Burnham's Religion

[Tenacity]

I mention in a resent posting that we might be given the opportunity to learn more about the Vulcan religion (religions) through Burnham.

It would seem to me that if Burnham had religious views, that she would most likely be of the Vulcan religion or one of them, and not a Human one. In the animated episode Yesteryear (TAS) Spock's family was apparently polytheistic, Burnham was of course raised by Sarek.

Not getting into a general discussion on religion (if that's even possible), do you think Burnham would be religious at all, and if she were would she (should she) be written as polytheistic?

 

[F. King Daniel]

I suspect she's a Star Trek atheist.

 

[Noname Given]

I mention in a resent posting that we might be given the opportunity to learn more about the Vulcan religion (religions) through Burnham.

It would seem to me that if Burnham had religious views, that she would most likely be of the Vulcan religion or one of them, and not a Human one. In the animated episode Yesteryear (TAS) Spock's family was apparently polytheistic, Burnham was of course raised by Sarek.

Not getting into a general discussion on religion in general (if that's even possible), do you think Burnham would be religious at all, and if she were would she (should she) be written as polytheistic?

Vulcans worship Logic above all else. I'm pretty sure if they ever had a more contemporary type of religion - the practice was abandoned as they followed the teachings of Surak and committed themselves to the pursuit of the purging/suppression of all emotion and the attainment of pure Logic.
^^^
Given that's the world she grew up in - I'd guess she's agnostic or atheist until someone proves 'God' exists.

 

[RobertCardassian]

^ What he said. They worship Logic and treat Surak as an example to live by (not a deity)

 

[RobertCardassian]

I had forgotten the Vulcans were similar to humans before Surak came around.

Makes sense though because of the Pon farr hormones. They are biological and have to suppress their emotions


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surak

"During an Earth-like "modern age", when the Vulcans are technological but emotionally driven and violent, Surak founds a movement which reforms the Vulcan way of thinking and lifestyle and leads to the world of logically-reasoning and emotion-repressing Vulcans known from the TV series. This period in Vulcan history is referred to as the "Time of Awakening"."

 

[Spot261]

She's a white, straight male christian,

It's just she's going through a phase.

 

[Spider]

She's a white, straight male christian,

It's just she's going through a phase.

Transporter accident?

 

[Mad Jack Wolfe]

My money is on "lapsed Pastafarian".

 

[The Wormhole]

Vulcans worship Logic above all else. I'm pretty sure if they ever had a more contemporary type of religion - the practice was abandoned as they followed the teachings of Surak and committed themselves to the pursuit of the purging/suppression of all emotion and the attainment of pure Logic.
^^^
Given that's the world she grew up in - I'd guess she's agnostic or atheist until someone proves 'God' exists.

Vulcans worship and pray to gods, Spock and Tuvok have even said as much. Spock's cover story he told Sarek in Yesteryear as Cousin Selek is that he was on his on a pilgrimage to the family shrine to make an offering to the gods. In Voyager's Hunters Tuvok's wife said she requested the priests at a temple to pray for Voyager.

I suspect if Michael Burnham does have religious beliefs, they would likely be Vulcan, since the show seems to be operating under the myth that humanity in the future is secular, even though there is plenty of canonical evidence to contradict this to. After all, we have that infamous incident where Jason Isaacs ad-libbed "for God sakes" into his dialogue and the writers flocked on set to inform him that "people don't talk like that in Roddenberry's future" even though in all the other series they did.

 

[Longinus]

Vulcan philosophy has been inconsistently portrayed, personally I'd ignore TAS though. I see it more of a philosophy rather than a real religion. The monks are not really religious figures, they're masters of the psychic disciplines, which to the Vulcans are very real and well understood phenomenon. It may seem like mysticism to us non-psychic humans, but it really isn't. I really can't see them believing in gods; in TNG references to ancient Vulcan gods are made, but that is in the context of speaking about the pre-Surakian times. Faith is not logical. But as I said, it seems that different writers have depicted this differently in different times, so I can understand why some people might interpret it in other ways. Personally I wish they would go with 'philosophy, not a religion' angle in DIS.

 

[Tenacity]

Vulcans worship Logic above all else. I'm pretty sure if they ever had a more contemporary type of religion - the practice was abandoned ...

Spock (as Selek): "I am journeying to the family shrine to honor our gods."

T'Pel (Tuvok's spouse): "My husband, we have been given the news that you are alive. Your children and I have asked the priests at the temple of Amonak to say prayers for your safe return."

 

[The Wormhole]

personally I'd ignore TAS though.

Even in the days when TAS was regarded as apocryphal, Yesteryear still got acknowledged by everyone who had any kind of authority over the franchise.

 

[Longinus]

T'Pel (Tuvok's spouse): "My husband, we have been given the news that you are alive. Your children and I have asked the priests at the temple of Amonak to say prayers for your safe return."

That always bothered me. Praying is not logical behaviour.

 

[David cgc]

That always bothered me. Praying is not logical behaviour.

Isn't it? Logic depends entirely on your axioms, and it's fair to say a Vulcan's foundational understanding of the universe is different from us poor, non-psychic, slower-than-light-limited 21st century humans.

They're Vulcans. They've got a big room in a mountain where they talk to dead people, who talk back. They can sense psychic phenomena instantly across lightyears. Whatever the specifics of their religion/philosophy/metaphysics, it doesn't seem outside the realm of possibility that they have concluded that the Vulcan Masters can turn their vast talents towards influencing probabilities towards fortuitous outcomes (something we've also seen is possible in Trek).

And, of course, the Vulcans say they're a lot more logical than they are.

 

[Longinus]

It would be really silly if Vulcans could use their psychic powers to affect events they have no proper knowledge of, in completely different part of the galaxy.

 

[guyute03]

I mention in a resent posting that we might be given the opportunity to learn more about the Vulcan religion (religions) through Burnham.

It would seem to me that if Burnham had religious views, that she would most likely be of the Vulcan religion or one of them, and not a Human one. In the animated episode Yesteryear (TAS) Spock's family was apparently polytheistic, Burnham was of course raised by Sarek.

Not getting into a general discussion on religion (if that's even possible), do you think Burnham would be religious at all, and if she were would she (should she) be written as polytheistic?

I'm not sure. Right now I'm trying to determine how much of this show calls back, or feels inspired by DS9, to me. I'm hoping Discovery DOES deal with religion like DS9 did, not like TNG or TOS.

 

[matthunter]

The idea that Vulcans are completely emotionless is a false one. As such, Vulcans might see prayer as logical if there is no other means of affecting change. As Niels Bohr is rumoured to have said about the "lucky horseshoe" hanging above his door: "Of course I don’t believe in it, but I understand it brings you luck, whether you believe in it or not."

 

[Noname Given]

Spock (as Selek): "I am journeying to the family shrine to honor our gods."

T'Pel (Tuvok's spouse): "My husband, we have been given the news that you are alive. Your children and I have asked the priests at the temple of Amonak to say prayers for your safe return."

^^
That's from ST:Voy (I didn't watch ST:Voy past "The 37's"

 

[PicardSpeedo]

According to the producers, Michael's religion will be revealed to be Muslim at a later date. She is estranged from the religion currently, as the orthodox practitioners, particularly the faith leaders, do not condone her living as a man.

 

[Tenacity]

That always bothered me. Praying is not logical behaviour.

Might be completely logical for Vulcans and their perception of the universe, just as it is for many Humans.

Tuvok's family prayed for his safe return, and he did.