# Battlestar Galactica (1970s) = Mormonism?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-1970s-mormonism/660833>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [June 12, 2013, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-1970s-mormonism/660833 "2013-06-12T19:02:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![DirkGntly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DirkGntly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DirkGntly)\
**Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-1970s-mormonism/660833/1 "2013-06-12T19:02:18Z")

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Okay, I’ve seen this claimed before, and I confess an ignorance of the history of the LDS/Mormon church, so can someone enlighten me?

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**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\
**Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-1970s-mormonism/660833/2 "2013-06-12T20:25:54Z")

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[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious\_and\_mythological\_references\_in\_Battlestar\_Galactica](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_and_mythological_references_in_Battlestar_Galactica)

Glen Larson, the creator and executive producer of the show, was raised in the Mormon faith, and he used some ideas from his church in the show.

Mostly it was background stuff, like referring to marriage as “sealing”. The planet Kobol is an anagram of “Kolob”, a star mentioned in Mormon scripture. The reference to a lost 13th colony is similar to Mormon talk of a 13th tribe of Israel.

In several episodes, the Colonials encounter super-advanced, godlike aliens. While this is an old cliche in science fiction, it also has parallels in Mormon theology.

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**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\
**Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-1970s-mormonism/660833/3 "2013-06-12T21:42:26Z")

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I assumed it was about the remnants of the true faith sent on a wandering journey looking for the promised land.

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**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-1970s-mormonism/660833/4 "2013-06-13T00:33:06Z")

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So Starbuck’s dilemma of having to choose between Athena and Cassiopeia was pointless - he could have just married both.

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**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-1970s-mormonism/660833/5 "2013-06-13T01:08:20Z")

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> [@mbh](#):
>
> …In several episodes, the Colonials encounter super-advanced, godlike aliens. While this is an old cliche in science fiction, it also has parallels in Mormon theology.

Specifically the LDS doctrine of [Exaltation](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exaltation_(Mormonism)). The exact words used by the [Seraphs](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seraphs_(Battlestar_Galactica)) (aka Beings of Light) in BSG were “_"As you now are, we once were; as we now are you may yet become._”

> [@Little\_Nemo](#):
>
> So Starbuck’s dilemma of having to choose between Athena and Cassiopeia was pointless - he could have just married both.

IIRC one of the unfilmed for the original series had Starbuck & Apollo help out a friend who was in hot water with _both of his wives_. In the reimagined series continuity group marriage is legal on Caprica, and probably elsewhere.