{"id":5457,"date":"2011-12-31T01:32:46","date_gmt":"2011-12-31T06:32:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/?p=5457"},"modified":"2011-12-31T01:32:46","modified_gmt":"2011-12-31T06:32:46","slug":"star-trek-vs-star-wars-exclusivism-inclusivism-and-pluralism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2011\/12\/star-trek-vs-star-wars-exclusivism-inclusivism-and-pluralism.html","title":{"rendered":"Star Trek vs. Star Wars: Exclusivism, Inclusivism and Pluralism"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Bob Cargill pointed out to me an article in CNN about the latest volleys in the <\/a>Star Trek vs. Star Wars wars<\/a>, with not only fans but actors getting involved in the controversy (and George Takei\u2019s entertaining attempt to argue for the need for peace so as to face a common foe).<\/p>\n<\/iframe>\nTo me, the suggestion that one has to choose between them is like saying you have to choose between the Bible and the Bhagavad Gita, or between Christianity and Gnosticism.<\/p>\nWhat\u2019s that you say? You do<\/em> have to choose?<\/p>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-oa_pBQk6AQY\/Ttl1DTu6tAI\/AAAAAAAAD8A\/HJclDytMRbg\/s1600\/star-wars-vs-star-trek.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"242\" height=\"182\">But the funny thing is that if I were to say that it is like saying that you have to choose between the Torah and the New Testament, or between the Gospel of Luke and the Gospel of John, then the antithesis might indeed seem like a false one \u2013 to Christians, at any rate. Jews might well agree that one needs to choose between the Torah and the New Testament.<\/p>\nAnd so this really is a matter of perspective \u2013 of <a href=\"http:\/\/furiousfanboys.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/star-wars-star-wars-demotivational-poster-1226174101.jpg\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">defining canons<\/a> and inhabiting symbolic narrative universes. One cannot inhabit the universes of Star Wars and Star Trek simultaneously.<\/p>\nOr can one? Even in the examples of religious texts and traditions I shared earlier, the matter is not at all clear cut. Most Christians might agree that one must choose between the Bible and the Gita, but Hindus will often regard the choice as unnecessary. Orthodox Christians argued strenuously that one has to choose between Christianity and Gnosticism. But many Gnostics were Christians, or at least considered themselves such.<\/p>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.1077theend.com\/files\/2011\/11\/starwars-vs-startrek.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"161\">And in the case of the New Testament canon, it is common to forget the controversies that preceded the inclusion of certain works in the collection, and to miss that some works within it really do offer incompatible perspectives (e.g. the infancy narratives in Matthew and Luke, or the Christologies of Luke and John).<\/p>\nWhen it comes to science fiction fandom, it is possible to adopt any of the three stances towards other religions delineated in Christian theology. One can be an exclusivist, and say only your favorite series\/show\/movie is good. One can be an inclusivist, and say that while yours is better, others are not therefore necessarily bad \u2013 or at least, not completely bad. And one can be a pluralist, and treat multiple stories\/programs\/films as equal.<\/p>\nBut there are lots of ways of going about this, and it may be that not only is there something to be learned in science fiction fandom from considering these different theological viewpoints, but perhaps there is also something to be learned in the realm of religion by considering this sci-fi question.<\/p>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-ak.buzzfed.com\/static\/imagebuzz\/terminal01\/2011\/7\/17\/9\/why-star-trek-is-better-than-star-wars-16217-1310909138-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"202\" height=\"192\">If one treats <a href=\"http:\/\/furiousfanboys.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/star-warsstar-trek-wars-cubby-demotivational-poster-1223086897.jpg\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">both Star Trek and Star Wars as equal<\/a>, then are you <a href=\"http:\/\/goingtocomiccon.files.wordpress.com\/2011\/03\/star_trek_vs_star_wars.jpeg\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">both a Trekkie and a Jedi<\/a>, or are you neither, but a generic sci-fi fan? Is being a fan a matter of appreciation, or of exclusive<\/em> appreciation?<\/p>\nIt seems to me that this is a fine example in relation to which to explore the relationship not only between different canons and traditions, but also openness to learning from and appreciating others while also being committed to one\u2019s own tradition.<\/p>\nSo what\u2019s in your canon? Is it broad enough to encompass both Star Wars and Star Trek? And whatever your answer to that question, there are also others: Is the expanded universe canon? Original series? Prequels? Is Jar Jar in your canon or relegated to the apocrypha? What\u2019s you \u201ccanon within the canon\u201d?<\/p>\nI\u2019d welcome discussion from fans and detractors of all stripes. And as you discuss, may the Force be with you as you live long and prosper.<\/p>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-jJtrHbuj2sM\/TtchNA6SBgI\/AAAAAAAAC00\/K1i3CeUdcWM\/s1600\/starWars_starTrek_coexist.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"519\" height=\"198\"><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Bob Cargill pointed out to me an article in CNN about the latest volleys in the Star Trek vs. Star Wars wars, with not only fans but actors getting involved in the controversy (and George Takei\u2019s entertaining attempt to argue for the need for peace so as to face a common foe). To me, the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":136,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[139,163,86,90,91],"tags":[1136,1140,1555,1977,3238,3357,5105,9259,10940,11819,11822],"class_list":["post-5457","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fundamentalism-religion","category-progressive-christianity-religion","category-science-fiction","category-star-trek-science-fiction","category-star-wars-science-fiction","tag-bhagavad-gita","tag-bible","tag-canon","tag-cnn","tag-exclusivism","tag-fandom","tag-inclusivism","tag-pluralism","tag-scripture","tag-star-trek","tag-star-wars"],"yoast_head":"\n<title>Star Trek vs. Star Wars: Exclusivism, Inclusivism and Pluralism<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Bob Cargill pointed out to me an article in CNN about the latest volleys in the Star Trek vs. Star Wars wars, with not only fans but actors getting\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2011\/12\/star-trek-vs-star-wars-exclusivism-inclusivism-and-pluralism.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Star Trek vs. Star Wars: Exclusivism, Inclusivism and Pluralism\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Bob Cargill pointed out to me an article in CNN about the latest volleys in the Star Trek vs. Star Wars wars, with not only fans but actors getting\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/religionprof\/2011\/12\/star-trek-vs-star-wars-exclusivism-inclusivism-and-pluralism.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Religion Prof: The Blog of James F. 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