“To go boldly where no man has gone before....” echoes the voice of Captain
James T. Kirk, of the Starship Enterprise, on a five year mission. Perhaps some
of the most cherished words in science fiction. Now I am far from being a
Trekkie, but I do have a few of my own favorites from the original, never cared
for the ongoing sequels via movies and other variations, Gene Roddenberry, Jr.
was even a customer of mine at Land Rover, “call me Rod.” So I did. Even took
a detour through southern Iowa once to visit Riverside, the future birthplace of
James T. Kirk, they even have tombstone bragging on him and festivals during the
year. Great banners on the telephone poles in town with each crew member. But
it was back in star date 1976, when John, Yoyo and I went to see Gene
Roddenberry speak that I became a fan. Even though the bloopers were funny, and
production techniques interesting, I found Gene’s basis for relating Star Trek
to the masses interesting. Simply put, he took futuristic people in
contemporary situations so we could relate to them, and built a legacy around
them. A simple premise that turned into a dynasty, taking Gene where he had
never been before. Star dates before science fiction became main stream, and
there is now a Star Trek for every age and believer. Indeed, Mr. Spock.
Now as much as I love the monster movies from the fifties, science fiction
is set apart from all other venues. If based on one simple fact alone, you can
do whatever you want. Ten feet tall, invisible, twelve fingers, gaseous,
telepathic, and ageless, science fiction stories live in a land where anything
goes, where no bounds are made on characters, or their character, morals or lack
of them, and everyone can participate, or decline to. Which may explain why I
am so turned off to today’s science fiction, it is all special effects, no
suspense in the shadows, you get it all, whether you want it or not. There is
no limit on the imagination, but nothing is left to the imagination. Because
special effects has taken care of that for you. Life can be weird enough
without someone telling me what my imagination is envisioning.
Little is left to the imagination today, a far cry from when we heard a
noise in the dark, saw a shadow on the wall, or even allowed us to think for
ourselves. A far cry from what Gene shared with us that afternoon. He also
knew how to relate to his audience, we were his paycheck after all, but in doing
so was also going where no man had gone before. His show started out as a five
year mission, lasted only a few seasons on TV, but is shown endlessly today.
Kirk or Picard, pick your favorite series, and the debate continues. Tribbles
or trouble? With no bounds on where to go, what you will find, and how it will
effect you, the potential is limitless. Something we all wish we could relate
to....
So many people have been searching for God since I became a Christian.
Cults, denominations, philosophies, and others have all taken a part of God and
tried to show him how they think he is. Using the limitless boundaries of
special effects, some have tried to describe him, give him a personality, or
even a history. But in all things short of knowing Jesus Christ personally they
all come short, for only in him can you relate to God truly. As a man he knew,
he could relate, and in him so can we. Yet many so called Christians live in
this fantasy world, and argue over whose translation is better. We call it
religion, and it divides, for there is no unity in man without the holy spirit,
whose unity is pure. Ask any Christian about what they think heaven is like,
and you will get varying answers. But having seen it, I can tell you it fits
perfect with scripture, “for no man has seen, no ear heard, nor mind imagined,
the kingdom of God.” All I can describe it as is I want to go back. And
basically, whatever you think it is, it will be much better. We have even been
given a manual to study in our pre-arrival lives, we have the means to
communicate about it, and still fall short of what Gene found as the secret to
his success, the ability to relate. So God gave his son, to die for us, and so
we can relate to him. In the flesh, via his spirit, without human limits
imposed. In Christ we can boldly go where Jesus wants us to go, this place we
call heaven. No warp speed, no transporter, no star ship can take us where only
Jesus can. But how many of us wish to relate to him that way?
If only we sought to bring ourselves up to God’s level rather than bringing
him down to our own. When we read how he created the heavens and the earth from
nothing, what is that nothing? When we believe he is eternal and immortal, do
we try to figure out when God began, or tie an end to him? What part of eternal
do we wrestle with? Hell is eternal to, not just a bad weekend to recover from,
or a planet to be rescued from. It is real, not imaginary, and like heaven, no
matter how bad you envision it, it will be a lot worse. Yet many go boldly into
it, when they can go boldly before the throne of God with Jesus. Try to measure
a light year, they admit that God is light and is everywhere, suddenly even
star dates seem so shallow. With one key ingredient to make it all happen,
Jesus. When Gene set out to tell stories we could relate to, God had already
given us Jesus so we can relate to him. Not a new concept, but when left in the
hands of man, can produce disastrous effects. Heavens that aren’t, hells that
they don’t believe in, and a savior they deny. Left up to their own
imaginations, when they can have a reality far beyond any imagination. Sadly
religion today is like it has always been, “beam us up Scotty, no signs of
intelligent life here.” But when it is all about Jesus......life begins.
Becomes real, becomes worth the living. So why do you still believe Spock can
renew life and Jesus cannot?
No matter how far into deep space Star Trek ventures, it cannot only touch
the edge of God’s universe. In the beginning, God created it out of nothing.
And it was void until the spirit gave it life. Just like we are, without the
spirit. And only God knows when it will be time to beam up to heaven, or be
lost to hell. Maybe a good idea to visit with him today, to put him on your
screen at maximum, to seek him while he may be found. He isn’t lost, but the
time we are given is wasting away. We have been given a mission on earth to
explore new galaxies in Christ. To relate to God and be saved. Our choice.
Science fiction allows us to go to a land where anything goes, God created a
place where only those who are saved go. Where no starship can visit, and no
one will want to leave. Who is the Captain Kirk of your enterprise will
determine where you end up. Eternal bliss or eternal pain, even Mr. Spock would
say only Jesus is logical. Gene knew all this when he started the Trek
phenomena, but God was ahead of him all along. Even the Telosians admitted,
“you have your illusion, we have our reality.” I just hope you are ready when
the transporter is....sadly Gene didn’t believe. Don’t you make the same
mistake.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25bikr.blogspot.com