Star Trek & Religion
Star Trek’s attitudes toward non-western religions is decidedly respectful in each of its incarnations.
Apollo puts in an appearance. Native American shamanism has a poster child in Chakotay, first officer on Star Trek Voyager. As long as it doesn’t smack of Popes and Puritans a religious tradition is given fair treatment.
In fact, the only long form treatment of the Christian mode that I can recall is Star Trek V, and that is generally panned as the worst of the Star Trek franchise movies.
Vulcans act like Buddhists. Klingons are Viking warriors with their Gods and Goddesses of Battle and Death. But no one goes to Church. No one even stakes a claim to universality.
It is curious, I think. Science itself is based on the concept of universality, so perhaps the true religion of the Star Trek universe is science. Like any other monotheistic religion, it can’t really stomach competition to that central tenet.
In Gene Roddenberry’s view (and in the view of many others) monotheistic religion that stakes a claim on immovable truth is specifically incompatible with science. The history of science notwithstanding (the idea that there are universals at all is decidedly western), Science has been orphaned from its parentage and set free to roam the stars.
Personal beliefs which make no claim on anyone outside those beliefs are cool. Belief systems which call on their adherents to act in specific ways, are not.
