A Star Trek Sermon

Boldly Go Where You Have Not Gone Before: A Star Trek Sermon

                

In Star Trek, members of different species speak with members of other species from other planets. Imagine! We have enough problems talking to our neighbors here on earth. This idealistic view of communication is obvious even in the most pessimistic Star Trek series, Deep Space Nine. 

                

Deep Space Nine is the only Star Trek series not based on exploration; instead, it primarily takes place on a stationary space station that was taken over from the Cardassians as part of a peace treaty. The crew has to fight with the alien technology and keep the peace between Bajorans and Cardassians. 

Nevertheless, Deep Space Nine still maintains a specific type of idealism, that it is worthwhile to learn about other cultures. 

Here are a few examples: 

Dr. Bashir, a human, and Garak, a former Cardassian spy, share novels from their respective cultures. Garak attempts to explain why a novel that tells the same story over several generations is a classic piece of Cardassian literature. Bashir has trouble understanding as he complains that there is a lack of development in either plot or character. 

Garak and Nog, a Ferengi, play a Cardassian game where Nog could not easily understand the strategy as it dealt with war not finance, the specialty of the Ferengi. 

Lastly and on a larger scale it is a constant theme throughout the series of the miscommunications and communications between Bajorans and the Federation, about the nature of religion, fairness, and understanding between these two political entities. 

Lets not forget the original intent of the Foundation and its (very eventual) successful resolution of learning about other (solid) sentient beings. 

Even though in all of these examples there were challenges in communication, the attempts were made.  

                

Rarely do major characters, even Garak, outright reject the possibility of learning about other cultures, even in arguably the least idealist iteration of Star Trek. (Though its never clear when Garak is actually telling the truth and he may just be participating for information; however, the Federation crew still engage him)

                

This idealism is even stronger in The Next Generation. The Enterprise’s mission in this series was to explore new worlds and meet new civilizations. They went out specifically to meet people and learn. They did sometimes offer critiques of cultures (or our culture via analogy). 

For instance, Wesley Crusher was once sentenced to death for violating a local law that he was not even aware of. Their legal system was enforced by a God-like person or race, so there was also explicitly a religious component to the episode.

                

A very good example of the motivation for learning about others is an episode where a very advanced civilization hijacks the Enterprise by essentially possessing Barclay through the use of technology so that the alien race could meet them. 

One might expect Picard to be upset with the hijacking of his ship, but once he found out the alien’s motivation he proceeded to share information with them.

For those in the know: Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra. (If not use it as practice to go out to understand)                

Imagine this for a second. Two sentient species with completely different evolutionary histories talking to each other, on the surface this is absurd. However, as an analogy, it is a lesson that we should communicate with our neighbor about what makes us different.

                

It is not new knowledge that people favor talking to people who agree with us. However, imagine being able to peacefully have a discussion about your different beliefs with your religiously different neighbor. 


Imagine just once going into a strange neighborhood and talking to new people. 

Imagine just once, a Christian lay person, an atheist, or etc... going to a Mosque, a synagogue, or etc… and asking them polite questions about what they believe.

Let's take a lesson from Star Trek and boldly go where you have not gone.