Category Image First Contact


I just finished watching Star Trek: First Contact for the second time or so. I was struck by the comment that Captain Picard made that, in the future, mankind is no longer driven by the desire to accumulate material wealth, but rather by the desire to better themselves and humanity. This is none other than the mission of the Church, of course, to seek the theosis of mankind. As such, this Xanadu created by Gene Roddenberry reflects quite a Christian theme. Perhaps he realized it, perhaps not.

The fatal flaw in the Star Trek series is the assumption that man can achieve this entirely on his own. However, as Christians, we understand the fallen nature of mankind. This fallen nature utterly precludes our ability to pull ourselves up into some sort of higher existence. History has proven this, time and again. In fact, its quite interesting to note that the enemy in this Star Trek movie was the Borg - a metaphor for communism, if ever I've seen one. The Borg, however, are utterly evil, and thus we are to understand (and know from history), that communism is also utterly evil - despite it once being heralded as the next step in social evolution. In fact, the ideals of communism really are the ideals of the Star Trek universe. Everyone takes only what they need, and everyone works for the common good. However, the movie ends up indicting itself, perhaps without knowing that it does.

As I pondered this world, where everyone works for the betterment of humanity and themselves, it dawned on me that we have that world already, at least in some small sense. That world is the world of the Monastery. There we see the ideal of Christianity. Every monk or nun is working for their betterment, while at the same time working for the betterment of the rest of the faithful. Thus, I suppose, first contact has really been made.

I'll leave with a brief thought, that perhaps I'll endeavor to flesh out later. Communism really is nothing other than a secular attempt at Christianity. Perhaps that is why it worked so hard to destroy Christianity, it didn't like the competition. However, communism lacked the most important element - the grace of God. God's grace provides us with the ability to sacrifice of our selves in order to achieve the betterment of those around us. This is done freely, and that is the other key difference between Communism and Christianity.

Posted: Sunday - June 10, 2007 at 11:26 PM          

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