# What religion (if any) are star fleet humans (of the sttng era)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 20, 2007, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-religion-if-any-are-star-fleet-humans-of-the-sttng-era/404820 "2007-05-20T15:28:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-religion-if-any-are-star-fleet-humans-of-the-sttng-era/404820/41 "2007-05-21T00:37:21Z")
[QUOTE=Tuckerfan] And Harlan Ellison will be _more_ than happy to tell you exactly what species of bird it is, too. šŸ˜‰ [/QUOTE] šŸ˜• Thatā€™s a bit of Harlan-lore of which Iā€™m ignorant . . . unless you mean [Cordwainer Bird,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordwainer_Bird#Cordwainer_Bird) which is not a species. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-religion-if-any-are-star-fleet-humans-of-the-sttng-era/404820/42 "2007-05-21T00:51:49Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] šŸ˜• Thatā€™s a bit of Harlan-lore of which Iā€™m ignorant . . . unless you mean [Cordwainer Bird,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordwainer_Bird#Cordwainer_Bird) which is not a species. [/QUOTE] Thereā€™s a _lot_ of bad blood between Harlan and Roddenberry. Not the least of which because Roddenberry tried to claim that Harlan had Scotty dealing drugs in the original draft of _The City on the Edge of Forever._ ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-religion-if-any-are-star-fleet-humans-of-the-sttng-era/404820/43 "2007-05-21T01:03:36Z")
> [@](#): > > And Harlan Ellison will be more than happy to tell you exactly what species of bird it is, too. Funny, when I saw the phrase ā€œGreat Bird of the Galaxyā€, my first mental association was from Heinleinā€™s _The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathon Hoag_. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-religion-if-any-are-star-fleet-humans-of-the-sttng-era/404820/44 "2007-05-21T01:04:38Z")
The world of Star Trek the Next Generation is a sort of Secular Humanist Fascism. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-religion-if-any-are-star-fleet-humans-of-the-sttng-era/404820/45 "2007-05-21T01:09:08Z")
[QUOTE=Tuckerfan] Harlan had Scotty dealing drugs in the original draft of _The City on the Edge of Forever._ [/QUOTE] Was it Scotty or some one else in engineering? WTHā€™s my book, dammit? ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-religion-if-any-are-star-fleet-humans-of-the-sttng-era/404820/46 "2007-05-21T01:33:46Z")
[QUOTE=carnivorousplant] Was it Scotty or some one else in engineering? WTHā€™s my book, dammit? [/QUOTE] It was someone else, and Roddenberry took credit for much of Harlanā€™s work. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-religion-if-any-are-star-fleet-humans-of-the-sttng-era/404820/47 "2007-05-21T01:49:04Z")
[QUOTE=Tuckerfan] It was someone else, and Roddenberry took credit for much of Harlanā€™s work. [/QUOTE] Considering just how little of Harlanā€™s work actually made it into the shooting script for _City_, and considering that Harlan had to be backed down from demanding credit as Cordwainer Bird, itā€™s not terribly unfair for the Star Trek staff to take a lot of the credit for that ep. Not Roddenberry personally, for sure, but then Gene had a reputation for stealing just about every idea anyone else ever had about ST and sticking his name on it. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-religion-if-any-are-star-fleet-humans-of-the-sttng-era/404820/48 "2007-05-21T01:51:38Z")
[QUOTE=vivalostwages] Are you sure Alexander Siddig is Muslim? I could swear that I read a few years ago a statement from him online saying that he was neither Muslim nor Christian. [/QUOTE] As far as I know, he now identifies himself as Muslim. Iā€™m willing to accept that my belief is wrong, though. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-religion-if-any-are-star-fleet-humans-of-the-sttng-era/404820/49 "2007-05-21T02:04:25Z")
[QUOTE=Captain Amazing] Iā€™m willing to accept that my belief is wrong, though. [/QUOTE] Heh, youā€™re going to hell. Anyone else remember Pikeā€™s illusion of Hell on Talos IV? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-religion-if-any-are-star-fleet-humans-of-the-sttng-era/404820/50 "2007-05-21T02:08:57Z")
[QUOTE=NoClueBoy] Anyone else remember Pikeā€™s illusion of Hell on Talos IV? [/QUOTE] Say what? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-religion-if-any-are-star-fleet-humans-of-the-sttng-era/404820/51 "2007-05-21T02:11:29Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] itā€™s not terribly unfair for the Star Trek staff to take a lot of the credit for that ep. [/QUOTE] As I recall, it resembled Ellisonā€™s script so slightly that he felt his name should not be on it. Whoever is responsible, _The City On the Edge of Forever_ is often regarded as the best Star Trek episode, and I agree. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-religion-if-any-are-star-fleet-humans-of-the-sttng-era/404820/52 "2007-05-21T02:13:19Z")
[QUOTE=carnivorousplant] Say what? [/QUOTE] You know ā€¦ The ORIGINAL pilot. One of the illusions the Talosians caused Captain Pike was Hell. Fire, acid, pain, torment. I believe they called it an old myth from his memory, but itā€™s been a while since Iā€™ve watched it. We need Phaser Cutting Phaser **Tracer** to go look for us. :dubious: šŸ˜› ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-religion-if-any-are-star-fleet-humans-of-the-sttng-era/404820/53 "2007-05-21T02:15:37Z")
I donā€™t recall. I am seriously embarrassed. If you are mistaken, it is brickbats tomorrow morning at half a mile. My seconds shall view the episode and call upon you. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-religion-if-any-are-star-fleet-humans-of-the-sttng-era/404820/54 "2007-05-21T02:24:37Z")
It is a _very_ short scene. Maybe about 7 seconds or so. But it made the point about punishment or accepting the illusions they provide. My seconds are busy. Their seconds will accept the call from your seconds, tho. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-religion-if-any-are-star-fleet-humans-of-the-sttng-era/404820/55 "2007-05-21T02:35:18Z")
[QUOTE=carnivorousplant] As I recall, it resembled Ellisonā€™s script so slightly that he felt his name should not be on it. Whoever is responsible, _The City On the Edge of Forever_ is often regarded as the best Star Trek episode, and I agree. šŸ™‚ [/QUOTE] I just finished Justman and Solowā€™s book, and this incident was in it. Ellison did insist at first on a Cordwainer Bird credit, but the ST people managed to back him down on it. Ellison doesnā€™t come off very well in the book (_Inside Star Trek_). Neither does Roddenberry, overall, for that matter. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-religion-if-any-are-star-fleet-humans-of-the-sttng-era/404820/56 "2007-05-21T02:46:57Z")
[QUOTE=NoClueBoy] You know ā€¦ The ORIGINAL pilot. One of the illusions the Talosians caused Captain Pike was Hell. Fire, acid, pain, torment. I believe they called it an old myth from his memory, but itā€™s been a while since Iā€™ve watched it. We need Phaser Cutting Phaser **Tracer** to go look for us. :dubious: šŸ˜› [/QUOTE] The exact words of the Keeper were: ā€œFrom a fable you once heard in childhood.ā€ ---
**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:** [May 21, 2007, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-religion-if-any-are-star-fleet-humans-of-the-sttng-era/404820/57 "2007-05-21T03:03:39Z")
Anyone else think Enterprise missed out on (among many, many, other things) the chance to show what became of Earth religions by the 22nd century? Plox spent time at a Buddhist monestary (so at least theyā€™re still around). Babylon 5 had a throwaway line indicating that at thereā€™d been at least two female Popes. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-religion-if-any-are-star-fleet-humans-of-the-sttng-era/404820/58 "2007-05-21T04:23:34Z")
> [@](#): > > Babylon 5 had a throwaway line indicating that at thereā€™d been at least two female Popes. Was that in season 5? I watched the first four, and even with a throwaway line, I think Iā€™d have picked up on that (thatā€™s just the kind of trivia I glom onto). ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-religion-if-any-are-star-fleet-humans-of-the-sttng-era/404820/59 "2007-05-21T04:37:49Z")
[QUOTE=NoClueBoy] Heh, youā€™re going to hell. Anyone else remember Pikeā€™s illusion of Hell on Talos IV? [/QUOTE] ā€œFrom a fable you once heard in childhood.ā€ šŸ˜ƒ Edit: Dā€™oh, beat to it! **vivalostwages** , from the heart of Hell, I stab at thee! For hateā€™s sake, i spit my last breath at thee! šŸ†’ ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-religion-if-any-are-star-fleet-humans-of-the-sttng-era/404820/60 "2007-05-21T05:13:34Z")
[QUOTE=cochrane] ā€œFrom a fable you once heard in childhood.ā€ šŸ˜ƒ Edit: Dā€™oh, beat to it! **vivalostwages** , from the heart of Hell, I stab at thee! For hateā€™s sake, i spit my last breath at thee! šŸ†’ [/QUOTE] Mwa ha ha ha ha [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-religion-if-any-are-star-fleet-humans-of-the-sttng-era/404820.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-religion-if-any-are-star-fleet-humans-of-the-sttng-era/404820.md?page=4)