Religious ideas in science fiction

Science fiction (SF) works often present explanations or commentary on religion and religious ideas. These vary from simple refutations of religion as primitive or unscientific, to creative explanations and new insights into religious experiences and beliefs (e.g. Gods as aliens, prophets as time travelers, metaphysical or prophetic vision gained through technological means, etc.).

Related Topics:
Science fiction - Religion

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Like any form of literature, SF can be used both to denounce and promote religious ideologies, and SF authors' opinions on the subject of religion are as diverse as their writing.

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As an exploratory medium, SF rarely takes religion at face value by simply accepting or rejecting it. As with any topic in SF, when religious themes are present they tend to be investigated very deeply. The reader is invited to step outside the conventional understanding of the subject and consider wider possibilities.

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Also, since the genre deals explicitly with humanity's understanding of itself in the face of great technological and social change, in a certain sense most SF grapples with questions of a spiritual or religious nature.

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Some examples of religious themes in SF include the following:

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• In Frank Herbert's Dune, Paul Muad'dib becomes a prophetic messiah to the Fremen when his mental training and the drug / spice melange allow him to directly perceive time and space.
• In Philip K. Dick's short story "Faith of our Fathers", the protagonist faces an all-powerful god that reveals that it is a predator on all living things.
• In Stargate and Stargate SG-1, the supposed ancient Gods are revealed to be powerful, parasitic aliens posing as supernatural beings to exploit mankind.
• In ', an alien force of incredible, God-like power enters federation space, forcing the Enterprise crew to discover the meaning and purpose of its arrival.
• In Roger Zelazny's Lord of Light, a nobleman re-creates a rival religious movement to dethrone a false pantheon of Hindu-inspired "Gods" on a world where magic and science coexist.
• In Blade Runner, Roy Batty is an artificial person looking to confront his creator, while Rick Deckard searches for lost humanity despite his job: hunting and "retiring" drapetomaniac replicants.
 
Religious ideas in science fiction: Further Examples ►