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Star Trek Guide to Neo-Paganism (repost)

Z

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I just got this in my email, and wanted to share it with you.

(Note: paraphrased from the original e-mail)

Star Trek Guide to Neo-Paganism

Gene Rodenberry went to his grave, telling stories that, although they supposedly happened light years away, were relevant to our every day lives. From the beginning, he claimed that the characters and races on Star Trek were parallels for people here on Earth. Little did anyone know that the characters were actually taking on traits of Neo-Pagan sects across the country! Was Gene Pagan? Who knows, but sit back and enjoy this little trip, where no Pagan has gone before....

Wiccans - The United Federation of Planets
The Federation means well. They let just about everybody into their little social club, so long as they agree to play nice. They don't talk about rules much, but keep referring to one Prime Directive (The Rede) that all other laws are based on. That said, they frequently violate that rule when the need suits them. Often heard speaking in various UK accents, even though they're not from the islands (Et tu, Jean- Luc?)

Asatruar - Klingons
Obsessed with honor and combat. Have no qualms with eating meat and eat it with obvious relish. Insist they did everything first ("But Hamlet is so much better in the original Klingon.") And who wants Klingon opera, when you can have Wagner's Die Neibelung?

Ceremonialists - Vulcans
Have you ever heard someone say, "Excuse, I was reading this and wanted to tell you: "anal retentive" has a hyphen in it."? Everything is very orderly in their universe. No room for untidy things like emotions and the like.

Druids - Bajorans (with special guests: the Tuatha de Dannan as The Prophets)
You cannot separate the Bajorans from their faith. Religion permeates the very air they breathe. Although this should be a unifying force on their devastated environment, they are constantly fighting with one another. Like many other races, they are subject to charismatic leaders.

New Agers - Betazoids
Profoundly psychic when you don't want them to be; dense as a rock (crystal) when you actually need some help. Spend an awful lot of time talking about "vibes" and are perpetually concerned with how others feel. If they weren't so damn cute, you'd just want to smack them. You only see the women of this race.

Numerologists / Kabbalahists - Binars
Numbers are everything, don't you know. Can loudly pronounce a given number (93!) and have people laugh at it like it was a punch line. Draws all sorts of really interesting links between things based on the numerological significance. Socially uncouth. The only difference between the Binars and numerologists is that Binars have mates that understand them.

Dianics - The Women of Angel 1
Imagine a planet where women are in charge! It is a wonderful, peaceful place. Everyone gets along all the time and no one ever goes hungry. Yeah, right. Behind the facade of perfect love and perfect trust and gyno-unity, there is an iron fist in that velvet glove. And, surprise, surprise, the gynarchy is subject to the same power struggles and in-fighting that the rest of us are.

Chaos Magicians / Discordians - The Children of Tama (Damok & Jilad on the ocean)
I know I'm speaking English, and I know that THEY are speaking English. However, sometimes, you just can't seem to understand what these souls are trying to tell you. Although they have something valid and wonderful to share with the Federation, what they have to say is mired in a language that excludes more than it includes. Fnord.

Christians - the Borg
Resistance is futile, you will be assimilated. Your history and beliefs will become part of the Borg Collective, where they will be watered down and spread out evenly between everyone in our race. Lower your shields and hand over your money; resistance is futile.

Sent to me on the CincyPagan mailing list by one Candra Lape - original posting by 'curt - Yoyote Dancing'
 
Damok, his eyes red, his face black...

Man, I loved that episode!

Maybe one day I'll tackle the Iliad in that format...









um. no.
 
Hmm. I don't know my neo-pagans or my Star Trek very well, but I just wanted to ask.....which group of neo-pagans is the equivalent of the people on the sex planet they visited once in TNG? No particular reason....
 
I own a VHS cassette of only one Star Trek episode --- and it's that one. A college prof of mine actually used it in a lesson during an Intercultural Communication class. It penetrates many levels simultaneously, and really is a brilliant work.
 
Anathema said:
I own a VHS cassette of only one Star Trek episode --- and it's that one. A college prof of mine actually used it in a lesson during an Intercultural Communication class. It penetrates many levels simultaneously, and really is a brilliant work.

Yes, penetrating many levels simultaneously is a frequently striven-for goal among college students.
 
TragicMonkey said:
Yes, penetrating many levels simultaneously is a frequently striven-for goal among college students.
Dangit, I can never find the "groan" icon when I need it ;)
 
Oh, those would be the Dionysian Poly-Pagans. All you ever hear about from them are 'Tantric Ritual', 'Sex Magick', 'Divine Love', and 'Swap Meet'. Or is that 'Swap Meat'?

Just beware those Pagans that get you interested, then charge you a few hundred dollars so you can sleep with the High Priest (whether you want to or not) for initiation!

(Sadly, they exist...)

...

Suppose I'm just upset because I didn't come up with that scam first!
 
zaayrdragon said:
Oh, those would be the Dionysian Poly-Pagans. All you ever hear about from them are 'Tantric Ritual', 'Sex Magick', 'Divine Love', and 'Swap Meet'. Or is that 'Swap Meat'?

Dreadful. I've been accused of having low standards before, but I absolutely draw the line at people who spell "magic" with a "k" at the end. Appalling!
 
Gee, on an interview that runs occasionally on the SciFi channel, Rodenberry says that Star Trek wasn't supposed to represent anything.
 
All very nice, if only Rodenberry had actually 'written' all of Star Trek.

He and the various studios, production companies, etc. hired all sorts of screen writers, and if there are any flashes of brilliant insight in those episodes it would be a great tribute to the actual writer for being able to get it past the Rodenberrys and other corporate hacks.
 
crimresearch said:
All very nice, if only Rodenberry had actually 'written' all of Star Trek.

He and the various studios, production companies, etc. hired all sorts of screen writers, and if there are any flashes of brilliant insight in those episodes it would be a great tribute to the actual writer for being able to get it past the Rodenberrys and other corporate hacks.

Now, I think Roddenberry fell into the back of the success truck, and wisely sat back and was the 'supervisor' (read: guy who takes naps in the office) while ST trundled along. After Roddenberry died, and Berman took over, the franchise went to ◊◊◊◊.

True that most of it's success goes to the writers. (And exec producers, I think Robert Hewitt Wolfe was the best thing to happen to Trek, when he was on DS9)
 
Ratman_tf said:
Now, I think Roddenberry fell into the back of the success truck, and wisely sat back and was the 'supervisor' (read: guy who takes naps in the office) while ST trundled along. After Roddenberry died, and Berman took over, the franchise went to (censored).

True that most of it's success goes to the writers. (And exec producers, I think Robert Hewitt Wolfe was the best thing to happen to Trek, when he was on DS9)

Ira Behr is to be thanked for fighting for DS9. Berman had very, very little creative control. between B5 and DS9, some of the finest TV ever was made.
 

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