Do science fiction and spirituality blend well together?

[Venusian Broon]

A broad definition of spirituality would be useful here - are you talking purely otherworldly - as in a belief in spirits/higher power/supreme being(s)?
Or meditation?
Or would you include ways of interacting with the world around you from other people to nature? I am thinking of humanism, of Bill and Ted's "Be Excellent to Each Other", of vegetarianism and veganism, of believing that nature is to be protected? (Or it is all there to be exploited by man - that too is a belief, though not one I like.)

Well, the literal dictionary definition of spirituality is:

"the quality of being concerned with the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things."

It's a broad church and can be applied to many things.

 

[HareBrain]

Should have been, "I am not sure how to interpret the question...'

Not being sure how to interrupt it was quite understandable, though, given that the question had been asked several hours previously.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

One thing we need to remember is that part of the strength of sff is the space for a reflective mirror, and that means spirtuality absolutely has a place in the canon. If we can't explore and, sometimes, challenge, then why are we here? It's not all for the blasters and thigh-high boots, surely? I wrote Abendau as much about exploring my own concept of existentialism as I did anything to do with space opera.

 

[Montero]

Well, the literal dictionary definition of spirituality is:

"the quality of being concerned with the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things."

It's a broad church and can be applied to many things.

Watched "Pride" the other year (and re-watched it) and there is a lovely scene where one of the striking miners wives sings a folk song with the punchline of "Give us bread, but give us roses".

I think that defines spirituality for me - feed the body and the spirit.

 

[Dan Jones]

I can't think of a single genre of book that isn't compatible with exploring questions of spirituality, religiosity, and the big questions of human experience.

In fact SF seems in some way to be uniquely placed to push these questions farther than most genres; it can ponder whether these questions change over time as we reach far future scenarios, or whether they are replaced by something else, or whether, for all the advances in technology and endeavour, there are ancient truths that are so deeply embedded in our biologies and behaviours that no matter how many light years we travel, we cannot extricate them from ourselves?

 

[Brian G Turner]

Babylon 5 has strong spiritual themes, especially in terms of Minbari and Naarn philosophy, not least the concept that we are all the universe experiencing itself. And that's before we get into more overt plot elements, which I won't mention because I know one active member has just started watching it now and I don't want to post spoilers.

 

[Montero]

Yes. The Centauri are not what you'd call spiritual.

I do love the religious conference episode. Especially Delenn's expression on a couple of occasions.

 

[Deke]

Battlestar Galactica reboot did a good job of blending the spiritual and the sci fi with their lords of Kobol plot line.

 

[paranoid marvin]

Yes, BSG used it as the guiding principal for their journey, but it tended not to feature too heavily in the episodes.

DS9 used it far too much towards the end of the run, and the show finished poorly and disappointingly.

 

[CTRandall]

Ummm...

May the Force be with you?

 

[Guttersnipe]

To paraphrase astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, there is something poetic and spiritual about knowing that we are made of stardust. If it works with science, it should work with science fiction.

 

[Justin Swanton]

My own take is that 'spirituality' has become such a vague word, used for so many different things, that it no longer has any meaning. If "spirituality" is used to mean "preoccupation with religious beliefs and their practical consequences" then my answer is yes.

 

[bretbernhoft]

I'm pleased to read all of the responses to the original question about whether science fiction and spirituality can mesh well together. I've been giving this query more time in my own mind, and I'm quite certain the answer is "Yes". Spirituality and science fiction can and do go well together.

What I currently exploring, is how the social sciences have made sense of sacredness in digital environments; in simulations. As well as how technology is used in a spiritually significant way by anyone, past or present.

What I've found is that countless users of technology and readers of science fiction understand that tech/tools can be spiritual, in some way for them. The trick now is for me to understand (more generally speaking) how this occurs for most people who experience "it".

In other words, I am seeking to understand the larger narrative of how science fiction and technology are spiritual for so many people. When I come to a clear answer, I will share within this forum.

 

[psikeyhackr]

Have you read any of Ian Stevenson's books.

Ian Stevenson - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

The words 'avatar' and 'reincarnation' are not used in The Matrix movies but the ideas are woven into it.

The Matrix: Every Hint Neo Wasn't The First ONE

The Matrix Reloaded's twist was foreshadowed.

screenrant.com

The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus Christ Index

The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus Christ, by Levi H. Dowling, [1920], full text etext at sacred-texts.com

www.sacred-texts.com

 

[paranoid marvin]

Some of the questions I think related to spirituality ' what is our reason for existence', 'what happens when we die' and 'are we alone in the universe' I think are pretty much fundamental to scifi.