Visions of the Future- Top 5 Eras Since the Golden Age

Around when I was researching the 1920s in sci-fi history, I wrote a similar post to this one about the various eras leading up to the “Golden Age” of sci-fi that lasted from the 1930s to the 1950s. Well, just like most sci-fi franchises these days, I’m updating that concept for the modern times.

Here are five eras of science fiction history after the “Golden Age”:

1. Space Age Optimism (Late 1950s- late 1960s)-

In spite of the threat of nuclear war, the western world still held out hope for a glorious future, where mankind had tamed the world with technology, and reached out for the stars. Star Trek: The Original Series is one of the best examples of this humanist ideology. Design and architecture were also influenced by this projection into the future. The pinnacle of this era of sci-fi history was probably the Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union, when real human beings fulfilled the prophecies of science fiction writers by setting out into space, and setting foot on the moon.

2. Space Age Pessimism (1970s)-

Man had been to space, and to the moon, and yet the world was still a fallen place. Sci-fi writers of the 1970s questioned the bright future that had previously envisioned through stories like Logan’s Run, and Alien. Science fiction might have slid further down into this dystopian cynicism were it not for a certain 1977 space fantasy that split the genre into two diverging paths.

3. Franchise Sci-fi/ Cyberpunk (1980s)-

After Star Wars, there was a saturation of space adventures like Battlestar Galactica in popular culture. Many creators followed Star Wars’ example, and attempted to build multi-faceted franchises that appealed to younger audiences. However, not all science fiction fell into this trend. A new sci-fi sub-genre called cyberpunk became popular with some. Blade Runner, the film based off of Philip K. Dick’s “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep”, is a good example of the fusion of high technology and the dark underbelly of society.

4. Nostalgia (1990s-2010s)-

The most recent trend in mainstream science fiction has been a return to the stories of our youth. I’m not saying that there have been no original ideas in the past twenty or so years. I’m only noticing the tendency to remake old material. The 1990s saw some great new ideas, such as Stargate, which took their cues from previous sci-fi and lovingly referenced it. More recently, we have seen continuations of older franchises, such as Star Wars, and an exorbitant amount of reboots and adaptations, such as the Star Trek reboots, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe adaptations of Marvel Comics’ stories. This isn’t all bad. In fact, some of these are very good stories that deserve to be brought back to public attention. However, it does leave one to wonder what the contribution of this generation will be to the future of the genre.

5. Metaphysical Focus? (2010s-?)

What does the future hold for science fiction? For many years now, science has been tied in with the secular, and science fiction has been considered a secular art. However, with the increasing religious tension in the world, and the quest of the millennial generation for metaphysical significance in life, it is becoming more and more evident that secularism isn’t going to lead us to that bright and shining future. To me, it seems that science fiction must incorporate spiritual elements as reality more and more in order to be honest about the world around us. I think that now is the prime time for Christians to break into the genre, and make an impact on the culture through sci-fi stories. Maybe I’m just an idealist, and need to hop in my time machine and go back to the 1950s, but I really do see an awakening in Christian geek culture that could lead to a new wave of literature, TV, and film that recognizes the truth of both the physical and metaphysical aspects of humanity.

What do you think of these categories? What do you think is coming next for science fiction? I’d love to hear your opinions in the comments.

Keep on glowing in the dark,

Elora

Staring at the Sun

Hey all! I wrote this post as a reflection on a book I read for school called Conformed to His Image, by Kenneth Boa. It’s a great read, and it taught me a lot. I recommend it! These are a few of the things I learned…

     I’ve been told my whole life not to stare at the sun, but I still do. I don’t literally stare at the sun, of course. Otherwise I wouldn’t be able to see. I do, however, perform the mental equivalent of staring at the sun when my puny, human brain tries to wrap itself around the concept of eternity. I hear the charge in Colossians 3 to “set your mind on things above”, and take it as a call to completely understand what my life will be like after death. In my current state, I can’t imagine anything without an end, so the thought of eternity can be blinding and paralyzing. The question remains, however. How do I “set my mind on things above”? Through the book Conformed to His Image, by Kenneth Boa, I learned that pursuing God is meaning enough for my life now, and throughout all of eternity.

  In 2003, the Hubble telescope photographed galaxies over 13 billion light years away. Some of these galaxies contained eight times as many stars as the Milky Way galaxy, defying current physical theories by their sheer size. God knows every one of the stars in those galaxies by name.  In 1968, Physicists discovered that the proton, one of the three particles that makes up the atom, is itself a composite particle. They observed an even smaller particle called a quark, which makes up both protons and neutrons.  In the scientific world, the quark was groundbreaking and revolutionary. God, however, knew about these incomprehensibly small particles since the beginning of time, when he spoke them into being. He transcends everything that we can see and that we know exists. Our God is one, but also three persons. From His character flow virtues like love, faithfulness, holiness and truth. Without Him, morality would have no foundation, and therefore, no substance. As Kenneth Boa reminds us, “Ultimate reality is not the cosmos, or a mysterious force, but an infinite and loving person” (pg 153). In short, God is wholly other. He is infinite. His understanding and knowledge literally have no end.

    Though we are not infinite, our souls are created to learn and seek after God. When He made humanity, He made us intellectual, emotional, and volitional, like Himself. We are meant to relate to Him on each of those levels. Only when we relate to Him are we truly whole on each of those levels. This is one of the most incredibly, ineffably beautiful things about God. This is one of those concepts that we will forever be learning about and trying to understand more fully. Boa defines this mystery well, “He [God] has designed to seek intimacy with the people on this puny planet, and has given them great dignity and destiny” (pg 29). Not only did God create us, He also knows us, and fulfills us. Ingrained in our nature is a longing for the truth. God- the God who created the smallest subatomic particle, and the largest supernova- offers that truth freely to whomever will seek Him. However, there is too much truth for us to learn in our short earthly lives. The learning must go on into eternity. As Tozer says, “There is simply not enough time to think, to become, to perform  what the constitution of our natures indicates we are capable of” (pg 62).

    The application of these facts to my everyday life encourages my soul, and quells my nagging doubts about living in a future without end. In my humanity, I am created to seek and worship God. As long as that is my focus, I will be satisfied not only in my earthly life, but in my entire life. “We will never be bored in heaven, because God’s greatness and knowledge are boundless; the surprises will never end, and the joy will ever increase”, says Boa (pg 161). When I learn about God, I am “setting my mind on things above”. I am investing in the thing that will continue to be the meaning and purpose for my life forever and ever.

    I am immensely encouraged by the idea that I don’t have to understand all of eternity right now- I have all of eternity to learn. I don’t need to stare at the sun; but I do need to live in the light of it. The glow of God’s everlasting plans should guide my every step. Right now, I can set myself on the never-ending path by using my limited capacity to seek God and pursue Him. Then, my life will be like that of the righteous person in Proverbs 4:18, which, “is like the shining sun that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day”.  I can’t look at the sun now. I need it to live, but my eyes cannot behold it. As I move from this ephemeral plane into the Perfect Day, I will be changed so that I can comprehend more and more. I’m not there now, but that’s ok. I’ve only just begun. As Boa once again quotes Tozer, “For now begins the glorious pursuit, the heart’s happy exploration of the infinite riches of the Godhead. That is where we begin, I say, but where we stop no man has yet discovered, for there is in the awful and mysterious depths of the Triune God neither limit nor end… To have found God and still to pursue Him is the soul’s paradox of love…justified in happy experience by the children of the burning heart” (pgs 149-150).

Keep on glowing in the dark,

Elora

The Main Character

Alright! It's finally here! Enjoy!

 On Thursday, I studied all these books. Every one of them, in one way or another, spoke to the idea that humans have a mind, emotions, and a will.

    The metaphysical aspect of a person- the part that isn’t made up of cells and molecules and subatomic particles- can be split into three distinct, yet vitally interwoven parts. (Well, in theory it can be divided. I don’t know of an actually, feasible way to divide the human psyche.) The mind is the intellectual aspect. The part of a person that stores and sorts information. The emotions determine one’s personal internal posture to information and experiences. Finally, it is with the will, or volition, that one chooses a course of action, and carries it out. The will can override the mind and emotions when necessary. All three of these aspects are important, though some personalities tend to be driven by one in particular.

    Why are we like this? It seems to me, that God built the mind, will, and emotions into us when He made us in His image. You see, God is three in person- the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit- and one in essence. Though we can only be said to be one person each, our personhood has a sense of threeness to it.

    Fiction seems to have picked up on this facet of human nature. Our genre, science fiction, has many good examples that personify it. If you read last week’s Top-5 list, you know which one I’m going to talk about.

   

 Yep. Kirk, Spock, and McCoy from Star Trek. The reason I think they make such a good character trio, is that each of them seems to take up the role of one of the three aspects of human nature mentioned above.

   

 Bones is the emotion. He is the heart of the crew. On any given mission, he can be counted on to bring ethics, humanity, and passion into the discussion. Though his insights may not always line up with all the facts, they must always be considered before going forward with a decision.

    

Spock, as I think should be evident to most people, is the mind. In many episodes of  Star Trek, he is compared to a computer. He can recall and analyze information, and with little to no emotional bias, offer up all the possible solutions to the problem.

   

 Captain Kirk is the will. He takes what both Spock and McCoy, (and occasionally other members of the crew like Scotty), have to say, weighs their varying ideas, and makes the best decision possible. Sometimes, he has to override both the emotions and the logic in order to simply do the right thing.

    Therefore,while many may consider Kirk or Spock, or Kirk and Spock, to be the main character of the original series of Star Trek, I contend that the real main character is Kirk, Spock, and McCoy working together.

    
So, next time your emotions go on a rampage, make sure your will and mind hunt them down and get them back in line before they are able to accidentally cause the Nazis to win World War II. And watch out for people name Edith Keeler. If that made no sense, go watch “City on the Edge of Forever” from the first season of Star Trek. It’s a classic.

Keep on glowing in the dark,
Elora

Temporally Transcendent

 This weeks post is just a short musing on what I've been learning recently, summarized in rather nerdy terms. I hope you find it encouraging.

 

Did you know that God is temporally transcendent? That only means that He is outside of time, but it sounds cooler and geekier. Time does not bind Him like it does us. He does not travel through it. He is outside it and above it. Also, He knows everything. Also, He never changes, which means that He always knows everything. It makes sense, because where time does not have effect, there is no change.

Are you catching my drift? Let me elaborate a little more, because this is really cool. God knows every moment of your entire life. Always. Before the second world war, before Julius Caesar declared himself dictator of Rome, before Abraham settled the land that would be Israel, before the Pharaohs ruled over Egypt, before the universe was created, God knew your story.

Your life is precious. Your story is important. It is a mysterious, ancient legend told by the Master Author. Remember that, and I’ll try to remember it too. The things that happen to you and I aren't just random inconsequential; they are part of an epic, historical narrative.

But also keep in mind that though God is temporally transcendent, we are not. We don’t know everything that is going to happen. Our Author is good, and vast, and full of surprises. After all, He created subatomic particles. So don’t lose heart.

There are always possibilities.

Keep on glowing in the dark,
Elora

Utopia Reaches for Us (Part 2 of 2)

  

 So, the last Wednesday post left us in a pretty bleak place. Humanity is always looking for a perfect society that deep inside we know we were built for. In and of ourselves, however, we just can’t find it. There’s the recap of the bad news.

    Here’s the good news.  God, who authored the ultimate and only utopia, desired to restore us to that utopia. His own Son died for this rescue, and then came supernaturally back to life to complete it.

    You see, when we were striving vainly for a perfect world, and trying to be our own gods, the true God was reaching down to us to fulfill our need for utopia.

    When we allow Him to take hold of our lives, (however that happens to work. I don’t know. Please don’t debate Calvinism with me right now. Maybe later.), We are transferred from the broken tyranny of sin that we sold ourselves into at the fall.

“He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,  in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14, NKJV).

    Christ brings us into His restored utopia. Someday, all of us who receive Him will dwell in the  sheer and unbounded perfection of that Kingdom for all eternity. Let me tell you a bit about it:

It will be perfect-

“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."  Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ And He said to me, ‘Write, for these words are true and faithful’” (Revelation 21:3-4).

    That’s right, perfect. All the problems and pain we’ve accumulated since we left Eden will be done away with .

It will fulfill us completely-

“ For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory” (Colossians 3:3-4).

    It will satisfy all the desires we were originally created to have, and our true life will be revealed!

It  will be all of us-

“And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it” (Revelation 21:24).

    Members of every culture will be a part of this heavenly community-male and female. Our favorite humanist sci-fi authors so often long for this. What they don’t realize is that only in God can the best in every culture, and both genders, be brought together. He is the one who created them, after all.

It goes into eternity, and we are part of it right now-

“ For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20).

    We really don’t belong to this messed up world anymore. We were rescued in a time-transcending rescue plan, remember, remember? So, now, we are aliens on earth- members of a truly perfect world trying to spread the truth to other humans. That is cool. In fact, I don’t think there’s anything that can make a geeky heart, (or any heart), happier.

    This all sounds like the ultimate utopia to me. God does it way better than we do. And by His grace, utopia reaches down to us.

Be encouraged! I'd love to hear any questions or comments (other than Calvinism debates), down in the comment section!
Keep on glowing in the dark,
Elora

We Reach for Utopia (Part 1 of 2)

 

My window looks out over a sprawling city. It seems like every ten minutes, some sort of emergency vehicle speeds past, the wail of its siren growing louder, until it echoes eerily off the walls of my room, then fades into the distance.

There is something desperately wrong with society. We as humans know this to be true on a fundamental level. We want to fix it. We want to build a perfect civilization.

Thousands of years ago, the people of the world convened together, and decided to build a tower in celebration of the ideal society they’d thought they’d formed, marked by a single ambition, and united by a single language. This tower would be the crowning achievement of their humanist utopia. They thought that by their own power, by their own greatness, they could make their world perfect. They were wrong. (If you aren't catching my drift, read Genesis 11).

Ever since the failure at Babel, the diverse peoples of earth have continued to strive for such a world, one they could take hold of and make perfect. We seem to think there’s something inherent in our race that makes us great, that makes us conquerors, that makes us world-builders, and that if we can only tap into that something, everything will go right for us.

Don’t believe me? Look at our history. Dictators have gone to extremes to bring out the parts of the human race that they think will lead to a golden future. Look at our philosophy. Great thinkers have theorized on the flaws of society, and what people can do to cure them. Look at our stories. Authors dream up utopian cities, and worlds, and federations, quite similar to the dreams of Babel, where human intuition and goodness has solved all our problems. (Sci-fi fans. You know what I mean.)

But like Babel, all our ambitions lie there unfinished. Why? Why would we long so deeply for a perfect world if we can never achieve it?

You see, humanity lived in a perfect world once. The original man and woman were completely united with one another, and fulfilled to the core of their being. And it all centered around their Creator and Sustainer, God.

God was was the author of this original utopia. As His creations enjoyed, walked with, and came to know Him, they achieved the purpose of their existence. They lived in the only truly perfect society.

Then, as we are now too painfully aware of, they fell for the ruse we have been falling for ever since. They believed the lie that they could have perfection based on their own power, knowledge, and nature, apart from God. They were wrong. (This account is in Genesis 1-3).

So, now, here our race is. Delving further into the myth that we are the key to flawless existence. That if we only try hard enough, we can do anything. All the while, we are only one step away from the true answer to all humanity’s problems: our Creator and our Lord.

We reach for utopia in every direction but up.

Yeah, I know it's more depressing than my usual fare, but this is only the first part to the story. Tune in for my next Wednesday post, two Wednesdays from today, and I'll continue with the same theme, but with a more hopeful ending. In the meantime, there will be a top 5 Tuesday article that will probably just consist of geeky fluff. I hope you enjoyed. I hope I made you think. I'd love to hear from you!

Keep on glowing in the dark,
Elora

Top 5 Tuesday- Bible Sidekicks

In general, we associate heroes and sidekicks with comic books and superhero stories, but the roots of these character types run deep in human nature. Discipleship and mentorship are part of God’s plan for human relationships. Logically then, we find some of the best examples of heroes and sidekicks in His word, the Bible.

For the purpose of this list I disqualified the twelve disciples of Jesus, (because really, they would take up the whole list, and then some. And their mentor is kind of unbeatable).

So, all that said, here, in no particular order, is this week’s top 5 list:

5. Joshua (Exodus-Joshua)-

As the faithful young aide of the newborn nation of Israel’s leader, Moses, Joshua had a pure heart, a strategic mind, and a fierce devotion to his leader and his Lord. After serving under Moses for many years, he became the leader of Israel himself, during their period of conquest.  God constantly exhorted him to be courageous, and encouraged him with the promise of His faithfulness. One of the most interesting aspects of his life was the way he dwelt in the presence of the Lord constantly while working with Moses:

“So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle.” (Exodus 33:11 NKJV)

4. Elisha (1 Kings 19- 2 Kings 13)-

Elisha trained under similarly-named prophet,Elijah, before witnessing his mentor’s ascent to heaven in a flaming chariot. Then, he began his own prophetic ministry, which, in many ways paralleled that of Christ.

3. John Mark (Acts 12, 15; Colossians 4; 2 Timothy 4; Philemon; 1 Peter 5)-

In an amazing, (though subtle in the text), story of redemption, the young man who broke trust by abandoning Paul on a missionary journey became the apostle’s trusted confidant and loyal assistant. Many people believe that the gospel of Mark was written by John-Mark, under the tutelage of Paul.

2. Samuel (1 Samuel 1-25, 28)-

In contrast to the other stories mentioned here, this student ended up teaching his mentor a lesson or two in listening to the voice of God. Despite Eli the priest’s sometimes poor leadership, Samuel served the Lord, and the priest faithfully, and ended up hearing from God

when his teacher could not.  

1. Timothy (Acts 16-20, Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Philemon, Hebrews)-

The first Biblical figures we think of when we think of mentorship (other than the twelve disciples, of course), are Paul and Timothy. And rightfully so. Paul found Timothy as a young man, raised in the faith by his mother and grandmother, and took a vested interest in him. Paul served as the Christian father-figure that we generally assume was absent from Timothy’s life. The young disciple experienced amazing works of God during his time with Paul, and became a steadfast servant and leader. Despite his struggles with insecurity and sickness, God used him as a humble, passionate conveyer of the good news, and encourager of churches. The epistle that was most likely Paul’s last was a deeply personal letter to Timothy.

What do you think? Is there anyone I could add? What are your thoughts on Biblical mentorship and discipleship. I'd love to hear from you in the comments!
Keep on glowing in the dark,
Elora

Unleash the Bible Geeks

 

As geeks, we like to know things. Things like pi to as many decimal places as possible, the atomic number of, say, potassium (it’s 19), the opening scroll of all the Star Wars movies, the flavors of subatomic particles, Klingon, Elvish, Pavel Chekov’s starfleet service number, (which is 656-5827B, but shhh, I didn’t tell you that). Memorizing, knowing, it expands our minds, and challenges our neurons. It gives us a springboard for our creativity, and makes us really, really good at trivia games.  Plus, it’s just plain fun.

As Christian geeks, we have a veritably inexhaustible supply of information to learn and have handy. Which name of God conveys His sovereignty? What is the chronological order of the non-Pauline epistles? How many times does Paul say ‘therefore’ in all his letters put together? What is the genealogy from Abraham to Moses?  

All of these are questions that take us deep into the heart of God’s word. So, why is it so much harder to know the Beatitudes than to know the lines to our favorite movies?

(Feeling lame yet? Don’t worry, me too. But that’s not the point of this post, so keep reading.)

Here’s what it is, plain and simple: It’s a spiritual battle.

The Bible is so potent- so powerful- that the spiritual forces of evil don’t want us to know it. It is one of the two offensive components of the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18.) When we decide we want to become someone who wields this weapon powerfully for the Lord, the forces of the world, our own flesh, and the devil will come against us. But the more we fight, by the strength and urging of the Spirit, the more equipped we will become for the fight.

So pray, my fellow Bible geeks, pray. Pray when you don’t want to, when you don’t feel like it. Pray to know the Lord better. Pray for the strength and desire to know His word. And pray for me, too, if you think of it. Pray that God would raise us up as a specialized, spiritual strike force defending and presenting the truth.

Keep praying. Keep fighting. Keep learning Keep memorizing. Keep knowing. Keep doing what you do best.

Geek out.

Keep on glowing in the dark,
Elora

The Sparrows and the Subatomic Particles

   

 I’ll be honest: My life is good. I’m not trying to boast or anything. I’m just saying that not very many terrible things have happened to me. (And I am glad of that).

    Here’s some proof. I’ve been in several small Bible study groups. In some of them, the time I dreaded most was prayer request time. After the rest of the group members had told their legitimately sad stories about break-ups, family troubles, or friends with cancer, I felt a little awkward bringing up the conviction I felt reading the book of Leviticus last week. In short. I felt my problems were too small for God to care about. Maybe I’m the only one who has ever felt this way. But I assume I’m not.

     In my research, I’ve come across two passages that I feel speak to my feelings of self-pity over having nothing worth pitying. (Oh, my illogical human emotions.)  The first one is in a passage where Jesus is addressing the sin of worry. He says: “ Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ” (Matthew 6:26, NKJV). This tells us how foolish it is to worry when our God is so great. It also reveals to us another aspect of the character of God. He cares for the smallest things. Birds are nice and all, but in the grand scheme of the history of the universe, they don’t seem all that important. You would think that God would leave them to take care of themselves, but that’s not what the Bible says. The Bible says that He sees to it that they are taken care of. It’s a bit mind-boggling. But I’m not done with mind-bogglingness yet. I haven’t even got into particle physics!

    The second passage that applies to my non-issue issue is a verse I’ve come to claim as a sort of life verse. It is Colossians 1:17, “ And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” (NKJV). It is short and sweet and simple, and yet immensely and ineffably deep and meaningful. It starts me thinking on the makeup of all matter. God is the originator of the atoms that make up everything and the subatomic particles that make those up. He holds all things together, even the smallest, most basic and fundamental units of the universe. The ingredients of matter that we can’t even begin to see, over half of which we probably haven’t discovered yet.

    I’m guessing that none of our prayer requests are so small that physicists can only theorize over their existence. Even if they did, God would still take interest in them. Now, I’m not saying we should throw ourselves a pity-party for our small problems; I’m saying that God wants us to bring those problems to Him. We’re not supposed to go through lives relying on our own strength. We have to rely on Him. In everything.

 

    So, if you find yourself feeling that God doesn’t have time for something you are bringing before Him in prayer, remember that He has time for the sparrows.

    And the subatomic particles.

Keep on glowing in the dark,
Elora