Book Comment: The Meaning of Star Trek

In the Star Trek universe, science has eliminated prejudice, war, poverty, disease, and hunger. The main thing it can't change is human/sentient nature. Most of the characters in the series of television programs and films are competent and brilliant, the best in their fields, and most are flawed. Captain James Kirk passed the unpassable training test by changing the test; he cheated. Captain Jean Luc Picard is compassionate but is all work and can't have a really close relationship with anyone. Lt. Worf is a Klingon who fits best among Humans. Constable Odo is a liquid shapeshifter who loves one of the "solids." B'Elana Torres is a Human/Klingon half-breed who hates her violent Klingon nature. Visiting family members are often viewed with dread. Many of the stories in the series come from the character's internal conflicts.

In The Meaning of Star Trek, Thomas Richards discusses the reasons why Star Trek is becoming recognized as more than just a series of movies and television programs. I'm not sure that the creator, Gene Rodenberry, had it all in mind when he wrote the first draft of his pilot for the original Star Trek series, but it is more than obvious that Richards is correct in saying that the decided philosophical bent of the franchise soon became intentional.

Richards discusses, with examples from the various Star Trek programs, the uses and meanings of "myth" and "story." Also discussed are the distinction between individual and corporate; the often violated Federation Prime Directive (observe but do not interfere); the essentially rational nature of the universe; the corruption of governments versus the nobility of the individual; the notion that all of the sentient species of the universe have a common origin; and the realization that carried to its extreme, technology might exterminate the individual.

In the Star Trek universe, organized religion is almost universally shown to be corrupt, especially in its leadership. Where religion is viewed as ennobling is with the individual, even though the individual is usually shown to be misguided in his/her beliefs. The Vulcans meditate and concentrate and still can't rid themselves of their feelings. Lt. Worf tries valiantly to believe in the Klingon religion but can gain only a cultural appreciation of his heritage. A group of Jem Hadar warriors choose religious loyalty over life; they decide to die rather than to disobey the orders of their Vorta whom they know has betrayed them. An alien couple chooses to let their son die rather than violate his body by introducing alien medicines. The Bajorans worship a group of disembodied aliens who live in a cosmic Wormhole and do nothing to discourage the worship.

The "deities" seen in the Star Trek universe (*) are seemingly omnipotent but are not omniscient. They resemble the ancient Roman gods more than the Judeo-Christian God. They are often self-obsessed, arbitrary, and unconcerned about the effects of their actions on others. *: The Organians, Q, the Traveller, Trelayne (who may be Q), Adonais, etc,

To my knowledge, there is not a single openly Christian character in the Star Trek universe. This, and the attitude discussed above, may be seen to reflect the feelings of the series creator, Gene Rodenberry. He was raised as a Southern Baptist and as an adult came to reject all organized religion.