series parallel each other in many ways makes me wonder whether Luther -- who also borrowed culturally significant vehicles for sharing the Good News -- would have thought the LBS had gone a bit too far.
There are more parallels in the two series, which, given the mutually exclusive philosophical bents of the authors, I find disturbing. To wit:
1) The LBS and FS chronicle the fall of civilization.
2) The LBS and FS follow the lives of on-the-scene, movers-and-shakers as they attempt to save civilization.
3) In the FS, Hari Seldon keeps an eye on things from afar, putting in occasional appearances. In the LBS, Jesus keeps an eye on things from afar, putting in occasional appearances.
4) Powerful, choice-making, Jesus grabbing, faith powered, men (and a couple of women)-o-God are prominently displayed in the LBS. Powerful, choice-making, Seldon grabbing, psychohistory powered, men-o-Hari are prominently displayed in the FS.
5) There's none of that humility crap that Jesus talks about in either the LBS or the FS.
6) The main characters in the FS and the LBS blow away anyone who gets in their way -- apparently with Hari's and God's approval.
7) Both Jesus and Hari have carefully laid out events leading to the salvation of Humanity.
8) Both the FS and the LBS focus on hidden forces opposing monolithic evil in the name of Humanity and God.
9) Reading them raises the question, which will come first, the Thousand Year Reign of Christ or the Foundation?
10) Both the FS and the LBS made their authors scads of money and established them as household names.
When any author writes, they expose a bit of themselves for public viewing. The fact that these two series parallel each other in many ways makes me wonder whether Luther -- who also borrowed culturally significant vehicles for sharing the Good News -- would have thought the LBS had gone a bit too far.
Guy Stewart is a husband; father, father-in-law, grandfather, and retired teacher/school counselor who maintains POSSIBLY IRRITATING ESSAYS offering his writing up for comment. His new novel, MARTIAN HOLIDAY will be released on December 23, 2025 and takes place in a world 500 years in the future of his first novel, EMERALD OF EARTH (YA/MS, 2024! He also writes on other worlds that have touched his life: GUYS GOTTA TALK ABOUT DIABETES, ALZHEIMERS; BREAST CANCER. He has 70+ publications in Analog, Cast of Wonders, Shoreline of Infinity, Cricket, Stupefying Stories, Nanoism, an essay in The Writer, and has created experiments for episodes of the PBS science shows Newton’s Apple, and The New Explorers—for which he became the Science Museum of Minnesota’s Teacher of the Year in 1997. Really.
May 17, 2008
WRITING ADVICE: Putting Your Character Down
The toughest thing I've ever had to deal with in writing is making my characters seem to live.
NO -- I don't have trouble making lists, writing their life story, doing interviews with them, doing time lines or any of the other things the writing books talk about all the time.
I have trouble writing down things that make my characters live on the page. I have trouble putting my character down. On paper. So that others experience them the way I do.
My most recent solution to the problem is to do the following:
1) I write down basic visual details, choosing one thing that makes them unique.
2) I put them in a situation where their uniqueness STICKS OUT LIKE A SORE THUMB.
3) I write out the character's response to a couple of pressures that have nothing to do with my story.
4) Write a scene I've witnessed and then replace someone I knew with that character and see how THEY react.
5) I dissect the characters in other books I love.
6) I have the character state somehow what they want and come up with a stupid plan to get it.
7) I also make them talk about their "owies" (external, internal, spiritual).
8) I write scenes using SPECIFIC details in all the senses.
9) I make sure the character has realistic FLAWS tied intimately to realistic STRENGTHS.
10) I add quirky flaws, a sense of humor, an exaggerated positive trait and self-doubt.
11) I sit down and think, "What the heck am I trying to do with the character?"
12) I quit worrying and write. Like a shark. (A majority of sharks must have oxygenated water moving over their gills. If they don't, they suffocate. They DIE!)
There you go. Prescriptive writing (see my post "UGH: Prescriptive Writing"). My prescription to me.
If you like it, steal it. Oh, only one thing: tell me if it works for you.
NO -- I don't have trouble making lists, writing their life story, doing interviews with them, doing time lines or any of the other things the writing books talk about all the time.
I have trouble writing down things that make my characters live on the page. I have trouble putting my character down. On paper. So that others experience them the way I do.
My most recent solution to the problem is to do the following:
1) I write down basic visual details, choosing one thing that makes them unique.
2) I put them in a situation where their uniqueness STICKS OUT LIKE A SORE THUMB.
3) I write out the character's response to a couple of pressures that have nothing to do with my story.
4) Write a scene I've witnessed and then replace someone I knew with that character and see how THEY react.
5) I dissect the characters in other books I love.
6) I have the character state somehow what they want and come up with a stupid plan to get it.
7) I also make them talk about their "owies" (external, internal, spiritual).
8) I write scenes using SPECIFIC details in all the senses.
9) I make sure the character has realistic FLAWS tied intimately to realistic STRENGTHS.
10) I add quirky flaws, a sense of humor, an exaggerated positive trait and self-doubt.
11) I sit down and think, "What the heck am I trying to do with the character?"
12) I quit worrying and write. Like a shark. (A majority of sharks must have oxygenated water moving over their gills. If they don't, they suffocate. They DIE!)
There you go. Prescriptive writing (see my post "UGH: Prescriptive Writing"). My prescription to me.
If you like it, steal it. Oh, only one thing: tell me if it works for you.
Guy Stewart is a husband; father, father-in-law, grandfather, and retired teacher/school counselor who maintains POSSIBLY IRRITATING ESSAYS offering his writing up for comment. His new novel, MARTIAN HOLIDAY will be released on December 23, 2025 and takes place in a world 500 years in the future of his first novel, EMERALD OF EARTH (YA/MS, 2024! He also writes on other worlds that have touched his life: GUYS GOTTA TALK ABOUT DIABETES, ALZHEIMERS; BREAST CANCER. He has 70+ publications in Analog, Cast of Wonders, Shoreline of Infinity, Cricket, Stupefying Stories, Nanoism, an essay in The Writer, and has created experiments for episodes of the PBS science shows Newton’s Apple, and The New Explorers—for which he became the Science Museum of Minnesota’s Teacher of the Year in 1997. Really.
May 12, 2008
Slice of PIE: The Big 4 Are Gone -- Where Are We Going?
'92, '94, '00, '08...
While there are many who are writing great SF today, there don't seem to be many writing in a classic mode. By 'classic', I mean SF that points in new directions. Absolutely there are those intent on RE-creating the genre -- witness the revival of space opera. But where are the writers who are creating the GRAND countercultural ideas?
Who created and codified planet-wide ecoengineering and religio-engineering? Frank Herbert, in the original single book, DUNE did that.
Who created humaniform robots and explored their impact on human society? Isaac Asimov did in the ROBOT books.
Who wondered about the effect of aliens and alien environments on child-rearing? Robert A. Heinlein did in STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND.
Who created artificial satellites and space towers and set them free from the imagination to become reality? Arthur C. Clarke did in WIRELESS WORLD (February 1945) and in FOUNTAINS OF PARADISE.
What allowed them to imagine and express their mind images? Besides pure genius, I put before you the possibility that it might have been their Judeo-Christian roots. While all repudiated those roots in adulthood, pehaps those roots nurtured a rebellion against "what is" and encouraged them to look for alternatives to tradition and canon.
Today, with the slippery relativism that passes for philosophy and religion, tradition and canon are non-existent and there are few monoliths to rebel against. With nothing to reject, where will classic SF blossom and how will it shift the direction of the genre?
While there are many who are writing great SF today, there don't seem to be many writing in a classic mode. By 'classic', I mean SF that points in new directions. Absolutely there are those intent on RE-creating the genre -- witness the revival of space opera. But where are the writers who are creating the GRAND countercultural ideas?
Who created and codified planet-wide ecoengineering and religio-engineering? Frank Herbert, in the original single book, DUNE did that.
Who created humaniform robots and explored their impact on human society? Isaac Asimov did in the ROBOT books.
Who wondered about the effect of aliens and alien environments on child-rearing? Robert A. Heinlein did in STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND.
Who created artificial satellites and space towers and set them free from the imagination to become reality? Arthur C. Clarke did in WIRELESS WORLD (February 1945) and in FOUNTAINS OF PARADISE.
What allowed them to imagine and express their mind images? Besides pure genius, I put before you the possibility that it might have been their Judeo-Christian roots. While all repudiated those roots in adulthood, pehaps those roots nurtured a rebellion against "what is" and encouraged them to look for alternatives to tradition and canon.
Today, with the slippery relativism that passes for philosophy and religion, tradition and canon are non-existent and there are few monoliths to rebel against. With nothing to reject, where will classic SF blossom and how will it shift the direction of the genre?
Guy Stewart is a husband; father, father-in-law, grandfather, and retired teacher/school counselor who maintains POSSIBLY IRRITATING ESSAYS offering his writing up for comment. His new novel, MARTIAN HOLIDAY will be released on December 23, 2025 and takes place in a world 500 years in the future of his first novel, EMERALD OF EARTH (YA/MS, 2024! He also writes on other worlds that have touched his life: GUYS GOTTA TALK ABOUT DIABETES, ALZHEIMERS; BREAST CANCER. He has 70+ publications in Analog, Cast of Wonders, Shoreline of Infinity, Cricket, Stupefying Stories, Nanoism, an essay in The Writer, and has created experiments for episodes of the PBS science shows Newton’s Apple, and The New Explorers—for which he became the Science Museum of Minnesota’s Teacher of the Year in 1997. Really.
May 10, 2008
POSSIBLY IRRITATING ESSAY: Star Trek is STILL Stupid (er...Politically Apathetic)!
David Brin contends – and rightly so – that the Star Trek “populist” form of government is better than the Star Wars “despotic” form of government.
HOWEVER where Star Wars makes a (bad) point of promoting despotism, the humans of the United Federation of Planets act just like most Americans do about politics in this early part of the 21st Century: “don’t care, won’t bother”. My objection to Star Trek is that despite the fact that there have been huge technological advances (obviously), philosophical advances (“People are no longer obsessed with the accumulation of 'things'. We have eliminated hunger, want, the need for possessions." Picard, ST:NG, “The Neutral Zone”) , religious advances (humans have no apparent religion), economic advances (“You see, money doesn't exist in the 24th century..” Picard, ST:FIRST CONTACT)and military advances (again, obviously), there has apparently been no POLITICAL advancement.
The crew of any ENTERPRISE and the humans of DS9 NEVER talk politics. Everyone else in the Federation does. The Klingons are always going on about the High Council; the Cardassians discuss the latest coup d’etat; the Bajorans rave about the elections and factionism and how it was easier during the Occupation; and the Romulans and the Ferengi are always talking about ascensions to this or that. Nowhere does Picard ever say to Troi, even briefly:
“Who are you voting for this election?”
“Oh, Betazed’s boycotting the elections because the Vulcans are trying to mind-meld with all non-Vulcan/non-telepaths to try and throw the election.”
“That’s too bad. Is all of Betazed voting bloc, then?”
“As usual, no. But anyone who wants to vote for the Vulcan presidential candidate has to fly to Paris and cast their vote at the Federation Capitol Building.”
“What a bother! Though I must say that Paris in the Autumn is grand.”
“It is a bother, but better than the last time when that Ferengi tried to buy his Presidency!”
Chuckling, Picard nods, “As I recall, that was one of the most interesting and entertaining elections in recent history!” Troi laughs with him.
Data lifts a finger, “Perhaps if the Mother Horta ran for President of the Federation Council, she could smooth out some of the rocky relationships.”
Picard and Troi look at each other and burst out laughing. With his finger still in the air, Data goes back and sits at his console, muttering, “Humor – it is a difficult concept.”
There: in less than 30 seconds of banterfest, I was humorous and stated or implied the following:
1) The Federation holds democratic elections
2) Peaceful protest of procedure is acceptable
3) Interference with the election process is not acceptable no matter WHO you are
4) Freedom to vote as one pleases is a RIGHT
5) Federation capitol is in Paris, France (MEMORY ALPHA states that there is some question as to where it exists!)
6) Federation politics is independent of local politics and not subject to local interpretation
7) Politics is FUN – Picard likes it and the educated crew of the most powerful weapon in the Federation takes time to vote in democratic elections
8) The Federation is not a “humans only club”
While it’s too late to add dialogue to the 694 episodes (including the Original Series pilot) and the 10 movies (soon to be 11) of canon, the lack might be addressed with less than 30 seconds of dialogue in any future movie or show. Even if the only purpose is to shed an instant of positive light on the democratic process and advancement in politics in the Federation – then it’s worth the effort to make the statement.
So go ahead, whoever wants to steal my little script, feel free to do so – as long as it serves to preserve the populists and curb the despots!
HOWEVER where Star Wars makes a (bad) point of promoting despotism, the humans of the United Federation of Planets act just like most Americans do about politics in this early part of the 21st Century: “don’t care, won’t bother”. My objection to Star Trek is that despite the fact that there have been huge technological advances (obviously), philosophical advances (“People are no longer obsessed with the accumulation of 'things'. We have eliminated hunger, want, the need for possessions." Picard, ST:NG, “The Neutral Zone”) , religious advances (humans have no apparent religion), economic advances (“You see, money doesn't exist in the 24th century..” Picard, ST:FIRST CONTACT)and military advances (again, obviously), there has apparently been no POLITICAL advancement.
The crew of any ENTERPRISE and the humans of DS9 NEVER talk politics. Everyone else in the Federation does. The Klingons are always going on about the High Council; the Cardassians discuss the latest coup d’etat; the Bajorans rave about the elections and factionism and how it was easier during the Occupation; and the Romulans and the Ferengi are always talking about ascensions to this or that. Nowhere does Picard ever say to Troi, even briefly:
“Who are you voting for this election?”
“Oh, Betazed’s boycotting the elections because the Vulcans are trying to mind-meld with all non-Vulcan/non-telepaths to try and throw the election.”
“That’s too bad. Is all of Betazed voting bloc, then?”
“As usual, no. But anyone who wants to vote for the Vulcan presidential candidate has to fly to Paris and cast their vote at the Federation Capitol Building.”
“What a bother! Though I must say that Paris in the Autumn is grand.”
“It is a bother, but better than the last time when that Ferengi tried to buy his Presidency!”
Chuckling, Picard nods, “As I recall, that was one of the most interesting and entertaining elections in recent history!” Troi laughs with him.
Data lifts a finger, “Perhaps if the Mother Horta ran for President of the Federation Council, she could smooth out some of the rocky relationships.”
Picard and Troi look at each other and burst out laughing. With his finger still in the air, Data goes back and sits at his console, muttering, “Humor – it is a difficult concept.”
There: in less than 30 seconds of banterfest, I was humorous and stated or implied the following:
1) The Federation holds democratic elections
2) Peaceful protest of procedure is acceptable
3) Interference with the election process is not acceptable no matter WHO you are
4) Freedom to vote as one pleases is a RIGHT
5) Federation capitol is in Paris, France (MEMORY ALPHA states that there is some question as to where it exists!)
6) Federation politics is independent of local politics and not subject to local interpretation
7) Politics is FUN – Picard likes it and the educated crew of the most powerful weapon in the Federation takes time to vote in democratic elections
8) The Federation is not a “humans only club”
While it’s too late to add dialogue to the 694 episodes (including the Original Series pilot) and the 10 movies (soon to be 11) of canon, the lack might be addressed with less than 30 seconds of dialogue in any future movie or show. Even if the only purpose is to shed an instant of positive light on the democratic process and advancement in politics in the Federation – then it’s worth the effort to make the statement.
So go ahead, whoever wants to steal my little script, feel free to do so – as long as it serves to preserve the populists and curb the despots!
Guy Stewart is a husband; father, father-in-law, grandfather, and retired teacher/school counselor who maintains POSSIBLY IRRITATING ESSAYS offering his writing up for comment. His new novel, MARTIAN HOLIDAY will be released on December 23, 2025 and takes place in a world 500 years in the future of his first novel, EMERALD OF EARTH (YA/MS, 2024! He also writes on other worlds that have touched his life: GUYS GOTTA TALK ABOUT DIABETES, ALZHEIMERS; BREAST CANCER. He has 70+ publications in Analog, Cast of Wonders, Shoreline of Infinity, Cricket, Stupefying Stories, Nanoism, an essay in The Writer, and has created experiments for episodes of the PBS science shows Newton’s Apple, and The New Explorers—for which he became the Science Museum of Minnesota’s Teacher of the Year in 1997. Really.
May 5, 2008
WRITING ADVICE: Absolutely Basic Theme
Some people have it easy!
Leo Tolstoy had no trouble finding powerful themes, plus he used them simply as titles for his books: WAR AND PEACE, CHILDHOOD, BOYHOOD and FAMILY HAPPINESS.
How easy was that?
But what about the rest of us? What is theme? http://wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=theme defines theme as a “unifying idea that is a recurrent element in a literary or artistic work”. That’s a bit highbrow for me. You can parse it slowly, but it doesn’t exactly ring with verve.
Orson Scott Card (creator, master and commander of ENDER’S GAME and ALVIN MAKER) doesn’t actually define “theme” in his book, HOW TO WRITE SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY, but he has plenty to say about it. One jewel is this: “I began teaching a science fiction writing class at the University of Utah and on the first day of class, I began a spur-of-the-moment exercise designed simply to show that science fiction and fantasy ideas are ridiculously easy to come up with…At the very first session, I asked them to think of the ‘price of magic.’” (Chapter 2 World Creation)
There’s no high-falutin’ statement of theme here, yet the phrase, “the price of magic” begs to be the central, unifying idea of a book. It became one in Card’s first fantasy novel, HART’S HOPE. Sounds like the theme of the HARRY POTTER books, too…
Examine your work to discover your theme or begin with a title and write to a theme or steal a theme from some other great work. Whatever you do:
“To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme. No great and enduring volume can ever be written on the flea, though many there be that have tried it.” Herman Melville (MOBY DICK) [http://thinkexist.com/quotes/with/keyword/theme/2.html]
Leo Tolstoy had no trouble finding powerful themes, plus he used them simply as titles for his books: WAR AND PEACE, CHILDHOOD, BOYHOOD and FAMILY HAPPINESS.
How easy was that?
But what about the rest of us? What is theme? http://wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=theme defines theme as a “unifying idea that is a recurrent element in a literary or artistic work”. That’s a bit highbrow for me. You can parse it slowly, but it doesn’t exactly ring with verve.
Orson Scott Card (creator, master and commander of ENDER’S GAME and ALVIN MAKER) doesn’t actually define “theme” in his book, HOW TO WRITE SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY, but he has plenty to say about it. One jewel is this: “I began teaching a science fiction writing class at the University of Utah and on the first day of class, I began a spur-of-the-moment exercise designed simply to show that science fiction and fantasy ideas are ridiculously easy to come up with…At the very first session, I asked them to think of the ‘price of magic.’” (Chapter 2 World Creation)
There’s no high-falutin’ statement of theme here, yet the phrase, “the price of magic” begs to be the central, unifying idea of a book. It became one in Card’s first fantasy novel, HART’S HOPE. Sounds like the theme of the HARRY POTTER books, too…
Examine your work to discover your theme or begin with a title and write to a theme or steal a theme from some other great work. Whatever you do:
“To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme. No great and enduring volume can ever be written on the flea, though many there be that have tried it.” Herman Melville (MOBY DICK) [http://thinkexist.com/quotes/with/keyword/theme/2.html]
Guy Stewart is a husband; father, father-in-law, grandfather, and retired teacher/school counselor who maintains POSSIBLY IRRITATING ESSAYS offering his writing up for comment. His new novel, MARTIAN HOLIDAY will be released on December 23, 2025 and takes place in a world 500 years in the future of his first novel, EMERALD OF EARTH (YA/MS, 2024! He also writes on other worlds that have touched his life: GUYS GOTTA TALK ABOUT DIABETES, ALZHEIMERS; BREAST CANCER. He has 70+ publications in Analog, Cast of Wonders, Shoreline of Infinity, Cricket, Stupefying Stories, Nanoism, an essay in The Writer, and has created experiments for episodes of the PBS science shows Newton’s Apple, and The New Explorers—for which he became the Science Museum of Minnesota’s Teacher of the Year in 1997. Really.
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